History
Established on 1 July 1968 when the Rhode Island Air National Guard 143d Special Operations Squadron was authorized to expand to a group level. The 143d Special Operations Group was established by the National Guard Bureau, with the 143d SOS becoming the group's flying squadron. Other squadrons assigned into the group were the 143d Headquarters, 143d Material Squadron (Maintenance), 143d Combat Support Squadron, and the 143d USAF Dispensary.
The Grumman SA-16 "Albatross" flown by 143d pilots since 1955 was replaced in 1968 with an updated version of the "Albatross", the HU-16. With twice the cargo capability and range, the HU-16 opened up new avenues of opportunity as was demonstrated in 1970. Flight and Ground crews of the 143d assisted scientists and engineers of the Naval Underwater Systems Center, conducting studies of undersea acoustics, at Lake Tanganyika in Africa during April and again in August at Hudson Bay, Canada.
The unit would work in the Special Operations field for seven more years, during which the HU-16 aircraft were eventually retired in 1972 and replaced with Fairchild C-119G/L "Flying Boxcars".
Read more about this topic: 143rd Airlift Wing
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