SEPTEMBER 19, 2025 – A U.S. Air Force A-7D Corsair II fighter jet made a short flight across the Missouri River this week to its new home at Siouxland Freedom Park in South Sioux City, Neb.
The jet was sling loaded with the help of a CH-47 Chinook helicopter from the Iowa Army National Guard’s Bravo Company 1/171 Aviation Regiment, based in Davenport, Iowa.
The A7 was flown in Sioux City when it was assigned to the 185th Tactical Fighter Group from March 1977 to December 1991.
When the 185th converted to F-16s in the early 1990s, a few A-7s were kept for display at various locations near the unit’s home in Sioux City, Iowa. The aircraft that was moved this week had been on display at Martin Airfield along Hwy 20 in South Sioux City Neb.
The Iowa National Guard worked with volunteers from Siouxland Freedom Park to restore the aircraft, while also making plans for placing it back on display at the Freedom Park location.
Siouxland Freedom Park is a 55-acre outdoor park in South Sioux City that is also home to a half-scale replica of the Vietnam Memorial Wall.
A-7s entered service in 1970 during the Vietnam War, eventually taking over most close air support missions. Before the A-7 arrived in Vietnam, close air support was primarily being provided by F-100 units like Sioux City’s 174th Tactical Fighter Squadron during their time in Vietnam in the late 1960’s.
The A-7s foldable wings are a giveaway that the jet was originally developed by manufacturer Ling-Temco-Voght for use on U.S. Navy aircraft carriers.
A notable difference on the Air Force’s A-7 ”D” Model was the addition of the refueling receptacle behind the cockpit for use with the Air Force’s KC-135 flying boom in place of the folding probe of the Navy’s version of aircraft.
Before the Corsair’s retirement in the early 1990’s, the airframe was being flown by ANG units in 10 states and in the Puerto Rico Air Guard.
Advancements in avionics built on an already capable aircraft were part of what kept the A-7 viable for over 20 years. Historians credited the longevity of the aircraft to the Air National Guard’s success with the weapon system. Air National Guard prowess with the A-7 has also been cited as a providing a significant contributor to ending the Cold War.
Air Guard Corsairs were a regional mainstay as they regularly rattled windows at Sioux City’s 185th TFG, Des Moines 132nd Fighter Wing as well as South Dakota’s 114th FW in nearby Sioux Falls.
The Iowa Air National Guard’s history with the A-7 was cemented when Des Moines 132nd Wing became one of the last ANG units to bring their jets to the Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (AMARG) in September 1993. The Air National Guard’s A-7 era didn’t officially end until Oklahoma’s 125th TFS turned-in their last remaining Corsairs in October 1993.
Toward the end of their time with the A-7 the 185th TFG earned honors at the 12th Air Force A-7 gunnery meet in 1989, receiving the A-7 Maintenance Team Award at the Gunsmoke gunnery competition. The 185th also received the Spaatz trophy, recognizing them as the ANG’s top close air support unit in 1990 with the A-7.
Now that the jet has a new home, visitors at Freedom Park will be able to see a significant piece of Air National Guard history that is also uniquely connected to their hometown ANG unit.
Courtesy Story
185th Air Refueling Wing, Iowa Air National Guard