1593 transported soldier legend
A folk legend holds that in October 1593 a soldier of the Spanish Empire (named Gil Pérez in a 1908 version) was mysteriously transported from Manila in the Philippines to the Plaza Mayor (now the Zócalo) in Mexico City. The soldier's claim to have come from the Philippines was disbelieved by the Mexicans until his account of the assassination of Gómez Pérez Dasmariñas was corroborated months later by the passengers of a ship which had crossed the Pacific Ocean with the news. Folklorist Thomas Allibone Janvier in 1908 described the legend as "current among all classes of the population of the City of Mexico". Twentieth-century paranormal investigators giving credence to the story have offered teleportation and alien abduction as explanations.


1593 transported soldier legend, Story
On October 24, 1593, the soldier was guarding the Palacio del Gobernador in Manila in the Captaincy General of the Philippines. The night before, Governor Gómez Pérez Dasmariñas was assassinated by Chinese pirates, but the guards still guarded the palace and awaited the appointment of a new governor. The soldier began to feel dizzy and exhausted. He leaned against the wall and rested for a moment with his eyes closed.


1593 transported soldier legend, Story
When he opened his eyes a few seconds later, he found himself in Mexico City, in the Viceroyalty of Mexico, thousands of kilometres across the ocean. Some guards found him in the wrong uniform and began to question who he was. The news of the assassination of the Governor of the Philippines was still unknown to the people in Mexico City. The transported soldier was reportedly wearing the palace guards' uniform in Manila and knew of his death. (In fact, Pérez Dasmariñas was killed at sea some distance from Manila.)


1593 transported soldier legend, Story
The authorities placed him in jail for being a deserter and with charges of being a servant of the devil. Months later, news of the governor's death came to Mexico on a galleon from the Philippines. One of the passengers recognized the imprisoned soldier and said that he had seen him in the Philippines a day after the death of the Governor. He was eventually released from jail by the authorities and allowed to go back home.


1593 transported soldier legend, Development
Thomas Allibone Janvier, an American folklorist living in Mexico, recounted the story as Legend of the Living Spectre in the December 1908 edition of Harper's Magazine, naming the soldier as Gil Pérez. The story was one of a series entitled Legends of the City of Mexico published in a collected volume in 1910. Janvier notes that similar motifs are common in folklore. Washington Irving's 1832 book Tales of the Alhambra includes the story "Governor Manco and the Soldier", which bears similarities to the legend.


1593 transported soldier legend, Development
Janvier's 1908 account was based on a Spanish version by Mexican folklorist Luis González Obregón, published in his 1900 collection México viejo: noticias históricas, tradiciones, leyendas y costumbres ("Old Mexico: historical notes, folklore, legends and customs") under the title "Un aparecido" ("An apparition"). Obregón traces the story to a 1698 account by Fray Gaspar de San Agustín of the Spanish conquest of the Philippines, which recounts the story as fact; San Agustin does not name the soldier and ascribed his transportation to witchcraft.


1593 transported soldier legend, Development
Janvier says Obregón asserts that in 1609, Antonio de Morga had written that Pérez Dasmariñas' death was known in Mexico the same day, though de Morga expresses ignorance of how this came to be. José Rizal notes many other miraculous stories from the Spanish Philippines of the time; Luis Weckmann makes the same point in relation to Spanish Mexico. A 1936 collection, Historias de vivos y muertos ("Stories of the living and the dead") by Obregón's successor Artemio de Valle Arizpe, included a version of the story entitled "Por el aire vino, por la mar se fue" ("He came by air, he left by sea").


1593 transported soldier legend, Development
Several writers have offered paranormal explanations for the story. Morris K. Jessup and Brinsley Le Poer Trench, 8th Earl of Clancarty, suggested alien abduction, while Colin Wilson and Gary Blackwood suggested teleportation.


1594
1594 (MDXCIV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar and a common year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar. As of the start of 1594, the Gregorian calendar was 10 days ahead of the Julian calendar.


1594 in Scotland
Events from the year 1594 in the Kingdom of Scotland.


1594 in literature
This article contains information about the literary events and publications of 1594.


1594 in poetry
Nationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature (for instance, Irish or France).


1594 in poetry, Births
Death years link to the corresponding "[year] in poetry" article:


1594 in poetry, Deaths
Birth years link to the corresponding "[year] in poetry" article:


1594 in science
The year 1594 in science and technology involved some significant events.


1595
1595 (MDXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar and a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. As of the start of 1595, the Gregorian calendar was 10 days ahead of the Julian calendar.


1595 in Scotland
Events from the year 1595 in the Kingdom of Scotland.


1595 in art, Paintings
Lavinia Fontana, Portrait of a Lady with a Lap Dog


1595 in literature
This article is a summary of the literary events and publications of 1595.


1595 in poetry
Nationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature (for instance, Irish or France).


1595 in poetry, Births
Death years link to the corresponding "[year] in poetry" article:


1595 in poetry, Deaths
Birth years link to the corresponding "[year] in poetry" article:


1595 in science
The year 1595 in science and technology involved some significant events, some of which are listed here.


1596
1596 (MDXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and a leap year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar. As of the start of 1596, the Gregorian calendar was 10 days ahead of the Julian calendar.


1596 in Scotland
Events from the year 1596 in the Kingdom of Scotland.


1596 in literature
This article contains information about the literary events and publications of 1596.


1596 in poetry
From your confessor, lawyer and physician,Hide not your case on no condition


1596 in poetry
— From Sir John Harington, A New Discourse of a Stale Subject, called the Metamorphosis of Ajax


1596 in poetry
Nationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature (for instance, Irish or France).


1596 in science
The year 1596 in science and technology included some significant events.


1597
1597 (MDXCVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar and a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar. As of the start of 1597, the Gregorian calendar was 10 days ahead of the Julian calendar.


1597 Laugier
1597 Laugier, provisional designation 1949 EB, is an asteroid from the outer region of the asteroid belt, approximately 20 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 7 March 1949, by French astronomer Louis Boyer at the north African Algiers Observatory in Algeria. It was later named after French astronomer Marguerite Laugier.


1597 Laugier, Orbit and classification
This asteroid orbits the Sun in the outer main-belt at a distance of 2.6–3.1 AU once every 4 years and 10 months (1,752 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.09 and an inclination of 12° with respect to the ecliptic. As no precoveries were taken and no prior identifications were made, Laugier's observation arc begins with its official discovery observation in 1949.


1597 Laugier, Physical characteristics, Lightcurves
A rotational lightcurve for this asteroid from an unpublished source at the Asteroid Light Curve Database gave a well-defined rotation period of 8.020 hours with a brightness amplitude between 0.68 and 0.71 in magnitude (U=3). A similar period of 8.023 hours was previously obtained from remodeled data of the Lowell photometric database in March 2016.


1597 Laugier, Physical characteristics, Diameter and albedo
According to the survey carried out by NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer with its subsequent NEOWISE mission, Laugier measures 12.9 kilometers in diameter and its surface has an albedo of 0.244, while the Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link assumes a standard albedo for carbonaceous asteroids of 0.057, and calculates a diameter of 24.3 kilometers based on an absolute magnitude of 11.8.


1597 Laugier, Naming
This minor planet was named after French astronomer and asteroid discoverer Marguerite Laugier (1896–1976). The official naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 1 August 1978 (M.P.C. 4418).


1597 in Scotland
Events from the year 1597 in the Kingdom of Scotland.


1597 in literature
This article contains information about the literary events and publications of 1597.


1597 in poetry
Nationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature (for instance, Irish or France).


1597 in poetry, Births
Death years link to the corresponding "[year] in poetry" article:


1597 in poetry, Deaths
Birth years link to the corresponding "[year] in poetry" article:


1597 in science
The year 1597 in science and technology involved some significant events.


1598
1598 (MDXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar and a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar, the 1598th year of the Common Era (CE) and Anno Domini (AD) designations, the 598th  year of the 2nd millennium, the 98th  year of the 16th century, and the  9th   year of the 1590s decade. As of the start of 1598, the Gregorian calendar was 10 days ahead of the Julian calendar, which remained in localized use until 1923.


1598 in India, Events
The first known English use of zero was in 1598.


1598 in Scotland
Events from the year 1598 in the Kingdom of Scotland.


1598 in literature
This article contains information about the literary events and publications of 1598.


1598 in poetry
Nationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature (for instance, Irish or France).


1598 in poetry, Births
Death years link to the corresponding "[year] in poetry" article:


1598 in poetry, Deaths
Birth years link to the corresponding "[year] in poetry" article:


1598 in science
The year 1598 in science and technology involved some significant events.


1599
1599 (MDXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar and a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. As of the start of 1599, the Gregorian calendar was 10 days ahead of the Julian calendar.


1599 in Scotland
Events from the year 1599 in the Kingdom of Scotland.


1599 in Sweden, Seventeenth Century Sweden
When King John III dies in 1592 his son Sigismund accede to the Swedish throne. Conflict arose when Duke Charles, the living son of Gustav Vasa, did not approve of the accession of Sigismund, his nephew, and a Catholic, to the government. Sigismund was related to the Catholic Habsburgs who were attempting to control the Protestant princes of Germany. Religious fervor, economic self-interest, and political and dynastic self-preservation all motivated the Swedes to help the Protestants in the Thirty Years' War.


1599 in Sweden, Seventeenth Century Sweden
Sweden (which included Finland) was completely Lutheran in the 17th century. In 1586, Sigismund Vasa, son of King John III and Catherine Jagiellonia, was elected king of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in an attempt to continue the Polish-Swedish alliance, the original purpose being to confront Ivan IV.


1599 in Sweden, War Against Sigismund
Sigismund III Vasa, king of both the Commonwealth and Sweden, lost the throne of Sweden during the civil war (1587-1599). After an early stalemate, Sigismund was defeated in the Battle of Stångebro in 1598 and by 1599, Sigismund was dethroned by his uncle, Duke Charles and forced to retreat to the Commonwealth. This also ended the short-lived personal union between Poland and Sweden.


1599 in Sweden, War Against Sigismund
After Sigismund had been crowned King of Sweden February 19, 1594, he decided that no Parliaments (Riksdag) could be summoned without the King's consent. Despite this, Charles summoned a Parliament at Söderköping in autumn 1595, at which he managed to get his will through. The Duke was appointed Regent with “the advice of the Council”, meaning that he was to govern Sweden together with the Privy Council during the King's absence from the Realm. Soon afterward, the nobility of Finland, led by the Sigismund-appointed Governor, Laus Fleming, rejected these decisions, They sympathized with the King and considered Charles a rebel. As a counterattack, Charles instigated a rebellion against Fleming, the Cudge War, among the farmers in Ostrobothnia. Fleming managed to quell the revolt but died in April 1597.


