113th Wing

The 113th Wing, known as the "Capital Guardians", is a unit of the District of Columbia Air National Guard, stationed at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. If activated to federal service, the fighter portion of the Wing is gained by the United States Air Force's Air Combat Command, while the airlift portion is gained by Air Mobility Command.

The 113th's primary mission is training of air combat and operational airlift crews for national defense. The 113th also provides a ready response force of fighters for the defense of the District of Columbia area. Members of the 113th also assist local and federal law enforcement agencies in combating drug trafficking in the District of Columbia on a case by case basis.

The 121st Fighter Squadron, assigned to the wing's 113th Operations Group, is a descendant organization of the 121st Observation Squadron, established on 10 July 1940. It is one of the National Guard observation squadrons formed before World War II

The 113th Wing consists of the following major units:

In the fall of 1950, the Air National Guard implemented the wing base organization ("Hobson Plan") used by the regular air force. The 113th Fighter Wing was formed as the headquarters for the 113th Fighter Group and its supporting units. With the surprise invasion of South Korea on 25 June 1950, and the regular military's lack of readiness, most of the Air National Guard was federalized and the 113th Wing was called to active duty on 1 February 1951. The wing was assigned to Air Defense Command (ADC) and was redesignated as the 113th Fighter-Interceptor Wing. Its 113th Fighter-Interceptor Group was composed of the District of Columbia Air National Guard 121st and Delaware Air National Guard 142d Fighter-Interceptor Squadrons, both equipped with Republic F-84C Thunderjets, along with the Pennsylvania Air National Guard North American F-51D Mustang equipped 148th Fighter Squadron From Spaatz Field, Reading.

On 20 March ADC redesignated the 113th Fighter Wing as the 113th Fighter-Interceptor Wing. The wing was moved from Andrews AFB to join with the 142nd FIS at Newcastle Air Force Base, Delaware. Its mission was the air defense of Delaware Bay and the Delmarva Peninsula.

In April 1951, with the 116th Fighter Squadron at Geiger AFB, Washington slated to switch to F-86As, the 113th FIG sent fifteen pilots to Geiger to obtain their F-84Cs for use by the 148th FIS. These aircraft were considered to be "so poor" that they were all flown to the 113th Maintenance Squadron, then at Dover AFB, Delaware for total refurbishment before they would be accepted by the 148th FIS.

In September 1951 the 113th FIW converted to F-94B Starfires with partial all-weather capabilities. During the six months the newly constituted 113th FIW was operational with the F-84C, each squadron had lost one example in an operational accident. Its federalization period ending, the 113th FIW was released from active duty and returned to District of Columbia control, 1 November 1952.