Louisiana Air National Guard

from the 122nd Bomb Squadron, Louisiana Air Guard. The Militia Act of 1903 established the present National Guard system, units raised by the states but paid for by the Federal Government, liable for immediate state service. If federalized by Presidential order, they fall under the regular military chain of command. On 1 June 1920, the Militia Bureau issued Circular No.1 on organization of National Guard air units. The Louisiana Air National Guard origins date to 2 Mar 1941 with the establishment of the 122d Observation Squadron and is the oldest unit of the Louisiana Air National Guard. It is one of the 29 original National Guard Observation Squadrons of the United States Army National Guard formed before World War II. On 1 October 1941, the 122d Observation Squadron was activated into federal service as part of the build-up of the Army Air Forces prior to the Attack on Pearl Harbor. On 24 May 1946, the United States Army Air Forces, in response to dramatic postwar military budget cuts imposed by President Harry S. Truman, allocated inactive unit designations to the National Guard Bureau for the formation of an Air Force National Guard. These unit designations were allotted and transferred to various State National Guard bureaus to provide them unit designations to re-establish them as Air National Guard units. of the 122nd Fighter Squadron taking off from Hohn Air Base, June 20, 2023. of the 122d Tactical Fighter Squadron in 1981. The modern Louisiana ANG received federal recognition on 5 December 1946 as the 122d Bombardment Squadron (Light) at New Orleans Lakefront Airport. It was equipped with B-26 Invaders and was assigned to Tactical Air Command. 18 September 1947, however, is considered the Louisiana Air National Guard's official birth concurrent with the establishment of the United States Air Force as a separate branch of the United States military under the National Security Act. ==Components==

The Louisiana Air National Guard consists of the following major unit: • 159th Fighter Wing : Established 2 March 1941 (as: 122d Observation Squadron); operates: F-15C/D Eagle : Stationed at: Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base New Orleans : Gained by: Air Combat Command : The Louisiana ANG's flying unit, the 122nd Fighter Squadron, is nicknamed the "Bayou Militia" and operationally-gained by the Air Combat Command (ACC). Previously nicknamed the "Cajun Militia", and before that the "Coonass Militia." The title "Coonass Militia" was changed to "Cajun Militia" in 1992 because of concerns about its political incorrectness. In the late 1990s the Cajun Militia title was changed to the current "Bayou Militia." Support Unit Functions and Capabilities: • 214th Engineering & Installation Squadron, Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base New Orleans • 236th Combat Communications Squadron, Hammond Northshore Regional Airport • 259th Air Traffic Control Squadron, Alexandria, Louisiana • 122nd Air Support Operations Squadron, Pineville, Louisiana == State Partnership Program ==

Louisiana has two countries in the State Partnership Program (SPP). Belize joined the SPP with Louisiana National Guard in 1996 and Haiti in 2011. Both of these nations fall under the area of operations of SOUTHCOM. ==See also==