1599 in Sweden, War Against Sigismund
In 1597, civil war erupted, and Duke Charles was able to assume control over a large share of the powerful castles in the country, and in this manner achieved control over almost all the Realm. The problem was Finland, where Klaus Fleming's widow guarded Åbo castle. But after psychological warfare, Charles and his followers managed to take the castle in Turku (Swedish: Åbo). When Sigismund found out about what had happened in Finland he lost his patience. The King could not accept Duke Charles's disrespectful actions. He decided to use force.


1599 in Sweden, War Against Sigismund
At the end of May 1598, Sigismund landed on Swedish soil at Avaskär. The King opened peacefully by sending the diplomat Samuel Łaski to Kalmar for negotiations. His task was to convince the city's commanders to open the gates. However, the negotiations led nowhere. Instead, the King took his soldiers and marched on Kalmar. The army halted just outside the city. The plan was to frighten the commanders into opening the gates. To make his message even more terrifying, Sigismund threatened the city with severe punishments and to withdraw the nobility of all children in the city. The propaganda worked well and Sigismund was able to make his long-desired entry on August 1.


1599 in Sweden, Year 1599
The King had planned to return to Sweden, which raised morale among his followers. However, these plans were never put into action. But the war had not ended. It continued for a few months, as Charles tried to reclaim the cities that were still in Sigismund's hands. He started by appointing a new city government in Stockholm. Then he scolded the burghers, who he claimed hadn't defended the city enough. It all finished with a lot of people being jailed, among them Archbishop Abraham Angermannus, who had supported Sigismund.


1599 in Sweden, Year 1599
Then Swedish forces, led by Carl Carlsson Gyllenhielm, marched towards Kalmar to lay siege to the city. Johan Larsson Sparre defended the walls and the castle in the hope that the King would return to Sweden. But he never got any assistance and the night between March 1 and March 2 the city was assaulted. Gyllenhielm and Samuel Nilsson were ordered to attack the north gate. Duke Charles himself led the attack on the western gate. After the short fight, Charles's men managed to scale the walls. Since the soldiers began looting the city, however, the opportunity to capture Kalmar Castle in the same stroke was lost.


1599 in Sweden, Year 1599
The coming days, the castle proved more tenacious than expected. Johan Larsson Sparre kept the Swedes away, and finally, six Polish ships arrived. These, however, were driven back by four smaller Swedish ships and Swedish artillery fire from within the city. When the Polish ships were unable to do anything, hope disappeared for the defenders inside the castle. After the assault and capture of Kalmar, the focus of the war moved to Finland. Stronghold after stronghold began to be captured in July.


1599 in Sweden, Year 1599
At first, Hans Klasson Bielkenstierna and Peder Stolpe commanded the battle against Sigismund's followers, but on August 19, Duke Charles personally assumed command. With the help of the navy, he crushed the last remnants, and by September all of Sigismund's followers were gone, detained or executed, e.g. in the Åbo bloodbath.


1599 in Sweden, Aftermath and Consequences
Sigismund was officially deposed from the throne of Sweden by a Parliament, Riksdag, held in Stockholm on July 24, 1599. He was given six months to say whether he wanted to send his son. Prince Ladislaus of Poland, to Sweden as his successor, under the condition that the boy would be brought up in the Evangelical faith. Otherwise, the Estates would look for a new king.


1599 in art, Deaths
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1599 in literature
This article lists notable literary events and publications in 1599.


1599 in poetry
Nationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature (for instance, Irish or France).


1599 in poetry, Births
Death years link to the corresponding "[year] in poetry" article:


1599 in poetry, Deaths
Birth years link to the corresponding "[year] in poetry" article:


1599 in science
The year 1599 in science and technology involved some significant events.


159th Aviation Regiment (United States)
The 159th Aviation Regiment is an aviation regiment of the U.S. Army.


159th Aviation Regiment (United States), History
Initially formed from assets of the 308th Aviation Battalion (Combat), the 159th Aviation Battalion (Assault Support Helicopter) was constituted on 1 July 1968 and served in the Regular Army in Vietnam as a part of the 101st Airborne Division (Airmobile).


159th Aviation Regiment (United States), History
Its Company B was reorganized and redesignated on 16 November 1987 as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2d Battalion, 159th Aviation; however, it was inactivated 10 years later on 15 September 1997 before being redesignated on 16 October 1997 as Company B, 159th Aviation, and activated at Hunter Army Airfield, Georgia. Later it moved to Felker Army Airfield at Fort Eustis, VA. HHC and B Company were deployed in Kuwait and Iraq between February 2003 and April 2004, before being inactivated a month later on 15 May 2004 at Ft. Eustis.


159th Aviation Regiment (United States), History
The 159th Aviation Regiment was redesignated to the same company on 1 October 2005 before it was redesignated again a year later 16 October 2006 as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2d Battalion.


159th Aviation Regiment (United States), History
Numerous other elements of the regiment have been active as well:


159th Battalion (1st Algonquins), CEF
The 159th (1st Algonquins) Battalion, CEF was a unit in the Canadian Expeditionary Force during the First World War. Based in Haileybury, Ontario, the unit began recruiting in late 1915 in the districts of Nipissing and Sudbury. After sailing to England in November 1916, the battalion was absorbed into the 8th Reserve Battalion on January 20, 1917. The 159th (1st Algonquins) Battalion, CEF had one Officer Commanding: Lieut-Col. E. F. Armstrongs.


159th Combat Aviation Brigade
The 159th Combat Aviation Brigade (CAB) formerly supported the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), and was stationed at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. While active, 159th CAB made the 101st Airborne Division the only US Army Division with two organic aviation brigades, and currently the 101st CAB is the only CAB supporting the unit at Fort Campbell. The 159th CAB was inactivated on 15 May 2015.


159th Combat Aviation Brigade
The lineage of the 159th Aviation Brigade is separate from that of the Vietnam-era 159th Aviation Battalion and the later 159th Aviation Regiment.


159th Combat Aviation Brigade, Formation and initial deployments, The Vietnam-era 159th Aviation
The 159th Aviation Battalion (Assault Helicopter) was a Vietnam War-era heavy lift helicopter unit formed on 1 July 1968 from the assets of the 308th Aviation Battalion (Combat). The spiritual ancestor (separate lineage) to the 159th CAB was organized as the medium and heavy lift Assault Helicopter Battalion of the 101st Airborne Division, and composed of three Boeing CH-47 Chinook companies (Pachyderms - A Company; Varsity - B Company; Playtex - C Co) and 1 Sikorsky CH-54 Tarhe company (Hurricanes). In the modern formation, only "Varsity" Company remained as Company B, 7th Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment, 159th CAB.


159th Combat Aviation Brigade, Formation and initial deployments, The Vietnam-era 159th Aviation
From January 1969 through February 1972, the battalion provided lift support to the 101st Airborne. The unit conducted airmobile artillery raids, troop movements, flare drops, fire-base insertions and extractions, IFR airdrops, and flight support and aircraft recovery missions. The 159th Aviation Battalion received the Valorous Unit Award for services in the Republic of Vietnam, 1 January 1970 through May 1971. In February 1972, the 159th Aviation Battalion returned to Fort Campbell, Kentucky as the only CH-47 Chinook battalion in the United States Army.


159th Combat Aviation Brigade, Formation and initial deployments, The Vietnam-era 159th Aviation
In November 1987, the 159th Aviation Battalion headquarters was inactivated at Fort Campbell and the 159th Aviation Regiment was activated under the new U.S. Army regimental system at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Later, the unit would be redesignated as 4th Battalion, 159th Aviation Regiment and was activated at Kitzingen, Germany, and then relocated to Giebelstadt, Germany. From this point on, the 159th Aviation Regiment would have no further affiliation with either Fort Campbell, the 101st Airborne, or the 159th Aviation Brigade - the 159th Aviation Regiment continues to exist as a separate unit affiliated with 12th Aviation Brigade.


159th Combat Aviation Brigade, Formation and initial deployments, 101st Aviation Regiment
Meanwhile, the same 1987 reorganization that removed the 159th Aviation Battalion lineage left nine active aviation battalions which had existed beneath it at Fort Campbell. As such, these units were assigned lineage to the 101st Aviation Regiment, and initially reformed under the headquarters of the 101st Aviation Brigade.


159th Combat Aviation Brigade, Formation and initial deployments, 101st Aviation Regiment
As originally formed, Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawks were in the 4th, 5th and 9th Battalions, 101st Aviation; Bell UH-1 Iroquois were in the 6th Battalion, 101st Aviation; CH-47D Chinooks were in the 7th Battalion, 101st Aviation; and Boeing AH-64 Apache were in 1st, 2nd and 3rd Battalion, 101st Aviation. Aviation support was provided by 8th Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment.


159th Combat Aviation Brigade, Formation and initial deployments, 101st Aviation Regiment
Serious flaws with this arrangement would become apparent during the First Gulf War, as the resulting nine Battalion unit was the size of some regiments yet lacked an adequately sized staff element, headquarters, or officer rank to control such a large unit over a wide area. As a result, the 101st Airborne headquarters considered breaking the 101st Aviation Brigade in half and establishing a second headquarters.


159th Combat Aviation Brigade, Formation and initial deployments, The 159th Aviation Brigade
On 9 October 1997, the largest aviation brigade in the Army split nine battalions into two brigades, the 101st Aviation Brigade (Attack) and the 159th Aviation Brigade (Assault). Between 1997 and 2001, the Brigade deployed units to Bosnia, Kosovo, Trinidad and Tobago, and Central America.


159th Combat Aviation Brigade, Post 9/11, 2002 Afghanistan deployment
Following 9/11, elements of the 4-101st (Blackhawk), and 7-101st (Chinook) Aviation Battalions, 159th Aviation Brigade deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Deploying 29 January 2002 for OEF, 159th elements prepared and strategically deployed 5 UH-60L Blackhawk aircraft and 6.5 aircrews to Kandahar, Afghanistan. 159th Brigade also deployed 8 UH-60L Blackhawk and 13 CH-47 Chinook aircraft to Bagram.


159th Combat Aviation Brigade, Post 9/11, 2002 Afghanistan deployment
The unit deployed another 5 UH-60L aircraft to Bagram Air Force Base, Afghanistan on 3 May 2002. In September 2002, two elements of A Company, 4-101st Aviation Regiment redeployed from Afghanistan where they supported OEF in the fight against the Taliban.


159th Combat Aviation Brigade, Post 9/11, 2002 Afghanistan deployment, Operation Anaconda
...we determined that the most dangerous and critical part of the operation was getting the force on the ground. We knew we could kill the enemy if they showed themselves, so we thought the greater risk was crashing a helicopter in the unfamiliar and harsh terrain at 9,000 feet of altitude.


