The Evolution of the Illinois Air National Guard

Long before the Massachusetts minutemen fired the opening shots of the Revolutionary War, Illinois had its own tradition of citizen-soldiers ready to defend their communities.

In 1718, when Illinois was still a French colony, the King of France issued a charter creating a local militia to secure trading routes. Illinois militiamen would go on to join George Rogers Clark in capturing Kaskaskia from the British in 1779. Over the next two centuries, Illinois soldiers answered the call in every major conflict—supplying six regiments for the Mexican-American War, fighting to preserve the Union during the Civil War, and serving with distinction in both World Wars.

By the mid-20th century, as warfare expanded to the skies, Illinois Guardsmen embraced aviation. Although the Illinois Air National Guard was formally established in 1956, state airmen had been flying missions for decades—conducting reconnaissance, observation, and even patrolling the Panama Canal during World War II.

When the Air Guard became a separate command, pilots flew the F-84 Thunderstreak before moving to the F-86 Sabre, a Korean War icon. In 1972, the 170th Fighter Squadron and 183rd Fighter Wing transitioned to the F-4 Phantom, a Vietnam War workhorse. One of those Phantom pilots was Morrisonville native Wayne Rosenthal, who went on to log more than 3,000 flight hours, earn the Husik Memorial Trophy as the top aviator in his class, and rise to the rank of brigadier general. After retiring from the Guard, Rosenthal entered public service, winning election to the Illinois House of Representatives, where he continues to represent the 108th District.

“The values of discipline, service and commitment I learned in the Illinois Air National Guard are the foundation of everything I’ve done in life,” Rosenthal said. “Whether in the skies or in the legislature, those principles guide me every day.”

The Air Guard’s mission expanded over time, with crews flying the C-130H Hercules for cargo transport and the KC-135R Stratotanker for aerial refueling. An Illinois KC-135 was the first National Guard aircraft to refuel another plane in mid-air. After retiring the F-4s in 1989, the 183rd Fighter Wing flew F-16 Fighting Falcons until 2008, when the mission shifted to repair and maintenance. Today, Heritage Park at Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport displays each fighter jet the Guard has operated over nearly 70 years.

In the 21st century, Illinois Air National Guard members have responded to natural disasters like Mississippi River flooding and Hurricane Katrina, deployed to Afghanistan after 9/11, and flown humanitarian missions worldwide. In 2024, they returned to Panama for the first time in 80 years for a multinational exercise to secure the canal. This spring, they completed a major readiness drill to ensure rapid emergency response capabilities.

“Service isn’t just something you do; it’s who you are,” Rosenthal said. “The Illinois Air National Guard taught me that, and it’s something I strive to live by every day.”