On the night of 13 August 1961, the East German government erected barbed wire barriers around the 104-mile (167 km) periphery of West Berlin.
Without warning East Berliners had been denied passage rights to the western part of the city by their own soldiers.
 In response, President John F. Kennedy federalized several Air National Guard units, including the New Hampshire Air National Guard, and the 133d ATS was placed on active duty.
 Equipped with eight C-97 aircraft and manned with 675 guardsmen, the unit would stay at Grenier Field during the crisis.
But its aircraft and crews ranged throughout the world—touching down at bases in Europe, South America, Alaska, Japan, the Philippines, and Southeast Asia.
These missions came in addition to the ongoing ferrying of life-sustaining supplies to West Berlin.
 The 157th also airlifted elements of the Turkish Army to South Korea and delivered essential communications equipment to South Vietnam.

Typical of the C-97 flights leaving Grenier AFB was one that departed in early November 1961.
Its long itinerary started with a stop at Dover AFB, Delaware, then it was on to Lajes Field, Azores; Châteauroux-Déols AB, France; Rhein-Main AB, West Germany; RAF Mildenhall, England; Keflavik Airport, Iceland; Ernest Harmon AFB, Newfoundland, and back to Grenier AFB.
This 9,000-plus¬mile flight required in excess of 40 hours of flying time and was supported by a crew of eight.

In 11 months, the crisis cooled and on 31 August 1962 the 900 officers and airmen of the 157th Air Transport Group were returned to State control.

In late 1965, at the behest of the Department of Defense and in concert with other Air National Guard and Reserve units, 157th personnel joined in "Operation Christmas Star", airlifting some 23,000 pounds of gifts to United States forces in South Vietnam.
It was a presaging of the unit's active participation in the Vietnam War which would begin in 1966.
With all-volunteer aircrews, the three 133d ATS C-97s delivered 23,000 pounds of cargo, completely collected in New Hampshire, then shipped to Saigon and Da Nang between 26 November and 1 December.
After Operation Christmas Star, Air National Guard support missions to South Vietnam increased.
On the night of 13 August 1961, the East German government erected barbed wire barriers around the 104-mile (167 km) periphery of West Berlin. Without warning East Berliners had been denied passage rights to the western part of the city by their own soldiers.  In response, President John F. Kennedy federalized several Air National Guard units, including the New Hampshire Air National Guard, and the 133d ATS was placed on active duty.  Equipped with eight C-97 aircraft and manned with 675 guardsmen, the unit would stay at Grenier Field during the crisis. But its aircraft and crews ranged throughout the world—touching down at bases in Europe, South America, Alaska, Japan, the Philippines, and Southeast Asia. These missions came in addition to the ongoing ferrying of life-sustaining supplies to West Berlin.  The 157th also airlifted elements of the Turkish Army to South Korea and delivered essential communications equipment to South Vietnam.
Typical of the C-97 flights leaving Grenier AFB was one that departed in early November 1961. Its long itinerary started with a stop at Dover AFB, Delaware, then it was on to Lajes Field, Azores; Châteauroux-Déols AB, France; Rhein-Main AB, West Germany; RAF Mildenhall, England; Keflavik Airport, Iceland; Ernest Harmon AFB, Newfoundland, and back to Grenier AFB. This 9,000-plus¬mile flight required in excess of 40 hours of flying time and was supported by a crew of eight.
In 11 months, the crisis cooled and on 31 August 1962 the 900 officers and airmen of the 157th Air Transport Group were returned to State control.
In late 1965, at the behest of the Department of Defense and in concert with other Air National Guard and Reserve units, 157th personnel joined in "Operation Christmas Star", airlifting some 23,000 pounds of gifts to United States forces in South Vietnam. It was a presaging of the unit's active participation in the Vietnam War which would begin in 1966. With all-volunteer aircrews, the three 133d ATS C-97s delivered 23,000 pounds of cargo, completely collected in New Hampshire, then shipped to Saigon and Da Nang between 26 November and 1 December. After Operation Christmas Star, Air National Guard support missions to South Vietnam increased.
133d Air Refueling Squadron