159th Combat Aviation Brigade, Post 9/11, 2002 Afghanistan deployment, Operation Anaconda
Chinook and Blackhawk aircraft from 159th Aviation Brigade provided direct lift support for Operation Anaconda. U.S. Army intelligence had located a large number of Taliban and al Qaeda personnel operating in the Shah-e-Kot Valley, near the Pakistani border. Within the valley were the three villages of Sherkhankhel, Babukhel, and Marzak. Operation Anaconda would block Taliban and al Qaeda forces inside the valley where they could be destroyed before escaping into Pakistan.


159th Combat Aviation Brigade, Post 9/11, 2002 Afghanistan deployment, Operation Anaconda
159th Aviators began pre-flight checks for departure at 4:30 am, 2 March 2002. The air mission consisted of eight 7-101 CH-47 aircraft divided into two flights of four, carrying infantry from the 101st Airborne and 10th Mountain Divisions. As resupply was not guaranteed at the time, the onboard infantry were heavily laden with ample food, water, cold-weather clothing, night-vision and communications equipment in addition to weapons and ammunition. Some individuals carried a hundred pounds or more.


159th Combat Aviation Brigade, Post 9/11, 2002 Afghanistan deployment, Operation Anaconda
The air assault into Shah-e-Kot would be supported by five Apaches from the sister 101st Aviation Brigade. The date for the attack had initially been planned for 25 February, but bad weather forced a delay until 2 March. The helicopters would land just after the start of morning nautical twilight, as mission planners weighed the options of attacking under the cover of darkness or during daylight hours. It was finally decided to insert at sunrise to catch the enemy asleep yet provide optimal vision for the forces entering the valley.


159th Combat Aviation Brigade, Post 9/11, 2002 Afghanistan deployment, Operation Anaconda
The Apaches entered the valley first to provide overwatch of the helicopter landing zones. The attack aircraft radioed back the call of "ice", a military term for an uncontested landing. Though the aircraft were able to disembark infantry without incident, the ground force began taking small arms fire immediately after their departure. After this initial period, the infantry and supporting Chinooks would require repeated air to ground fire support from the accompanying Apaches and USAF assets. The Taliban began to target the aircraft, and on the first day of the operation, five out of seven AH-64s were put out of action by ground fire.


159th Combat Aviation Brigade, Post 9/11, 2002 Afghanistan deployment, Operation Anaconda
After the initial engagements on his forces, Colonel Frank Wiercinski (ground forces commander), decided to move his mobile command team off of the airborne command post and directly control fighting from the ground. The 159th Blackhawks would insert this element as wave two of the operation, and proceeded directly to the pre-designated HLZ. As there was only room for one Blackhawk at this landing site, the aircraft would take turns making use of the location to land, disembark the passengers, and quickly take off again. On ingress to this HLZ, the lead helicopter began to take small arms fire. Just before touch down, a RPG exploded below the lead Black Hawk and sent shrapnel into the airframe directly under the pilot's seat. The pilot continued the approach and safely deposited half the Brigade TAC before departing. The second aircraft immediately followed with the rest of the TAC.


159th Combat Aviation Brigade, Post 9/11, 2002 Afghanistan deployment, Operation Anaconda
Resupply and reinforcement efforts were further complicated by the then-standard use of VHF and FM radios for air-to-air and air-to-ground communication. Both types of radios are limited by line of sight, and as aircraft were divided by mountain ridges communication was at times interrupted.


159th Combat Aviation Brigade, Post 9/11, 2002 Afghanistan deployment, Operation Anaconda
A third lift of reinforcement and medical evacuation aircraft were sent to the area just before darkness on day one. During this third insertion, overhead Apache crews observed several RPG near-misses on the first aircraft, falling short, and another fired between the following two. White trails of smoke showed the path the RPGs had taken. An RPG strike to the tail rotor of one of the few remaining Apaches rendered further attack air support no longer effective.


159th Combat Aviation Brigade, Post 9/11, 2002 Afghanistan deployment, Operation Anaconda
Reinforcements hovering outside the objective area could no longer be safely inserted due to intense ground fire, and supply drops for friendly positions were likely to be shot down. Given the unarmored nature of the CH-47s and UH-60s, the ground force commander ordered the supporting aircraft to return to Bagram Air Base.


159th Combat Aviation Brigade, Post 9/11, 2002 Afghanistan deployment, Operation Anaconda
During most of day two, infantry on the ground faced repeated close-range attack by enemy small arms, RPG, and mortar fire. Though only two Apaches remained serviceable to provide support, 24-hours of air force bombing began to have an effect and Taliban attacks slowly diminished. Just after sunset, Task Force Summit and the ground forces Brigade command post was extracted via CH-47.


159th Combat Aviation Brigade, Post 9/11, 2002 Afghanistan deployment, Operation Anaconda
159th Aircraft would continue to support the operation until it ended on 18 March 2002.


159th Combat Aviation Brigade, Post 9/11, 2003 Iraq deployment
In 2003, the 159th deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. On 22 April 2003 the 159th Brigade and 101st Airborne Division conducted the longest air assault in history. A mixed composition air convoy of 200 Black Hawk, Apache, Chinook and Kiowa helicopters from 159th and 101st Aviation regiments landed at two forward bases, unloading infantry soldiers and refueling. Later this same day, the Screaming Eagles made their first attack deep inside Iraq, using dozens of helicopters to hit an Iraqi armored brigade about 100 miles southwest of Baghdad, reported a CNN correspondent embedded with the 101st.


159th Combat Aviation Brigade, Post 9/11, 2003 Iraq deployment
159th began combat operations in the open desert, where there was enough room for the 100-aircraft strong force to establish a tactical operations center (TOC) and tactical assembly area (TAA) Thunder I. The unit later 'jumped' to TAA Thunder II (Karbala), and Thunder III (Iskandariyah), before finally assuming operations out of Mosul Airfield.


159th Combat Aviation Brigade, Post 9/11, 2003 Iraq deployment
During the initial invasion, the Brigade lost only a single aircraft due to heavy dust conditions at FARP Shell. Even at this time, the most common threat to aircraft was a mixture of small to medium-sized AAA systems, RPGs, and ground fire.


159th Combat Aviation Brigade, Post 9/11, 2003 Iraq deployment
After the initial invasion, 159th assumed responsibility for Iraq's second largest city of Mosul and four northern provinces. On 15 November 2003 Blackhawk #93-26531 (4-101st) and another Blackhawk from 101st Aviation Brigade collided over the suburbs of Mosul approximately 5 km from the Airfield; six of the seventeen Soldiers who died that day were from 159th Aviation Brigade.


159th Combat Aviation Brigade, Post 9/11, Army Transformation
Under Army Transformation, the unit was reorganized as a CAB on 17 September 2004. As part of the Army's transformation towards a modular force, the 3d Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment transferred from the 101st CAB to 159th CAB, also part of the 101st Airborne Division. On 26 September 2005, the aviation support battalion of the 159th CAB was reflagged from the 9th Battalion (Support), 101st Aviation Regiment, to the 563d Support Battalion (Aviation).


159th Combat Aviation Brigade, Post 9/11, 2005 Iraq deployment
Following its re-designation, the 159th CAB deployed again to Iraq in 2005. The 159th CAB worked in direct support of Multinational Corps-Iraq by providing rotary-wing helicopter support to nearly every unit in Iraq.


159th Combat Aviation Brigade, Post 9/11, 2008 Afghanistan deployment
In December 2008, the 159th CAB, TF Thunder, deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Headquartered out of Bagram Airbase, the brigade task force provided a wide range of aviation support to CJTF-101, CJTF-82, CJSOTF, USFOR-A and International Security and Assistance Forces (ISAF).


159th Combat Aviation Brigade, Post 9/11, 2008 Afghanistan deployment
The 159th CAB reorganized as Task Force Thunder, and as the only U.S. Aviation Brigade operating in Afghanistan at the time assumed responsibility for an area the size of Texas. Due to the decentralized nature of the fight, the limited aviation assets in theater, and the vast geographic expanse requiring helicopter support, the Brigade established four distinct multi-functional task forces based out of Bagram, Jalalabad, Salerno, and Kandahar Airfield, with follow on establishment at FOB Shank. The joint, coalition based task force included 138 helicopters, 7 un-manned aerial systems (UAVs), and 28 various fixed wing aircraft with an oversight relationship for Polish, French and Czech Aviation units.


159th Combat Aviation Brigade, Post 9/11, 2008 Afghanistan deployment
In 2009, the Brigade Task Force provided both direct and general support, full spectrum aviation operations, to all regional commands operating in Afghanistan. Since assuming the mission, Task Force Thunder flew over 136,000 flight hours, conducted over 509 deliberate air assaults and executed over 3,700 air movement operations. These operations resulted in moving over 132,000 Soldiers and 6,574 Tons of cargo. In addition, the unit executed more than 2,400 MEDEVAC missions, moving over 2,800 patients from point of injury to appropriate care facilities


159th Combat Aviation Brigade, Post 9/11, 2008 Afghanistan deployment, FOB Blessing
FOB Blessing and COP Vegas were located within the Korengal Valley, in Eastern Afghanistan. In September 2009, a flight of two CH-47s transferring troops and equipment from FOB Blessing to COP Vegas was ambushed by insurgents. During the second approach into COP Vegas, a CH-47 was struck in tail ramp by a rocket-propelled grenade. The aircraft hydraulics were significantly damaged, and the CH-47 pitched violently while the crew fought to regain control. The pilot made the decision to attempt to fly the severely damaged airframe back to FOB Blessing, where there would be sufficient landing space for a MEDEVAC aircraft to land and evacuate the numerous wounded on board.


159th Combat Aviation Brigade, Post 9/11, 2008 Afghanistan deployment, FOB Blessing
Upon arrival to FOB Blessing, the pilot judged the risk of landing on the established HLZ to be too high, instead landing the aircraft in an open field to conserve the HLZ for an inbound MEDEVAC. This likely saved the lives of several of the wounded Soldiers on board, as otherwise medical crews would have been forced to spend time improvising an HLZ or even remove casualties individually from the air. After conducting an emergency shut-down, the crew found damage to the CH-47's hydraulic control lines which could have been catastrophic.


159th Combat Aviation Brigade, Post 9/11, 2008 Afghanistan deployment, FOB Blessing
The aircrew and ground forces at FOP Blessing became nervous that insurgents would launch a mortar attack on the vulnerable airframe at first light, in an attempt to set the aviation fuel inside ablaze. Fortunately, the crew was able to self-repair the damage to the hydraulics, then limped back to Bagram Airbase, an hour and a half long harrowing flight.


159th Combat Aviation Brigade, Post 9/11, 2008 Afghanistan deployment, FOB Blessing
As a result of his heroism, 7-101 CH-47 pilot CW3 Ryan Dechent was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.


