124th Attack Squadron
military unit
The 124th Attack Squadron is a unit of the Iowa Air National Guard 132nd Wing. It is assigned to Des Moines International Airport (Des Moines ANGB), Iowa and was formerly equipped with F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft. The unit is reequipping with the MQ-9 Reaper.
The squadron is a descendant organization of the 124th Observation Squadron, established on 30 July 1940. It is one of the 29 original National Guard Observation Squadrons of the United States Army National Guard formed before World War II.
History
World War II
Efforts to form an Iowa National Guard aviation unit in Des Moines were led by a citizens' committee, which was formed in May 1940, to arrange for construction of an aircraft hangar and armory building at the Des Moines Airport. This non-profit committee consisted of local business, civic and military leaders. Through the work of this committee, which included conferences in Washington DC, and design and financing of the project, an Air Corps squadron for Des Moines was authorized by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in January 1941. Recruiting of members for the new unit began the following month. The 124th Observation Squadron was organized on 25 February 1941 with an allotted strength of 31 officers and 116 enlisted personnel.
The 124th was a light observation squadron, flying North American O-47 twin-seat observation monoplanes.
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