Aircraft parts were no problem and many of the maintenance personnel were World War II veterans so readiness was quite high and the planes were often much better maintained than their USAF counterparts.

With the surprise invasion of South Korea on 25 June 1950, and the regular military's complete lack of readiness, most of the Air National Guard was federalized and placed on active duty.

In 1951, the Thunderbolts were replaced by Very Long Range F-51H Mustangs, which were capable of extended air defense flights over all of New York State.

The air defense mission remained after the Korean War armistice and the unit resumed normal peacetime training and drills.

In 1954, the Mustang was ending its service life and Air Defense Command was re-equipping its fighter-interceptor squadrons with jet aircraft.

The 139th received F-94B Starfires, however the F-94 required a two-man aircrew, a pilot and an air observer, to operate its radar equipment.

The new assignment involved a change in the Group's training mission to include high-altitude interception, air-to-ground rocketry, ground strafing and tactical bombing.

During the 1960s, the Group flew scheduled MATS transport missions to Europe, Africa the Caribbean and South America.

Operating mainly from the Broome County Airport at Binghamton, 109th crews provided the lion's share of airlift into stricken areas, particularly Elmira, where surface transportation was cut off.

In 1988 the 109th had been notified that, almost overnight, one of the Distant Early Warning (DEW) Line radar sites that it supported in Greenland was going to be shut down.

In March 1992, with the end of the Cold War, the 109th adopted the Air Force Objective Organization plan, and the unit was redesignated as the 109th Airlift Group.

During October 1999 the 109th AW aided in the rescue of Dr. Jerri Nielsen, a doctor with breast cancer symptoms and based at isolated Amundsen–Scott South Pole Station in Antarctica.

The 109th Wing's high operational tempo increased dramatically with the surprise attack on the World Trade Center on 11 September 2001.

Since that time, the men and women of the 109th AW have continued to voluntarily deploy in support of military operations in Southwest Asia and around the world.

The LC-130H crews were also called on to provide aerial reconnaissance and communication links to a disabled Russian vessel, allowing for a Royal New Zealand Air Force C-130 crew to later airdrop three parcels on an ice floe next to the ailing ship The wing has deployed an average of 150 on duty at any one time.

The Airmen deploy for 30–60 days each, working two 12-hour shifts each week, running supplies and people to field camps across the continent and the South Pole station.