159th Combat Aviation Brigade, Post 9/11, 2008 Afghanistan deployment, COP Keating
As we came over the mountain, all we could see was a big column of smoke coming from Keating. We were looking at Keating, and it was just a massive fire. Everything was burning down.


159th Combat Aviation Brigade, Post 9/11, 2008 Afghanistan deployment, COP Keating
159th CAB Aviators from Task Force Pale Horse (7-17 Cavalry) provided direct air support to the ground troops during the attack on COP Keating on 3 October 2009. COP Keating was located in a depression, surrounded by mountains. Because of the extremely small size of the one-hundred meter outpost, the landing zone was located 'outside the wire' - a common expression for being outside the defensive perimeter in an unsecure area. The landing zone had only enough room for one Chinook or two Blackhawks to land at one time. This would greatly complicate support and reinforcement efforts before, during, and after the Battle of Kamdesh.


159th Combat Aviation Brigade, Post 9/11, 2008 Afghanistan deployment, COP Keating
Observation Post Fritsche was located on top of a nearby mountain, overlooking COP Keating and a significant liability were it overrun. The Blackhawks quickly left accompanied by two Apaches, with a load of approximately thirty infantry to fortify OP Fritsche. Upon arriving at the site, the Blackhawks began receiving heavy ground fire from what would later be assessed as a 300-strong element of enemy fighters. More troublingly, OP Fritsche could offer no support to neighboring COP Keating as the force was cut off by heavy enemy machine gun and RPG fire from within the valley. This constituted a problem for the helicopter teams since the regular avenue of approach to COP Keating was through the low-lying terrain of said valley.


159th Combat Aviation Brigade, Post 9/11, 2008 Afghanistan deployment, COP Keating
In an attempt to conceal their approach, the aircraft took a non-traditional approach by flying directly over the mountain ridge. After multiple turns in the area while under fire, the two Blackhawks were able to insert more than 100 Soldiers to reinforce the outpost. Meanwhile, the Apaches remained overhead providing support to the battered U.S. force at COP Keating. The Apache crews had been verbally told that the COP was taking heavy fire from small arms and RPGs prior to departure, however the situation was unstable and the Apache crews were worried of accidentally firing upon friendly troops.


159th Combat Aviation Brigade, Post 9/11, 2008 Afghanistan deployment, COP Keating
Via radio contact with the ground force within COP Keating, the crews were told to consider anyone outside the wire perimeter to be hostile. As a result, the attack aircraft engaged some thirty armed individuals just outside a large visible breach in the defensive works of COP Keating. Just after this time MEDEVAC aircraft attempted to extract wounded, but were forced to turn back due to heavy ground fire. The Apaches remained on-station for approximately 90 minutes taking repeated damage from small arms fire and eventually running out of ammunition.


159th Combat Aviation Brigade, Post 9/11, 2008 Afghanistan deployment, COP Keating
As a result of small arms damage, the Apache crews were forced to switch aircraft upon returning to FOB Bostick rather than simply rearming and refueling. This had the fortunate side-effect of allowing the crews several minutes to return to the nearby unit TOC, exchange maps and information of the situation, and learn of the most recent real-time intelligence regarding events on the ground. The Apaches returned to COP Keating and began engaging a mixed group of 25 enemy fighters in and around the nearby police station and mosque.


159th Combat Aviation Brigade, Post 9/11, 2008 Afghanistan deployment, COP Keating
Overcast weather from an incoming thunder storm allowed the pilots to clearly see muzzle flashes from small arms and DShK heavy machine guns directed at them and friendly ground forces. The impending thunderstorm was both a blessing and a curse, as the Apaches were forced again to return to FOB Bostick due to severe weather. After approximately a one-hour weather hold, 159th CAB aircraft returned to the area one final time that day to further support ground forces with Apache fire and conduct one further reinforcement of OP Fritsche.


159th Combat Aviation Brigade, Post 9/11, 2008 Afghanistan deployment, COP Keating
As a result of heroism in the face of enemy fire, 3-101 Apache pilots Captain Matthew J. Kaplan, Chief Warrant Officer 3 Ross D. Lewallen, Chief Warrant Officer 3 Randy L. Huff, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Christopher N. Wright and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Gary H. Wingert were each awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.


159th Combat Aviation Brigade, Post 9/11, 2008 Afghanistan deployment, COP Keating
Additionally, 4-101's Sgt. Kevin Hobbs, a Company C. crew chief; Capt. Aaron Nichols, the assistant Task Force Wings operations officer; Chief Warrant Officer 2 Raymond Andrel, the Company C. safety officer; and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Kevin Howey, a Company C. instructor pilot were awarded the Air Medal with Valor device.


159th Combat Aviation Brigade, Post 9/11, 2011 Afghanistan deployment
In January 2011, the 159th CAB was again called upon to support Operation Enduring Freedom. The entire brigade, minus its MEDEVAC company that had just returned from an off-cycle deployment to Iraq and Afghanistan, assumed responsibility for the rotary wing aviation mission throughout Regional Command South in Afghanistan. Throughout its year-long deployment, the brigade provided full-spectrum aviation support to ground units, to include air assaults, air movements, reconnaissance, security, close combat attack and Pathfinder missions.


159th Combat Aviation Brigade, Post 9/11, 2011 Afghanistan deployment
During the deployment, Task Force Thunder made history when it became the first CAB to receive, integrate, and execute fixed-wing movements with Alenia C-27J Spartans and electronic attack missions with Beechcraft C-12 Caesar aircraft. The 159th CAB also took on a new role during this deployment, serving as mentors to Afghan National Security Forces. Partnerships with the Afghan Air Force, Afghan National Police, Afghan National Civil Order of Police, and the Afghan National Army helped to further improve security in the region and increase the capability of the ANSF and the government of Afghanistan.


159th Combat Aviation Brigade, Post 9/11, 2011 Afghanistan deployment
The majority of the 101st Airborne Division redeployed from Afghanistan by late 2011. On 22 March 2012 the 159th CAB redeployed to Fort Campbell, Kentucky and, for the first time in five years, the entire 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) was "back home" together.


159th Combat Aviation Brigade, Post 9/11, 2011 Afghanistan deployment, Medevac support
A jug this big will blow a man's leg off and, unfortunately, I have a lot of soldiers who have lost legs to this kind of wickedness.


159th Combat Aviation Brigade, Post 9/11, 2011 Afghanistan deployment, Medevac support
...if we have to go in there 10 times, I've got to put my fears aside because they're counting on me, I'm counting on them to go out there to fight the Taliban head to head, in close quarters. When they need Medevac , we're going in there.


159th Combat Aviation Brigade, Post 9/11, 2011 Afghanistan deployment, Medevac support
As Task Force Thunder, the 159th CAB was responsible for medical evacuation flights for all of RC-S and RC-SW in partnership with the U.S. Air Force. TF Thunder Medevac flights were based out of Kandahar Airfield, Camp Bastion, and several small combat outposts in Helmand, Uruzgun, and Zabul provinces.


159th Combat Aviation Brigade, Post 9/11, 2011 Afghanistan deployment, Medevac support
During the summer of 2011, TF Thunder partnered with Task Force Strike (2nd Brigade, 101st Airborne Division) and later Task Force Mountain (10th Mountain Division), and TF Thunder Medevac aircraft were repeatedly engaged at ranges of 100 meters or less by small arms and rocket propelled grenade fire in the claustrophobic Arghandab River and Helmand River valleys. The unique terrain in this region consisted of open wheat or poppy fields which could be used as a landing zone, and built-up grape rows which could not. The geographic situation limited Medevac pilots to a relative few landing sites, allowing for repeated ambush.


159th Combat Aviation Brigade, Post 9/11, 2011 Afghanistan deployment, Medevac support
TF Thunder Medevac crews learned to cooperate closely with infantry ground forces to establish a tight security perimeter around a given HLZ. Despite this, reports of deliberate Taliban ambush of Medevac aircraft continued until the onset of cold weather that fall.


159th Combat Aviation Brigade, Post 9/11, 2013 Afghanistan deployment
159th CAB again deployed to RC-E Afghanistan in December 2013, spending most of 2014 there in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. The Brigade returned in September/October 2014.


159th Combat Aviation Brigade, Inactivation
On 20 November 2014, the U.S. Army announced that the 159th CAB would be inactivated in 2015. As part of the restructuring, the Army will retain the 159th CAB's Apache battalion, the 3d Battalion (Attack/Reconnaissance), 101st Aviation Regiment, and reassign it to the 101st CAB. The majority of 159th CAB Soldiers would be sent elsewhere.


159th Division (People's Republic of China)
The 159th Division(Chinese: 第159师) was created in November 1948 under the Regulation of the Redesignations of All Organizations and Units of the Army, issued by Central Military Commission on 1 November 1948, basing on the 7th Independent Division of Jichareliao Military District, formed in February.


159th Division (People's Republic of China)
The division was a part of the 46th Corps. Under the flag of the 159th division it took part in the Chinese civil war. In July 1949 the division was disbanded. Its remnant was reorganized as the 6th Regiment, 2nd Forestry Engineering Division in 1952.


159th Fighter Squadron
The 159th Fighter Squadron (159 FS) is a unit of the Florida Air National Guard's 125th Fighter Wing located at Jacksonville International Airport (Jacksonville ANG Base), Florida. The 159th is equipped with the F-15C and F-15D Eagle.


159th Fighter Squadron, Overview
The squadron primarily flies the single seat F-15C Eagle aircraft, along with a smaller number of twin-seat F-15D, in the air superiority/air dominance role. As part of the Florida Air National Guard, the 159 FS and 125 FW report to the 1st Air Force (1 AF) and are operationally-gained by the U.S. Air Force's Air Combat Command (ACC). The squadron is based at Jacksonville Air National Guard Base (Jacksonville International Airport), Florida and also maintains a permanent rotational alert detachment at Homestead Air Reserve Base, Florida.


159th Fighter Squadron, Mission
To provide air defense for the southeastern United States, as directed by the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and United States Northern Command (USNORTHCOM), from Charleston, South Carolina to the southern tip of Florida and across the Florida panhandle.


159th Fighter Squadron, Mission
In addition, to provide the Continental NORAD Region (CONR) commander rapid response to invasions of the sovereign airspace of the United States and respond with appropriate defense measures against all hostile actions directed at the people and property of the United States, and to be available to other combat commanders for forward deployment in order to perform air superiority/air dominance missions in other theaters outside of the United States.


159th Fighter Squadron, History, World War II
Established in late 1942 as a P-47 Thunderbolt fighter squadron, it trained under I Fighter Command in the mid-Atlantic states. The 159th also flew air-defense missions as part of the Philadelphia Fighter Wing. The squadron was deployed to the European Theater of Operations (ETO), being assigned to VIII Fighter Command in England in June 1943.


