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  • The Storm Before the Calm – October, 1962 Part 2: The ANG RIO School

    As the USAF developed air defense interceptor aircraft with night and all-weather capabilities, some of the aircraft such as the Northrop F-89 Scorpion had a radar intercept officer (RIO) position in addition to the pilot.  For the F-89, the USAF operated a RIO school at James Connally Air Force

  • The Storm Before the Calm – October, 1962 Part 1: The Columbus Day Storm

    This series takes a look back at 142nd Wing history highlights from 60 years ago, in October, 1962. Many will remember it as the time of the Cuban Missile Crisis (Part 3 of the series), arguably the closest the world has been to a nuclear war. This was at the height of the Cold War, when even

  • An Oregon “Guest” of the Luftwaffe

    History can be a complex subject, finding the evidence of days gone by in documents, artifacts, images, interviews and such.  Even when one is familiar with the details of a given aspect of history, it’s common for new details to emerge.  History is not a static thing, and a surprising amount of

  • The Beloved Portland Air Base Chapel

    It’s the oldest building left on Portland Air National Guard Base, and a survivor. Not only has the base chapel survived the Flood of 1948 and the 1980s demolition campaign of virtually all World War II-era buildings on the base, it’s survived some years of lean budgets and others of indifference.

  • Remembering Across Time: Memorial Day 2022 in the 142nd Wing

    Who to remember on Memorial Day?  In our busy lives some people either forget or never learned the differences between Memorial Day, Armed Forces Day and Veterans Day.  Simply put, Memorial Day is to remember those members of the Armed Forces who died in service to the country.

  • The 371st Fighter Group and the Aftermath of the Holocaust

    During this April 24 through May 1, 2022 Days of Remembrance of Victims of the Holocaust, with the Russo-Ukrainian War raging in Europe and perhaps some of the ghosts of World War II being stirred, we remember the terrible things that can happen when one group of human beings are demonized,

  • The Ukrainian Children’s Airlift of 1992

    Thirty years ago, the 142nd Fighter-Interceptor Group (142nd FIG, now the 142nd Wing) played an important humanitarian role in post-Cold War relations with the former Soviet Union, right after the end of the Cold War. In 1992, the 142nd FIG aided in the safe transport of 111 Ukrainian children and

  • The Dusty Start: The 142nd Wing’s Early SW Asia Experience

    This year marks the 30th anniversary of Operation DESERT STORM, the coalition campaign to forcibly remove Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein’s military forces from the Kuwait in an impressive air, land and sea effort. The 142nd Wing’s connection to the desert reaches back to this era, and has continued

  • Even Better with Age: The 142nd Wing turns 78

    Every person has a birthday, and so do organizations. This year marks the 78th anniversary of the 142nd Wing, which was initially created during the Second World War with the activation of the 371st Fighter Group on July 15, 1943.