Through the work of this committee, which included conferences in Washington DC, and design and financing of the project, an Air Corps squadron for Des Moines was authorized by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in January 1941.

Ordered to active service in September was initially an aviation unit at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas as part of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College.

After the Navy took over the antisubmarine mission performed replacement reconnaissance pilot training, Mar 1943 – Apr 1944 at Tullaholma, Tennessee with P-39 Airacobra, P-40 Warhawk and P-51 Mustangs.

Assigned to Des Moines Municipal Airport, a former training field during World War II used as an Aircraft/Crew processing center for heavy bomber crews.

Activated to Federal Service during the Korean War, sent to Dow AFB, Maine Used by TAC to train replacement pilots in F-51D Mustang ground support operations, also deployed unit members to Japan and Korea to fly combat missions.

Performed training as a tactical fighter unit until relieved from active service and returned to Iowa ANG jurisdiction in January 1953.

From 1998 to 2004 as part of the Air Expeditionary Force concept with an unprecedented six overseas contingency deployments to patrol the No-Fly Zone over Iraq in Operations Northern and Southern Watch.

Immediately following the events of September 11, 2001, the 124th Fighter Squadron's F-16s, pilots, and maintenance members were placed on alert, poised to defend Iowans and all Americans against any possible attacks.