159th Fighter Squadron, History, World War II
The unit served primarily as an escort organization, covering the penetration, attack and withdrawal of B-17 and B-24 bomber formations that the USAAF sent against targets on the European continent. The squadron also engaged in counter-air patrols, fighter sweeps, strafing and dive-bombing missions. It attacked such targets as airdromes, marshalling yards, missile sites, industrial areas, ordnance depots, oil refineries, trains and highways. During its operations, the unit participated in the assault against the Luftwaffe and aircraft industry during the Big Week, 20–25 February 1944 and the attack on transportation facilities prior to the Normandy invasion and support of the invasion forces thereafter, including the Saint-Lô breakout in July.


159th Fighter Squadron, History, World War II
The squadron supported the airborne attack in the Netherlands in September 1944 and upgraded to P-51 Mustangs in October. It deployed to Chievres Airdrome, (ALG A-84), Belgium between February and April 1945 flying tactical ground support missions during the airborne assault across the Rhine. The unit returned to England and flew its last combat mission on 20 April 1945. It was demobilized during the summer of 1945 in England and inactivated in the United States as a paper unit in October 1945.


159th Fighter Squadron, History, Florida Air National Guard, The early post-war years
At the conclusion of World War II, work began to organize an Air National Guard unit for Florida. A National Guard Bureau document dated 16 March 1946, gave states permission to request an Air Force unit allotment. Months later, Florida accepted the 159th Fighter Squadron with an authorized strength of 50 officers and 303 enlisted men. Governor Millard F. Caldwell formally accepted the unit on 30 August 1946, and full federal recognition was granted 9 February 1947.


159th Fighter Squadron, History, Florida Air National Guard, The early post-war years
A facility for housing the units became available in temporary World War II buildings on the west side of the Thomas Cole Imeson Airport in Jacksonville, Florida. Upon the arrival of the unit's first aircraft, the P-51D Mustang, (later redesignated the F-51D) at Imeson Airport, the 159th became the first operational Air National Guard unit in Florida. During the second year of operation, the FLANG became one of the first six Air National Guard squadrons in the United States equipped with jet aircraft. The conversion from the F-51D Mustang to the F-80C Shooting Star became official on 1 August 1948, when the unit was re-designated the 159th Fighter Squadron, Jet Propelled (159 FSJ).


159th Fighter Squadron, History, Florida Air National Guard, Combat in Korea
In the fall of 1950, the United States' involvement in the Korean War required extensive air power commitments from the United States Air Force. To alleviate the strain on active duty forces, President Truman activated the FLANG on 10 October 1950; the pilots were ordered to report to George Air Force Base, California. On arrival at George AFB, the 159th Fighter Squadron joined the 116th Fighter Group – an organization consisting of Air National Guard units from Florida, Georgia (the 158th) and California (the 196th).


159th Fighter Squadron, History, Florida Air National Guard, Combat in Korea
The group and squadrons reorganized under the Wing-Base Plan on 1 November 1950, and were redesignated the 116th Fighter Bomber Group, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Howard L. Galbreath. The group received instructions to move to the Far East, which overrode their original orders to Europe to replace an active duty U.S. Air Force squadron slated to go to Korea.


159th Fighter Squadron, History, Florida Air National Guard, Combat in Korea
By 10 August 1951, upon arrival overseas, the 159th Fighter Squadron operated under the command of Major Dan Sharpe, USAF. The 116th Fighter Group was then assigned to the 5th Air Force commanded by Lieutenant General Thomas C. Waskow at its new home, Misawa Air Base, Japan. A primary requirement of the Florida Air National Guard during the Korean War was one of Air Defense coupled with combat missions over Korea. There, the 159 FSJ concentrated on flying dangerous ground attack missions against enemy supply lines and troops in the field. Pilots flew 92 combat sorties in four days with very credible results. For its part in the war, the unit earned the Korean Service Citation with Bronze Service Stars.


159th Fighter Squadron, History, Florida Air National Guard, After Korea
Upon its release from active duty, the unit returned on 9 July 1952, with their new commander to Imeson Municipal Airport. The unit's F-84Es and all its ground equipment were turned over to the U.S. Air Force and left in Japan. On 10 July 1952, the 159th Fighter Squadron, Jet Propelled, was re-designated the 159th Fighter Bomber Squadron, dissolving the 159th Utility Flight and integrating it into the unit. Six months later, the 159th Fighter Bomber Squadron was re-equipped with F-51H Mustangs and re-designated the 159th Fighter Bomber Squadron Augmented (159 FBSA).


159th Fighter Squadron, History, Florida Air National Guard, After Korea
From October to December 1954, the 159 FBSA was equipped with nine different types of aircraft such as the T-6 Texan, B-26 Invader, C-45 Expeditor, C-47 Skytrain, C-54 Skymaster, F-51H Mustang, T-33 Shooting Star, F-80 Shooting Star, and F-86A Sabre. By the end of December 1954, things settled down and the 159 FBSA had an entire squadron of F-80Cs for the second time. There were now 43 officers and warrant officers and 472 enlisted men in the unit.


159th Fighter Squadron, History, Florida Air National Guard, After Korea
In July 1955, while still equipped with F-80Cs, the unit was re-designated the 159th Fighter Interceptor Squadron (159 FIS), with a mission change to Air Defense. By 1 July 1956, the parent unit reorganized into 125th Fighter Interceptor Group (125 FIG) and both organizations were operationally-gained by Air Defense Command (ADC). The activation of the 125th coincided with the conversion to the F-86D Sabre, an all-weather interceptor. The F-86 made the 125th a self-sustaining unit capable of performing the Air Defense mission in all types of weather, day or night.


159th Fighter Squadron, History, Florida Air National Guard, After Korea
In 1959 and 1960, the 125th underwent two aircraft conversions which greatly increased the unit's inventory and operational costs. In June 1959, the unit converted from the F-86D to the F-86L Sabre. Another major conversion began 1 July 1960, when the unit converted from the F-86L to the F-102A Delta Dagger supersonic fighter.


159th Fighter Squadron, History, Florida Air National Guard, After Korea
In the 1960s, the 159 FIS and 125 FIG would also see their operating location change. Due to its limited ability to handle newer commercial jet aircraft, the local government officials in Jacksonville and Duval County in the early 1960s determined that Imeson Airport would need to be replaced by a newer, larger airport with a greater capability for accommodating jet airliner traffic and long term growth.


159th Fighter Squadron, History, Florida Air National Guard, After Korea
With the scaling back and ultimate closure of Imeson Airport, and its replacement by the new Jacksonville International Airport during 1967 and 1968, the 125 FIG and 159 FIS subsequently relocated to a newly constructed Air National Guard installation at the new airport and was fully in place and operational by 1968. That same year, the active USAF gaining command's name was changed to Aerospace Defense Command (ADC).


159th Fighter Squadron, History, Florida Air National Guard, The 1970s to the present
In 1974, the 125th Fighter Interceptor Group converted from the F-102 Delta Dagger to the F-106 Delta Dart. By the end of the year, with the conversion complete and the F-106 formally integrated into the 125 FIG weapons inventory, alert status resumed at Jacksonville International Airport. Pilots and ground-crew members received extensive training in the operations and maintenance of the new aircraft and they soon gained the expertise needed to handle the sophisticated all-weather supersonic fighter-interceptor. Concurrent operation of the T-33 Shooting Star also continued, functioning as a simulated target aircraft for intercept training and for other pilot proficiency training.


159th Fighter Squadron, History, Florida Air National Guard, The 1970s to the present
In October 1979, in anticipation of the inactivation of Aerospace Defense Command, the USAF gained command responsibilities which shifted to Tactical Air Command (TAC) and a sub-organization equivalent to a numbered air force designated as Air Defense, Tactical Air Command (ADTAC). In 1985, ADTAC was redesignated as the 1st Air Force (1 AF) and remained the numbered air force for all Air National Guard fighter units.


159th Fighter Squadron, History, Florida Air National Guard, The 1970s to the present
The 159th Fighter Interceptor Squadron flew the F-106 Delta Dart for 12 years, but by the end of 1986, the US Air Force began to phase out the F-106, converting Regular Air Force units flying the Delta Dart to the F-15 Eagle and most Air National Guard F-106 units to the F-4 Phantom II. However, it was determined that the multipurpose F-4 was not the ideal fighter for the continental air defense mission and the Air Force and the National Guard Bureau decided to transition the 159 FIS and 125 FIG to the F-16 Fighting Falcon.


159th Fighter Squadron, History, Florida Air National Guard, The 1970s to the present
In January 1987, the unit converted to the F-16A, followed by a small number of additional twin-seat F-16Bs. On 1 April 1987, the 159 FIS became the first F-16 unit to sit alert in an Air Defense role as a fighter interceptor unit on a 24/7/365 basis. This conversion also marked the 11th fighter aircraft conversion for the unit. Following avionics upgrades tailored for the Air Defense mission, these aircraft would become known as the F-16ADF.


159th Fighter Squadron, History, Florida Air National Guard, The 1970s to the present
In June 1992, after the inactivation of Tactical Air Command, the 159 FIS was once again redesignated as the 159th Fighter Squadron (159 FS). The 125 FIG was concurrently redesignated as the 125th Fighter Group (125 FG) and both organizations operationally-gained by the newly established Air Combat Command (ACC).


159th Fighter Squadron, History, Florida Air National Guard, The 1970s to the present
In 1995, the 159th Fighter Squadron converted from the F-16ADF to the A and B versions of the F-15 Eagle as its primary fighter aircraft. That same year, the parent unit for the 159 FS, the 125 FG, was redesignated the 125th Fighter Wing (125 FW), placing the unit on a par organizationally with Regular US Air Force fighter units. Five years after the conversion to the F-15, Fighter Data Link (FDL) technology was incorporated into the F-15, allowing the pilots to link flight data with multiple users, providing realtime information on air and ground threats. The 159th continued to incorporate newer technology in its 1970s era F-15As and F-15Bs under the F-15 Multistage Improvement Program (F-15 MSIP), such as the upgrade to 220E model engines.


159th Fighter Squadron, History, Florida Air National Guard, The 1970s to the present
During the late 1990s, the 159 FS was also fully integrated into the USAF Air and Space Expeditionary Force (AEF) and routinely deployed aircraft and personnel to the 363rd Air Expeditionary Wing at Prince Sultan Air Base, Al Kharj, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in support of Operation SOUTHERN WATCH, enforcing the No-Fly Zone over southern Iraq.


159th Fighter Squadron, History, Florida Air National Guard, The 1970s to the present
Since 11 September 2001, the squadron has been extensively involved in Operation NOBLE EAGLE, performing its historic continental air defense mission in the southeastern United States, as well as continuing to deploy aircraft and personnel to U.S. Central Command Air Forces (USCENTAF), now known as U.S. Air Forces Central (USAFCENT), in Southwest Asia in support of Operations ENDURING FREEDOM and IRAQI FREEDOM.


