The Air National Guard, established concurrent with the United States Air Force in 1947, was populated by a colorful mix of World War II veterans equipped with mostly obsolete “flyable storage” aircraft. They were competing with the other service components for attention and funding. Only four years after its founding, the Air Guard was mobilized for the Korean War. A structural result of that conflict was difficulty integrating with the active force. The Korean War produced a handful of ANG jet aces. Another impact was an influx of new equipment as the Air Guard entered the “Jet Age”.

As the Air National Guard set about re-building itself after the Korean War it made a name for itself entering air races and competitions. This created a positive public impression as the Air Guard demonstrated the capabilities of its new jet aircraft and its pilots. 

The Air National Guard, The Early Years explores the early history of the Air National Guard through the stories of the aircraft and the men who flew them. It covers the period between 1946 and the early 1960’s as the Air Guard established itself as a critical component of the U.S. Air Force.

Paperback, 160 pages, 79 Illustrations

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