Formed on 3 April 1955 as the 129th Air Resupply Group by the California Air National Guard. The 129th was a new organization with no prior history or lineage. It was granted recognition by the National Guard Bureau and was stationed at
Hayward Airport, California.
Special operations The 129th ARG was initially assigned to the Military Air Transport Service. It was designated at the time as a "Psychological Warfare" unit which supported USAF unconventional warfare (guerrilla warfare), direct action (commando-type raids), strategic reconnaissance (intelligence gathering), and PSYWAR operations. Later in 1955, control was transferred to
Fourth Air Force,
Continental Air Command. The unit's mission was airlift of personnel and material using C-46 and SA-16 aircraft. In 1958, control was transferred to Eighteenth Air Force, Tactical Air Command with the mission remaining the same. In 1963 the first major mission change for the 129th occurred. Situations around the world produced a need for specialized units which could insert a small group of trained combat troops on land or sea anywhere at a moment's notice. The 129th was tasked as one of the representatives of the National Guard in the Air Force's Air Commando Group structure. The C-46 was replaced with Helio U-10A and U-10D Couriers. During a three-year period starting in 1965, the U-10s belonging to the 143d and other Air National Guard units were transferred back to the Air Force for use in South Vietnam, during which the "Helio" was replaced by DeHavilland U-6 "Beavers". The 129th later acquired C-119 Flying Boxcars and was renamed the Special Operations Group. In October 1989, the 129 ARGG was designated as the 129th Air Rescue Group (ARG). Operations began to convert from HH-3E Jolly Green Giant helicopter to the HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter. The conversion was complete in 1991. On 6 April 2018 the squadron received the first of four new
HC-130J Combat King II aircraft. The first
Sikorsky HH-60W Jolly Green II arrived on 31 January 2025.
129th Rescue Wing The 129th has been routinely assigned to support Operations
Iraqi Freedom,
Enduring Freedom,
Inherent Resolve and
Octave Quartz California state support missions As an Air National Guard unit, many of the 129th's missions involved supporting the Governor's office during times of State emergencies, including earthquakes, chemical spills, fires and floods. The 129th provided aid during floods along the Yuba River in 1959 and the Eel River in 1964–1965. During record flooding in Sonoma, Sutter and Yuba counties in Northern California, 33 lives were saved in 5 days, from 18 to 22 February 1986. In all, 44 lives were saved in 1986, a record rescue for the 129th. During the aftermath of the
1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, the 129th established Command Post operations and was chosen to coordinate all military aircraft activities within the Bay Area. The 129th provided air transportation for State and Federal government officials to survey damage from the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake and the 1991 Oakland Hills fire. The unit has also been tasked with mutual aid to state law enforcement during the 1965 Watts (Los Angeles) riots and the 1992 civil disturbance in Los Angeles.
Lineage • Established as the
129th Air Resupply Group and allotted to the National Guard on 3 Apri 1955 : Activated and extended federal recognition on 3 April 1955 : Inactivated on 1 November 1958 : Redesignated
129th Troop Carrier Group : Activated on 20 January 1962 : Redesignated
129th Air Commando Group on 1 July 1963 : Redesignated
129th Special Operations Group on 8 August 1968 : Redesignated
129th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Group on 3 May 1975 : Redesignated
129th Air Rescue Group on 1 October 1989 : Redesignated
129th Rescue Group on 16 March 1992 : Redesignated
129th Rescue Wing on 1 October 1995
Assignments •
California Air National Guard, 3 April 1955 : Gained by:
Military Air Transport Service : Gained by:
Fourth Air Force,
Continental Air Command, 1955 : Gained by:
Eighteenth Air Force,
Tactical Air Command, 1 November 1958 : Gained by:
Tactical Air Command, 1 July 1963 : Gained by:
Military Airlift Command, 3 May 1975 : Gained by:
Air Combat Command, 1 June 1992 : Gained by:
Air Force Special Operations Command, 1 October 2003 : Gained by:
Air Combat Command, 1 October 2005
Components • 129th Operations Group, 1 October 1995 – present • 129th Maintenance Group, 1 October 2003 – present • 129th Air Recovery Squadron (later 129th Troop Carrier Squadron, 129th Air Commando Squadron, 129th Special Operations Squadron, 129th Aerospace Rescue & Recovery Squadron, 129th Air Rescue Squadron, 129th Rescue Squadron), 3 April 1955 – 1 November 1958, 20 January 1962 – 1 October 1995
Stations •
Hayward Municipal Airport, California, 3 April 1955 •
Naval Air Station Moffett Field, California, 1980 – 1 July 1994 •
Moffett Federal Airfield, 1 July 1994 – present
Aircraft • C-46 Commando, 1955–1963 •
SA-16 Albatross, 1963–1968 •
C-119 Flying Boxcar, 1968–1975 •
Cessna U-3A, 1968–1975 •
U-6A Beaver, 1968–1975 •
U-10D Super Courier, 1968–1975 •
HH-3E Jolly Green Giant, 1975–1991 •
HC-130P Hercules, 1980–2002 •
MC-130P Combat Shadow, 2002 – 2019 •
HH-60G Pave Hawk, 1991–present •
HC-130J Combat King II, 2018–present •
HH-60W Jolly Green II, 2025-present ==Decorations==