159th Fighter Squadron, History, Florida Air National Guard, The 1970s to the present
In 2006, the 159 FS replaced its previous F-15A/B Eagle (MSIP) aircraft with its current F-15C and F-15D variants.


159th Fighter Squadron, History, Florida Air National Guard, The 1970s to the present
In 2015, the 159 FS (redesignated the 159th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron) deployed as the first ever Air National Guard Theater Security Package to augment United States Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa. They deployed again in 2017, this time to Romania and then Iceland in support of the Icelandic Air Policing mission.


159th Fighter Wing
The 159th Fighter Wing (159 FW) is a unit of the Louisiana Air National Guard, stationed at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base New Orleans, Louisiana. If activated to federal service, the Wing is gained by the United States Air Force Air Combat Command.


159th Fighter Wing
The 122d Fighter Squadron, assigned to the Wings 159th Operations Group, is a descendant organization of the 122d 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.


159th Fighter Wing, Overview
The 159th Fighter Wing, nicknamed "The Bayou Militia," is an Air National Guard F-15C Eagle fighter unit located at NAS JRB New Orleans, Louisiana. The 159th Fighter Wing is tasked with providing air superiority over Louisiana and the Gulf Coast while supporting USNORTHCOM and NORAD (North American Aerospace Defense Command).


159th Fighter Wing, Overview
The title "Coonass Militia" was changed to "Cajun Militia" in 1992, and subsequently changed to "Bayou Militia" in the late 1990s.


159th Fighter Wing, Overview
The LA ANG use Warning Area airspace over the Gulf of Mexico for most of their training. Supersonic flight, necessary for realistic training, is conducted away from the shoreline in a manner that does not disturb the public. Some forms of chaff, however, do interfere electronically with the Houston FAA ARTCC.


159th Fighter Wing, Overview
159th Fighter Wing/Louisiana Air National Guard was awarded the "Outstanding Air National Guard Unit" in 2003. This award is given annually to the Air National Guard unit which meets or exceeds the criteria from the National Guard Bureau.


159th Fighter Wing, History
In 1958, the Louisiana Air National Guard 122d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron was authorized to expand to a group level, and the 159th Fighter Interceptor Group was established by the National Guard Bureau on 1 April 1958. The 122d FIS becoming the group's flying squadron. Other support squadrons assigned into the group were the 159th Headquarters, 159th Material Squadron (Maintenance), 159th Combat Support Squadron, and the 159th USAF Dispensary. The 122d FIS was equipped with the F-86L Sabre Interceptor.


159th Fighter Wing, History, Air Defense mission
With the F-86L, the squadron stood a runway alert program on full 24-hour basis – with armed jet fighters ready to "scramble" at a moment's notice. This event brought the 159th into the daily combat operational program of the USAF, placing it on "the end of the runway" alongside regular USAF-Air Defense Fighter Squadrons.


159th Fighter Wing, History, Air Defense mission
In July 1960, the 159th converted to the F-102 Delta Daggers. In 1962, the 122d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron was assigned to the Gulfport Combat Readiness Training Center, Mississippi, for six weeks of intensive flying training. Involved were 150 officers and airmen, including support elements from the 159th Consolidated Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, 159th Material Squadron and 159th Air Base Squadron.


159th Fighter Wing, History, Air Defense mission, Tactical Air Command
In December 1970 the 159th was transferred from Aerospace Defense Command to Tactical Air Command. ADC was phasing down its manned interceptor force as the chances of a Soviet Bomber attack on the United States seemed remote. The unit was re-designated the 159th Tactical Fighter Group, and the 122d Tactical Fighter Squadron was re-equipped with F-100D/F Super Sabres. In 1970, the F-100 was still considered a first-line aircraft, and most of the F-100s in the inventory were serving in South Vietnam flying combat missions. The Super Sabres received by the 122d came from the USAFE 20th Tactical Fighter Wing which was transitioning to the General Dynamics F-111F. With the conversion to the F-100s, the ADC 24-hour alert status ended and retraining in tactical fighter missions began.


159th Fighter Wing, History, Air Defense mission, Tactical Air Command
The 159th flew the F-100s for almost a decade, retiring the aircraft beginning in April 1979 when the 122d began receiving F-4C Phantom II aircraft from active-duty units. In 1979 Aerospace Defense Command was inactivated, with Tactical Air Command taking over the Continental US Air Defense Mission. The 159th was assigned to Air Defense, Tactical Air Command (ADTAC), a named unit at the Numbered Air Force level under TAC. Under ADTAC, the 122d began to fly Air Defense missions again with the F-4C, although the squadron was dual-hatted and continued to fly Tactical Fighter training missions with the Phantom.


159th Fighter Wing, History, Air Defense mission, Tactical Air Command
The Phantoms were ending their service life in the mid-1980s, and in 1986, the F-4Cs were replaced by F-15A/B Eagles. As the F-15s had no tactical bombing capability at the time, the 122d continued the Air Defense mission under TAC.


159th Fighter Wing, History, Air Defense mission, Modern era
In March 1992 the 159th Tactical Fighter Group became the 159th Fighter Group when the unit adopted the USAF Objective Organization, and the 122d Fighter Squadron was assigned to the new 159th Operations Group. Later in June, Tactical Air Command stood down and was replaced by Air Combat Command (ACC). No change in mission was made and the 159th continued in the air defense role.


159th Fighter Wing, History, Air Defense mission, Modern era
In the early 1990s, squadron aircraft and personnel were deployed to Aviano Air Base, Italy, flying combat missions over the former Yugoslavia during the Kosovo War as part of Operation Allied Force. On 11 October 1995, in accordance with the "one base-one wing" policy, the 159th Fighter Group was changed in status and was re-designated as the 159th Fighter Wing.


159th Fighter Wing, History, Air Defense mission, Modern era
In mid-1996, the Air Force, in response to budget cuts, and changing world situations, began experimenting with Air Expeditionary organizations. The Air Expeditionary Force (AEF) concept was developed that would mix Active-Duty, Reserve and Air National Guard elements into a combined force. Instead of entire permanent units deploying as "Provisional" as in the 1991 Gulf War, Expeditionary units are composed of "aviation packages" from several wings, including active-duty Air Force, the Air Force Reserve Command and the Air National Guard, would be married together to carry out the assigned deployment rotation.


159th Fighter Wing, History, Air Defense mission, Modern era
In the late 1990s, the 122d Expeditionary Fighter Squadron was activated on several occasions, sending packages of personnel and aircraft Incirlik Air Base, Turkey, to fly Combat Air Patrol missions over Iraq as part of Operation Northern Watch. Also the 122d EFS was activated with a deployment to Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia, flying CAP missions over Southern Iraq as part of Operation Southern Watch. On 25 June 1999, members of the 159th Fighter Wing, New Orleans ANG, while on deployment to NAS Keflavik, Iceland, flying F-15A aircraft, intercepted two Russian TU-95 "Bear-H" aircraft.


159th Fighter Wing, History, Air Defense mission, Modern era
In response to the 9/11 attacks in 2001, the 122d Fighter Squadron engaged in Combat Air Patrols over major United States Cities as part of Operation Noble Eagle (ONE). ONE patrols continued into 2002 before being scaled down.


159th Fighter Wing, History, Air Defense mission, Modern era
In 2006, the F-15A models were retired and the 122d was upgraded to the more capable F-15C Eagle. As part of the Global War on Terrorism, the 122d EFS has been deployed to support Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF); Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) in Afghanistan, Operation New Horizons in Central and South America and Operation New Dawn in Afghanistan.


159th Fighter Wing, History, Air Defense mission, Modern era
The most recent deployment of the 122d Expeditionary Fighter Squadron was completed in October 2012 when the squadron deployed to at Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates, and as part of the 380th Expeditionary Operations Group, the 122d EFS flew missions in support of the Joint Air Defense of the Persian Gulf and Operation Enduring Freedom. The mission included providing air superiority in support of national military objectives and flying Fighter Integration Sorties with F-22 Raptors and F-15E Strike Eagles.


159th Fighter Wing, History, Air Defense mission, BRAC 2005 Recommendations
In its 2005 BRAC Recommendations, the Department of Defense recommended to realign the 142d Fighter Wing (ANG) at Portland IAP AGS, Oregon, by distributing the wing's F-15 aircraft to the 159th Fighter Wing (ANG), New Orleans ARS, Louisiana (nine aircraft) and another installation. New Orleans had above average military value for reserve component bases, and realigning aircraft from Portland would create another optimum-sized fighter squadron at New Orleans.


159th Fighter Wing, History, Air Defense mission, BRAC 2005 Recommendations
By relocating the geographically separated Air National Guard squadron onto New Orleans, the Air Force would best utilize available facilities on the installation while reducing the cost to the government to lease facilities in the community. However, the Pentagon's recommendation was rejected by the BRAC Commission and the 142d Fighter Wing ended up gaining three more aircraft in the process.


159th Indiana Infantry Regiment
The 159th Indiana Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment from Indiana that failed to complete its organization to serve in the Union Army during the American Civil War.


159th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)
The 159th Infantry Brigade was an infantry brigade of the British Army. Part of the Territorial Army (TA), the brigade was assigned to the 53rd (Welsh) Infantry Division and served with the division in the early stages of the Second World War until May 1942 when it was transferred to be the motorised infantry element of the 11th Armoured Division. The brigade would serve with the 11th Armoured in North-west Europe from June 1944 to May 1945.


159th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom), History
The brigade was formed in the Territorial Army by the redesignation of the 159th (Cheshire) Infantry Brigade, after most of its battalions were amalgamated or posted elsewhere. Assigned to the 53rd (Welsh) Infantry Division, the 159th (Welsh Border) Infantry Brigade was composed of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd battalions of the Monmouthshire Regiment and the 1st Battalion, Herefordshire Regiment, all originally from the 160th (South Wales) Infantry Brigade.


159th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom), History
In the late 1930s, there was an increasing need to strengthen the anti-aircraft defences of the United Kingdom, and so many infantry battalions of the Territorial Army were converted into anti-aircraft or searchlight units, of either the Royal Artillery or Royal Engineers. As a result, on 1 November 1938, the 1st (Rifle) Battalion, Monmouthshire Regiment was converted into an artillery role, becoming 1st (Rifle) Battalion, The Monmouthshire Regiment (68th Searchlight Regiment) In the same year the 2nd Battalion, Monmouthshire Regiment was swapped for the 4th Battalion, King's Shropshire Light Infantry of the 160th (South Wales) Infantry Brigade. In 1939 the brigade was redesignated 159th Infantry Brigade.


