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The A-10: A Potent Symbol for the National Guard

BALTIMORE (WJZ)-- The A-10 is beloved by the Maryland Air National Guard at Martin State. It was built in Hagerstown in the late 1970's.

There are a dozen Maryland Air National Guard warplanes, battling ISIS in Syria. When the 250 people who keep those planes flying return to their home base at the Martin State Airport, they'll be greeted with a new, yet familiar sight.

Pilots and ground troops also love it's tank busting cannon.

"It's the best close air support aircraft that the world has ever known and we deployed if from right here in Maryland," said Colonel Paul Johnson of the Maryland Air National Guard.

A particular A-10, has been grounded for quite some time. It missed out on an upgrade, and was cannibalized for parts.

"It kind of sat in disrepair for a long time," said Johnson.

Someone got the idea to make it look like the ones that still are flying and park it near the new front gate.

So, they asked the Army Guard for help.

"So they're going to help us by airlifting it from that position to over here and then we'll have it craned into the final location," said Johnson.

The Army Guard tried to lift the plane on three separate occasions with no luck.

Then it was moved the old fashioned way, towed into place by a tug.

A far cry from it's glory days in the air but now a potent symbol and reminder for everyone who enters the airbase.

"But it just kind of brings us back to hey, why do we do this?" said Johnson.

The Maryland Air National Guard has 18 A-10's. There has been talk of retiring the entire fleet, but stiff resistance from soldiers on the ground, congress, and lack of a viable alternative has extended it's lifespan.

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