187th Airlift Squadron

187th Airlift Squadron
Cheyenne Air National Guard Base, Cheyenne, Wyoming
Tail Code	Yellow tail stripe "Wyoming"
Insignia
187th Airlift Squadron

The 187th Airlift Squadron (187 AS) is a unit of the

.

History

World War II

see:

402d Fighter Squadron

for complete World War II history

The squadron's

area of Germany on 2 December 1944 when, despite bad weather and barrages of antiaircraft and small-arms fire, the squadron dropped napalm bombs on a heavily defended position in Bergstein, setting fire to the village and inflicting heavy casualties on enemy troops defending the area. The squadron flew its last combat mission on 3 March 1945.

Wyoming Air National Guard

The wartime 402d Fighter Squadron was re-activated and re-designated as the 187th Fighter Squadron, and was allotted to the

, the unit trained for tactical fighter missions and air-to-air combat.

Korean War activation

As a result of the

), and the 187th FS. The 140th and its components were equipped with F-51D Mustangs, and were re-designated as Fighter-Bomber squadrons on 12 April 1951.

During their period of federal service, many pilots were sent to Japan and South Korea to reinforce active-duty units. At Clovis, elements of the 140th FBW took part in Operation Tumbler-Snapper – 1952, a nuclear bomb test in Nevada. On 15 November 1952, the elements of the 140th returned to Air National Guard control in their respective states.

Cold War

Upon return to Wyoming state control, the 120th was re-equipped by

jets. On 1 July 1955, the squadron was re-designated as the 187th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron.

On 1 July 1957, the 187th was authorized to expand to a group level, and the 153d Fighter Interceptor Group was established by the National Guard Bureau. The 187th FIS becoming the group's flying squadron. Other squadrons assigned into the group were the 153d Headquarters, 153d Material Squadron (Maintenance), 153d Combat Support Squadron, and the 153d USAF Dispensary. The 153d FIG being assigned to the 34th Air Division, Air Defense Command and upgraded to

.

Airlift mission

The most dramatic change came for the Wyoming unit in 1961 when it changed from an Air Defense Command Fighter-Interceptor unit to flying

(MATS).

On 21 June 1963 the 187th received

[MAC].

In 1972, the 187th received its first turboprop

(MAFFS) and began water/fire retardant bombing of fires throughout the United States. Those fire fighting mission still continue through the present.

In the meantime, the 153d Tactical Airlift Group expanded to regularly flying missions with the

Operation Just Cause

in 1989–90 when Panama was designated a combat zone.

Beginning 5 August 1990, the first day of

, which supplied humanitarian aid to Kurdish people displaced by the Iraqi military.

Global War on Terrorism

As the

Operation Iraqi Freedom

during 2004–2005.

In 2006 and 2007 the unit returned to Afghanistan for two and three aircraft Aerospace Expeditionary Force rotations. On the home front, the end of 2007 found four aircraft responding to the great 2007 California wildfires.

Lineage

• Constituted 402d Fighter Squadron on 22 July 1943

Activated on 25 July 1943

Inactivated on 10 November 1945

• Redesignated 187th Fighter Squadron, and allotted to Wyoming ANG, on 24 May 1946

Extended federal recognition on 11 August 1946

Federalized and placed on active duty, 1 April 1951

Re-designated: 187th Fighter-Bomber Squadron on 1 April 1951

Released from active duty and returned to Wyoming state control, 15 November 1952

Re-designated: 187th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, on 1 July 1955

Re-designated: 187th Aeromedical Transport Squadron, on 1 May 1961

Re-designated: 187th Air Transport Squadron, on 8 February 1964

Re-designated: 187th Military Airlift Squadron, on 8 January 1966

Re-designated: 187th Tactical Airlift Squadron, on 13 July 1972

Re-designated: 187th Airlift Squadron, on 15 March 1992

Assignments

• 370th Fighter Group, 25 July 1943 – 7 November 1945
• 86th Fighter Wing
  , 11 August 1946
• 140th Fighter Group
  (later 140th Fighter-Bomber Group), 3 September 1946 – 1 January 1953
• 140th Fighter-Bomber Group (later 140th Fighter-Interceptor Group), 1 January 1953
• 153d Fighter Interceptor Group
  (later 153d Aeromedical Transport Group, 153d Air Transport Group, 153d Military Airlift Group, 153d Tactical Airlift Group, 153d Airlift Group), 1 July 1957
• 153d Operations Group, 1 October 1995 – Present

Stations

Aircraft

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

External links