159th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom), Second World War
In late August 1939, due to the worsening situation in Europe, the brigade, with headquarters at Hereford, and the 53rd Division, together with the rest of the Territorial Army, were mobilised for full-time war service on 1 September, the day the German Army invaded Poland. Two days later, the Second World War officially began and all units of the division were soon brought up to strength.


159th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom), Second World War
In December 1939 the 159th Brigade was sent to Northern Ireland to join the 158th and 160th Infantry brigades which had been sent earlier in the year. When the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) fighting in France and Belgium was evacuated from the continent in the Dunkirk evacuation the brigade began training to repel an invasion (Operation Green, which never took place). The brigade was to remain there until March 1942 when it was sent, with the rest of the 53rd Division, to Kent.


159th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom), Second World War
The creation of the 11th Armoured Division in March 1941 (which initially included the 29th and 30th Armoured brigades) was part of the British Army's answer to the success of the German Army's panzer divisions in the previous years. During the invasion of Poland in September 1939 then in Western Europe in the Netherlands, Belgium and France in mid-1940, the German armoured elements had clearly displayed new tactics and methods of fighting; the Allied Forces now had to address those developments in Europe.


159th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom), Second World War
On 17 May 1942, the 159th Infantry Brigade was detached from the 53rd Division to help form the 11th Armoured Division, from thereon being involved in intensive training while gradually receiving new, more modern equipment. In November 1942, together with the rest of the division, the brigade was warned to prepare for overseas service in the Tunisia Campaign as the Allies invaded North Africa as part of Operation Torch. The order was cancelled as it was decided, due to the nature of the country, that more infantry were needed.


159th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom), Second World War, Order of Battle
159th Infantry Brigade was constituted as follows during the war:


159th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom), Second World War, Commanders
The following officers commanded 159th Infantry Brigade during the war:


159th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom), Second World War, Normandy to Belgium
The 159th Brigade landed in Normandy, as part of Operation Overlord (codename for the Battle of Normandy), on Juno Beach on 13 June 1944, seven days after the initial D-Day landings on 6 June 1944. During the Battle for Caen the brigade took part in Operations Epsom, Goodwood, Bluecoat and the actions around the Falaise Pocket.


159th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom), Second World War, Normandy to Belgium
In August the brigade, commanded now by Brigadier John B. Churcher, together with the rest of the 11th Armoured, advanced into France, participating in the "swan" to Amiens; the fastest and deepest penetration into enemy territory ever made until the Gulf War in the early 1990s. The 11th Armoured Division then turned northward to Belgium and captured the city of Antwerp on 4 September.


159th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom), Second World War, Market Garden to Germany
The 159th Brigade had a fairly minor role in Operation Market Garden in September 1944 and later went on to participate in the Ardennes offensive, the Battle of the Bulge, in December 1944.


159th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom), Second World War, Market Garden to Germany
Soon thereafter, the 11th Armoured Division pushed forward into the German-occupied Netherlands. In March 1945, it crossed the Rhine River and by the end of the war had advanced to the northeast and captured the German city of Lübeck on 2 May 1945.


159th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom), Second World War, Market Garden to Germany
As it drove into Germany, the brigade occupied the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp on 15 April 1945, pursuant to a 12 April agreement with the retreating Germans to surrender the camp peacefully. When the 159th Brigade entered the camp, they found more than 60,000 emaciated and ill prisoners in desperate need of medical attention. More than 13,000 corpses in various stages of decomposition lay littered around the camp. Elements of the 11th Armoured Division and its higher formations were detached to oversee the work needed in the camp.


159th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom), Second World War, Market Garden to Germany
From the end of the war in Europe (8 May 1945, Victory in Europe Day) the 11th Armoured Division was involved in the occupation of Germany until its disbandment in January 1946. Many of its units, however, were transferred to the 7th Armoured Division. The 159th Brigade was disbanded in the same year. Throughout the North-West Europe Campaign of 1944–45 the division had suffered nearly 10,000 casualties, including 2,000 killed, and "The PBI - poor bloody infantry - in 159 Brigade suffered the worst. The 3rd Monmouthshires lost 292 killed, 4th Kings Shropshire Light Infantry 271, the 1st Herefords 223."


159th Infantry Division "Veneto"
The 159th Infantry Division "Vento" (Italian: 159ª Divisione fanteria "Vento") was an infantry division of the Royal Italian Army during World War II. The Vento was formed on 1 March 1942, as a garrison division and named for the Veneto region. It was stationed on the Yugoslav border and never saw any combat. It was used to reform the 52nd Infantry Division "Torino" on 1 June 1943.


159th Infantry Division (Wehrmacht)
The 159th Infantry Division (German: 159. Infanterie-Division) was an infantry division of the German Heer during World War II. The unit, at times designated Commander of Reserve Troops IX (German: Kommandeur der Ersatztruppen IX), 159th Division (German: 159. Division),  Division No. 159 (German: Division Nr. 159), and 159th Reserve Division (German: 159. Reserve-Division), was active between 1939 and 1945.


159th Infantry Division (Wehrmacht), History, Commander of Reserve Troops IX
The Commander of Reserve Troops IX was formed in Kassel as part of German general mobilization on 26 August 1939. Its initial purpose was to form a command staff for reserve units in the ninth Wehrkreis (military district). This military district was headquartered in Kassel and included most of Hesse as well as parts of Thuringia.


159th Infantry Division (Wehrmacht), History, 159th Division
The 159th Division was formed as a result of the redesignation of the Commander of Reserve Troops IX on 9 November 1939.


159th Infantry Division (Wehrmacht), History, Division No. 159
The 159th Division was redesignated Division No. 159 on 1 January 1940. The division was deployed from Kassel to Frankfurt am Main on 11 January 1940.


159th Infantry Division (Wehrmacht), History, 159th Reserve Division
The Division No. 159 was split in two as a result of the restructuring of the Replacement Army on 1 October 1942. While one part of the division became the 189th Reserve Division, the rest retained the ordinal number 159 and became the 159th Reserve Division. Subsequently, it was made ready for its first deployment outside of Germany.


159th Infantry Division (Wehrmacht), History, 159th Reserve Division
The division was placed under the supervision of the LXVI Army Corps and deployed to Bourg in France. The division consisted of the Reserve Infantry Regiments 214 (nicknamed Brunhilde, infantry battalions 106, 367, 388) and 251 (infantry battalions 36, 81, 205, 471). The Brunhilde Reserve Infantry Regiment 214, now designated Grenadier Regiment 870, was soon passed to the 356th Infantry Division. In turn, the 159th Reserve Division received the Reserve Grenadier Regiment 9 from the 189th Reserve Division. In November 1942, the 159th Reserve Division, which now consisted of the Reserve Grenadier Regiments 9, 52 and 251, participated in Case Anton, the de facto annexation of Vichy France by Germany.


159th Infantry Division (Wehrmacht), History, 159th Reserve Division
In December 1943, the 159th Reserve Division consisted of the following units:


159th Infantry Division (Wehrmacht), History, 159th Infantry Division
On 9 October 1944, the army command of the 19th Army ordered the remainders of the 159th Reserve Division reorganized into an infantry division of the 32nd Aufstellungswelle.


159th Infantry Division (Wehrmacht), History, 159th Infantry Division
The planned composition for the 159th Infantry Division in October 1944 consisted of the following units:


159th Infantry Division (Wehrmacht), History, 159th Infantry Division
This planned strength was never fully realized, as the retreat from France resulted in constant attrition and combat losses. Furthermore, the Regiment 1211 was not fully deployed until January 1945, weeks before the division's destruction.


159th Infantry Division (Wehrmacht), History, 159th Infantry Division
The 159th Infantry Division, which had participated in Operation Nordwind in January 1945, was trapped in the Colmar Pocket starting on 20 January and destroyed by early February.


159th Infantry Division (Wehrmacht), Superior formations
Between February 1943 and March 1945, the 159th Reserve Division and 159th Reserve Infantry Division were subordinate to the following formations:


159th Infantry Regiment (United States)
The 159th Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment of the United States Army. It served as a part of the 40th Infantry Division for most of its history before deploying in World War II as a part of the 7th Infantry Division.


159th Infantry Regiment (United States), History
The regiment traced its lineage to the 2nd Infantry Battalion of the California National Guard, organized on 12 December 1879 from existing companies.


159th Infantry Regiment (United States), History, World War I
The 159th Infantry Regiment was first constituted and activated in the Regular Army in the 80th Infantry Brigade, 40th Infantry Division. It served with the division until 1942.


159th Infantry Regiment (United States), History, World War II
On 1 July 1940, the 7th Infantry Division was reactivated at Camp Ord, California, under the command of Major General Joseph W. Stilwell. The 7th Infantry Division was assigned to III Corps of the Fourth United States Army, and that year it was sent to Oregon for tactical maneuvers. Division units also practiced boat loading at the Monterey Wharf and amphibious assault techniques at the Salinas River in California. With the Japanese attack of Pearl Harbor, the division was sent to Camp San Luis Obispo to continue its training as a combat division. The 53rd Infantry Regiment was removed from the 7th Division and replaced with the 159th Infantry Regiment, newly deployed from the California Army National Guard.


159th Infantry Regiment (United States), History, World War II
For the early parts of the war, the division participated mainly in construction and training roles. On 9 April 1942, the division formally redesignated as the 7th Motorized Division. It began training in the Mojave Desert in preparation for deployment to the African theater. However, it was again designated the 7th Infantry Division on 1 January 1943, when the motorized equipment was removed from the unit and it became a light infantry division once more. It began rigorous amphibious assault training under Marines from the Fleet Marine Force, before being deployed to fight in the Pacific theater instead of Africa. General Holland Smith oversaw the unit's training.


159th Infantry Regiment (United States), History, World War II, Aleutian Islands
Elements of the 7th Infantry Division first saw combat in the amphibious assault on Attu Island, the westernmost Japanese entrenchment in the Aleutian islands chain. Elements landed on 11 May 1943, spearheaded by the 17th Infantry Regiment, and fought an intense battle over the tundra against strong Japanese resistance. The fight for the island culminated in a battle at Chichagof Harbor, when the division destroyed all Japanese resistance on the island on 29 May, after a suicidal Japanese bayonet charge. During its first fight of the war, 600 soldiers of the division were killed, while killing 2,351 Japanese and taking 28 prisoners.


159th Infantry Regiment (United States), History, World War II, Aleutian Islands
According to "Order of Battle: US Army World War II" by Shelby Stanton, the 159th was relieved from the 7th Infantry Division on 23 August 1943 and assigned to the Alaskan Department, and it departed Attu on 9 August 1944. Arriving at the Seattle Port of Embarkation eleven days later, it was transferred to Camp Swift, Texas on 28 August 1944. It moved to Camp Callan, California, on 20 December 1944 before returning to Camp Swift on 28 January 1945.


