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  • Fort Detrick Named for Maryland Flight Surgeon

    The Maryland National Guard's 104th Observation Squadron arrived at the airport in Frederick, Md., for its 1931 annual field training in a state of mourning. Two months earlier, on June 3, the squadron flight surgeon, Dr. (Capt.) Fredrick L. Detrick, had died after a sudden series of heart

  • Logan Field Was Home of First Maryland Flying Unit

    Today, little remains beyond a historical marker, but when it opened in 1920, Logan Field was a major step forward for Maryland aviation: It was the state's first commercial aviation facility - and the first home of what would later become the Maryland Air National Guard.Logan Field was located in

  • Albatross Was a Maryland Air Guard Classic

    The Grumman SA-16 (later designated HU-16) Albatross was an unlikely aircraft to find its way into the Maryland Air National Guard inventory.First flown in 1947, the SA-16A was a "flying boat" type aircraft originally intended to meet a Navy requirement for an amphibious utility aircraft. But soon

  • Maryland Air Commandos Blazed Special Ops Trail

    The Maryland Air National Guard's introduction to the world of special operations began when Air Force leaders decided to phase out active duty air commando units in 1954.Despite the decision, there was still a need to maintain a limited number of crews and aircraft to support unconventional warfare

  • Maryland Air Guard Roots Steeped in Bomber Aircraft

    Over the years, the Maryland Air Guard has flown an incredible variety of aircraft - at least 34 distinct models. And while Maryland Guardsmen have amassed an enviable combat record flying cargo and fighter aircraft in the counterinsurgencies in Iraq and Afghanistan, Maryland also has a legacy in

  • A Tale of Two Units: the Maryland Air Guard in World War II

    Ever heard of the 489th Fighter Squadron? How about the 104th Reconnaissance Squadron? Odds are you haven't, but if you're a member of Maryland's 104th Fighter Squadron those units are part of your unit's military heritage - even though neither of them were ever part of the Maryland National

  • Jenny Was 'First Lady' of Maryland Air Guard Fleet

    The Maryland Air National Guard has flown many aircraft over the years, from the P-47 to the B-26 to the T-33 to today's A-10C and C-130J, but it all began in 1921 with a biplane affectionately known as the "Jenny."The Curtiss JN aircraft series made its debut in 1915. The JN, which was quickly

  • Warfield Used Firmness, Respect to Control Student Unrest

    Part Two of a Two-Part SeriesWhen the 1970 University of Maryland student riots began, Maj. Gen. Edwin T. Warfield III, the adjutant general, had been in office less than three months.The previous adjutant general, Army Maj. Gen. George M. Gelston, who had led the Maryland Guard through the

  • 'Guardian Angels' Earned Their Air Show Wings

    You've heard of the Thunderbirds and the Blue Angels, but how about the Guardian Angels?From 1952 until 1953, the Maryland Air National Guard had an acrobatic aerial demonstration team of its own named The Guardian Angels. Composed of traditional Guardsman pilots from the 104th Fighter Squadron, the

  • Maryland Interceptors Helped Guard Nation During Cold War

    At the height of the Cold War, major American metropolitan areas were ringed with anti-aircraft missiles - some armed with nuclear warheads - and guarded by air defense fighters. As the nation's capital, Washington, D.C., was a prime target for possible Soviet attack, with nearby Baltimore also