Photo By Senior Airman Jeremiah Johnson | Col. Christopher Hesse, 155th Air Refueling Wing commander, addresses Nebraska...... read more read more
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LINCOLN, Neb. – The Nebraska Air National Guard celebrated 80 years of service to the state and nation during a ceremony Sept. 13, 2026, at the Nebraska National Guard air base in Lincoln.
Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen, Maj. Gen. Craig Strong, adjutant general of the Nebraska National Guard, Nebraska Air National Guard leaders, veterans and several hundred Airmen gathered to commemorate eight decades of service and recognize the generations of Citizen-Airmen who helped shape the organization.
The Nebraska Air National Guard traces its roots to July 26, 1946, when the 173rd Fighter Squadron was activated in Lincoln, making it the second-oldest Air National Guard unit in the nation. Initially composed largely of World War II veterans, the unit began its flying mission with the P-51 Mustang.
During his remarks, Pillen reflected on the sacrifices behind that history and emphasized the importance of sharing the stories of those who have served.
“The price of freedom is not free,” Pillen said. “And if we don’t speak about it, how do you think our brothers and sisters are going to understand?”
That commitment to service has carried Nebraska Airmen through decades of changing missions and aircraft. Following the P-51 Mustang, the organization operated aircraft including the F-80 Shooting Star, F-86D Sabre, RF-84 Thunderflash and RF-4 Phantom II before transitioning to the KC-135R Stratotanker mission in 1993.
Today, more than 1,100 Nebraska Air National Guard Airmen serve across the 155th Air Refueling Wing in Lincoln, the 170th Group at Offutt Air Force Base and the Nebraska Air National Guard’s Joint Force Headquarters in Lincoln.
Brig. Gen. Robert Hargens, assistant adjutant general – Air, Nebraska National Guard, said the organization was built not only upon its people and equipment, but upon values deeply connected to the state it serves.
“On July 26, 1946, this organization took root in the rich soil of Nebraska, not just with people, aircraft and equipment, but with the timeless values that define our state: integrity, hard work without complaint, neighbor helping neighbor, and an abiding sense of duty,” Hargens said.
Strong said the modern Nebraska Air National Guard reflects the strength of the Citizen-Airman concept and the generations of service members who built the organization.
“The Nebraska Air National Guard today stands on the shoulders of generations of outstanding Nebraska citizens, going all the way back to that small group of officers and NCOs who came together not far from this place,” Strong said.
That original group included World War II veterans who wanted to continue using the skills they developed overseas in service to their state and nation. They initially had no aircraft and met near 27th and O streets in Lincoln while working to establish the new organization.
“They were small in number. They didn’t have aircraft. But they had a vision,” Strong said. “They had a vision of building something that was truly remarkable, something that was bigger than themselves. And they did exactly that.”
Col. Christopher L. Hesse, 155th Air Refueling Wing commander, expanded on those beginnings during the ceremony, recounting the growth of the 173rd Fighter Squadron from 117 members at the time of its federal recognition to the organization that exists today.
“Knowing our history leads us to those who came before us,” Hesse said. “Their culture of selflessness and commitment to excellence created the opportunities we have today to serve our state and nation.”
Over the following eight decades, Nebraska Airmen supported missions ranging from the Korean War and Operation Allied Force to Operation Noble Eagle, Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Following the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, Nebraska Airmen provided aerial refueling support to combat air patrols over the United States and later helped sustain overseas operations.
The organization continued to evolve in the decades that followed. The establishment of what would become the 170th Group expanded the Nebraska Air National Guard’s role in intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, training and operational support through its Total Force partnerships at Offutt Air Force Base.
Col. Wendy Squarcia, 170th Group commander, said the group’s growth demonstrated the effectiveness of integrating Guard and active-duty forces to accomplish a shared mission.
“We proved that the Total Force concept wasn’t just a buzzword,” Squarcia said. “It was a lethal, efficient and effective reality.” The 170th Group grew from an eight-person organization established in 2002 to more than 200 members, while developing a long-standing Total Force partnership with the 55th Wing. In recent years, the group has expanded its intelligence, training and maintenance capabilities and became combat-coded in 2024, allowing it to serve as a deployable combat force.
As the Nebraska Air National Guard enters its ninth decade, speakers emphasized that its history is defined not only by aircraft, missions and organizations, but by the Airmen who built upon the work of the generations before them.
“The history of the Nebraska Air National Guard is not defined solely by what we inherited, but by what each generation chose to build,” Squarcia said.
Hargens similarly recognized the veterans who established the organization, the families and employers who support its members, and the Airmen carrying its mission forward today.
“To the generations of veterans who built this proud unit, thank you for laying the foundation of excellence,” Hargens said. “To the families and employers who stand behind us, we are indebted to your sacrifice. And to the Airmen serving in uniform today, you are the next chapter of this 80-year legacy.”
Strong encouraged today’s Airmen to recognize their place within that legacy and the responsibility they carry forward.
“Take pride in that history,” Strong said. “Take pride in who you are and where you came from. And take strength knowing that you are following in the footsteps of giants. The work that you are doing here today will one day serve as a guide for those who come after us.”
Pillen echoed that focus on future generations, recalling a lesson shared with him by a Nebraska tribal leader about considering the lasting impact of decisions and service.
“Whatever we’re doing today, it has an impact beyond sunset,” Pillen said. “It lasts for seven generations.”
For the Nebraska Air National Guard, the 80th anniversary served not only as a recognition of eight decades of service, but as a reminder of the responsibility to continue building upon that legacy.
“Eighty years is an extraordinary feat and an extraordinary time, but we have a responsibility to carry that on for generations and generations to come,” Pillen said. “Because in the great big picture, we’re just getting started.”
| Date Taken: | 09.13.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 09.13.2026 16:26 |
| Story ID: | 574568 |
| Location: | LINCOLN, NEBRASKA, US |
| Web Views: | 22 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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