159th Infantry Regiment (United States), History, World War II, Aleutian Islands
The regiment staged at Camp Kilmer, New Jersey on 27 February 1945 before departing from the New York Port of Embarkation on 7 March 1945. It arrived in France eleven days later and was attached to the 106th Infantry Division. As part of the 106th, it entered Germany on 25 April 1945. On 4 November 1945 it returned to the New York Port of Embarkation and was inactivated at Camp Shanks, New York on that same date.


159th Infantry Regiment (United States), History, Post-World War II
The 159th was reactivated in the post-war years and underwent several force reorganizations, including assignment as an element of the 49th Infantry Division and 49th Infantry Brigade. From January 1974 until January 1976 its 1st Battalion was part of the 40th Infantry Division; its 2nd Battalion was part of the 40th Infantry Division from January 1974 until October 2000. The 2nd Battalion, a longtime San Jose unit, was inactivated in 2000 and its elements were converted into subordinate units of the 49th Combat Support Command. The lineage of the battalion and the regiment itself was continued by the 980th Quartermaster Battalion of the command.


159th Infantry Regiment (United States), Distinctive unit insignia
A Gold color metal and enamel device 1 3/32 inches (2.78 cm) in height overall consisting of a shield blazoned:  Azure, three piles issuant Or, in chief a prickly pear cactus Vert, a sheathed Roman sword paleways, point to base, Gules, and a fleur-de-lis of the first. * SymbolismThe shield is blue for Infantry. The three piles indicate that the organization has been in Federal service three times, and each pile is charged with a device representative of the service in which the organization has been engaged – Mexican Border service, Spanish War service and service in France during World War I.


159th Infantry Regiment (United States), Distinctive unit insignia
The distinctive unit insignia was approved on 20 April 1927.


159th Liaison Squadron
The 159th Liaison Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to V Fighter Command, and was inactivated on 31 May 1946 at Itami Airfield, Japan.


159th Liaison Squadron
The squadron was a World War II Air Commando unit, primarily seeing combat during the Philippines Campaign (1944–45) with the 3d Air Commando Group. Flying unarmed Stinson L-5 Grasshopper and UC-64A Norseman light aircraft, the squadron flew courier and aerial reconnaissance missions and dropped munitions and supplies to American and Philippine forces fighting in the Battle of Luzon.


159th Liaison Squadron, History, Origins and training
The unit was activated on 1 March 1944 at Cox Field, Paris, Texas under Second Air Force. after a brief time for organization, the squadron was moved to Pounds Field, near Tyler, Texas. Upon arrival, the squadron was composed of 109 enlisted and 12 officer personnel. At Pounds, the squadron was equipped with the Stinson L-5 Sentinel, single engine light observation aircraft and on 1 May it was designated as a Commando squadron, being assigned to the 3d Air Commando Group.


159th Liaison Squadron, History, Origins and training
After a period of training, the squadron was reassigned to Statesboro Army Airfield on 1 June where it joined with the 157th and 160th Liaison Squadrons which had been organized at Brownwood Army Air Field, Texas. There it found the 341st Airdrome Squadron, which would serve as the service organization for all of the Liaison Squadrons. The first part of the month of June was spent in setting up the squadron at its new location. Thirty-two L-5 and three UC-64A aircraft were available for flying during the month.


159th Liaison Squadron, History, Origins and training
Emphasis was continually placed upon short field landings, minimum altitude cross-country flights and formation flying. Training was brought up to date in camouflage, medical subjects and intelligence. Classes in code, blinker, the actual reading of panels from the air, and first aid continued during the month, increasing the proficiency of the pilots in these subjects.


159th Liaison Squadron, History, Origins and training
The mission of the Liaison Squadrons was to deploy to the Philippine Islands and to provide battlefield observation and liaison flights, supporting to ground combat units and deliver supplies and munitions to them either by parachute drops or to land on unimproved fields and roads. By the beginning of October 1944, the squadrons were judged ready to deploy. From Statesboro Army Air Field, Georgia the Squadron moved to Cross City AAB. Florida. In October they transferred to Drew Field, Tampa Florida for final preparations.


159th Liaison Squadron, History, Origins and training
After several weeks, the squadrons began leaving by train on 24 October, heading for Camp Stoneman, Oakland California where the men were issued tropical uniforms, attending more classes and lectures, getting shots and filling out an endless number of forms. On 6 November, the men boarded ferries to board the USS General M. L. Hersey, their transport to the war zone in the Southwest Pacific. A brief stop was made at Guadalcanal, which had become a major logistics base, then they proceeded to Finschafen and Hollandia on New Guinea. On 26 November the ship departed for Leyte, where it arrived on 30 November near the village of Palo.


159th Liaison Squadron, History, Leyte
Upon arrival, it was found that the squadron was not expected, and there was no place for the men to be quartered. Pup tents were issued and they were directed to find a place to bivouack. At the same time, a period of rain began and the tents began to sink into the muddy ground. It took three days before they were able to move to a beach encampment near San Roque. Also cots arrived which enabled the men to stay above the water which ran through the tents constantly.


159th Liaison Squadron, History, Leyte
After a few days at the arrival camp, the squadrons began to move to a new airfield in the vicinity of Tanauan. It was there that the squadrons were given their assignments to V Fighter Command, and then to the 86th Fighter Wing. The airfield, however, required much construction to turn it into a functional facility and most of December was involved in construction activities.


159th Liaison Squadron, History, Leyte
While waiting for the arrival of their planes, the men of the squadrons used a single bulldozer and their hands to work on the airfield, giving it the name "Mitchell Field", after 2d Lieutenant William Mitchell, who led the construction effort. Also the squadron was able to borrow a few L-5s from the 25th Liaison Squadron to fly proficiency flights.


159th Liaison Squadron, History, Battle of Luzon
On 9 January 1945, two Corps of the Sixth United States Army landed on the shores of Lingayen Gulf, just a few miles south of where the Japanese had invaded the island on 22 December 1941. From the landing beaches, the Corps drove south to the Manila area while maintaining a strong defensive line to the North. In this liberated beachhead, two major airfields plus smaller liaison landing strips were hastily constructed.


159th Liaison Squadron, History, Battle of Luzon
With the landings on Luzon, the members of the three 3d Commando Group's Liaison Squadrons gathered their equipment and supplies and loaded onto LST 919 for the trip to the Lingayen beachhead. Upon arrival, the units moved by truck convoy on 1 February to a rough airstrip near Calaiso, where some landing strips, carved out by the men of the 168th Field Artillery Regiment, were being used by an L-5 Stinson for artillery spotting.


159th Liaison Squadron, History, Battle of Luzon
While moving to Luzon, back on Leyte, some new L-5Bs had arrived in crates and a detachment of the squadron had remained to assemble the aircraft. After assembling the aircraft, making some test flights, and configuring some bomb shackles for the carrying and dropping of supplies, some auxiliary gas tanks were installed in the rear of the cockpit to increase the planes' range. On 6 February, twenty-eight modified L-5Bs of the squadron took off from Leyte for the airstrip at Calasio. They were escorted by some Marine Corps Vought F4U Corsairs and a Navy PBY Catalina that provided both navigation and fighter protection. As more planes were assembled on Leyte, they were also ferried up to equip the other two squadrons on Luzon.


159th Liaison Squadron, History, Battle of Luzon
Upon their arrival in the combat zone, the men and pilots of the squadron immediately began flying missions, evacuating wounded, flying supply missions and also performing battlefield reconnaissance with individuals flying as many as 20 missions a day. In its first three weeks in combat, the squadron evacuated over 1,500 wounded, flew seventy supply missions, delivering over 14,000 pounds of supplies. With such a heavy schedule of flights, it was not long before the first combat loss occurred.


159th Liaison Squadron, History, Battle of Luzon
On 10 February, while flying over Japanese-occupied Nichols Field on a reconnaissance flight, SSGt Donald McDonell suffered wounds when the plane was hit by ground fire. Both of the planes wingtips were blown off and he suffered wounds to a knee and wrist; however he managed to coax the plane back to a recently captured landing strip in Grace Park, one of Manila's northern suburbs. He recovered from his wounds; the plane was written off.


159th Liaison Squadron, History, Battle of Luzon
A few days after the Lingayen landings, the guerrillas of the U.S. Army Forces in the Philippines (Northern Luzon), along with Philippine Scouts, began to strike in force in the rear areas of Japanese-occupied territory. The men of this unit were a mixture of Americans who were stay-behinds from the Battan Campaign who escaped from Japanese forces and Filipinos who continued the fight after the surrender in April 1942. By mid-February 1945, the Japanese had been pushed back into the mountains of Luzon near Vigan.


159th Liaison Squadron, History, Battle of Luzon
Seeking to exploit the situation, Fifth Air Force directed that supplies be flown into the area to aid the guerrilla forces. Several airfields which the Air Commandos chose where in pretty bad shape, with the runways pockmarked with shell holes. The planes operated from crude strips in the mountains, evacuating wounded, bringing in supplies, and supporting behind-the-lines operations of the Alamo Scouts. The unit also directed air strikes. Three 159th pilots lost their lives in the operation. S/Sgt Jack Smith was lost when his plane was hit by ground fire.


159th Liaison Squadron, History, Battle of Luzon
He was carrying out two guerrillas wedged in the back seat. Despite the plane crashing and burning, his passengers survived without injury. G/O Robert Hutchinson and passenger Cpl. Alfred Bennet crashed in a narrow valley near Cervantes while trying to climb out of a confined area. Ferdinand Marcos was a member of the Filipino guerrillas and had his headquarters at Luna.


159th Liaison Squadron, History, Battle of Luzon
A second detachment supported   the 308th Bomb Wing. The detachment operated off a drained rice paddy adjoining the Lingayan Air Strip and was housed in a Nipa hut in the middle of a bomb dump. Activities included courier service, delivering weapons to guerrillas behind enemy lines, search missions, marking bombing targets and air sea rescue. One aircraft was damaged when its engine quit over the trees at the end of the landing strip. The pilot, S/Sgt Neil Livesay, received a written commendation from 5th Air Force HQ for his outstanding airmanship. His passenger was the 5th AF Flying Safety Officer.


159th Liaison Squadron, History, Battle of Luzon
A third detachment operated out of Bacolod on Negros Island in support of Marines and the 40th Infantry Division during the Negros campaign. It was while performing a drop mission that M/Sgt Oliver M. Edwards, a Flight Leader, was shot down and later killed by the Japanese. His passenger was also killed and beheaded. M/Sgt was post-humorously awarded the Silver Star for his action in support of the 40th Infantry Division. He was also the first 159th member killed in action.


159th Liaison Squadron, History, Battle of Luzon
A fourth detachment operated off the main street of Cebu City in support of the Americal infantry division. In addition to evacuation and supply missions, they participated in directing naval bombardment of the island, with naval observers aboard. Many of the evacuation missions were performed at night.