186th Air Refueling Wing
Encyclopedia
The United States Air Force
's 186th Air Refueling Wing is a Mississippi Air National Guard
unit located at Meridian Regional Airport
/Key Field, Mississippi
. The 186th traces its origins to the 153rd Observation Squadron which was orgainized in September 1939 and served on active duty in Europe During World War II. As the 153rd Liaison Squadron, the unit distinguished itself during the Battle of the Bulge in the winter of 1944. As the 153rd Fighter Squadron, it flew P-47Ns until reorganized as the 153 TRS, and converted to RF-51Ds in December 1952. The squadron was then successively equipped wth RF-80As (from June 1955), RF-84Fs (from October 1956, including eleven months on active duty at home during the Berlin Crisis call-up in 1961-1962). In November 1970 the 153rd received RF-101Cs and operated them until replaced with RF-4Cs in September 1978. After receiving its first two KC-135Rs, the 186th Tactical Reconnaissance Group was redesignated as the 186th Air Refueling Group on April 1, 1992. It will become an airlift wing in 2011.
It was assigned briefly to Strategic Air Command
on 1 April 1992, but reassigned to Air Mobility Command, Fifteenth Air Force
on 31 May 1992.
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
's 186th Air Refueling Wing is a Mississippi Air National Guard
Mississippi Air National Guard
The Mississippi Air National Guard is the air force militia of the U.S. state of Mississippi. It is, along with the Mississippi Army National Guard, an element of the Mississippi National Guard...
unit located at Meridian Regional Airport
Meridian Regional Airport
Meridian Regional Airport is a public airport located on Key Field, a joint civil-military airfield located southwest of the city of Meridian in Lauderdale County, Mississippi, United States. It is owned by Meridian Airport Authority....
/Key Field, Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
. The 186th traces its origins to the 153rd Observation Squadron which was orgainized in September 1939 and served on active duty in Europe During World War II. As the 153rd Liaison Squadron, the unit distinguished itself during the Battle of the Bulge in the winter of 1944. As the 153rd Fighter Squadron, it flew P-47Ns until reorganized as the 153 TRS, and converted to RF-51Ds in December 1952. The squadron was then successively equipped wth RF-80As (from June 1955), RF-84Fs (from October 1956, including eleven months on active duty at home during the Berlin Crisis call-up in 1961-1962). In November 1970 the 153rd received RF-101Cs and operated them until replaced with RF-4Cs in September 1978. After receiving its first two KC-135Rs, the 186th Tactical Reconnaissance Group was redesignated as the 186th Air Refueling Group on April 1, 1992. It will become an airlift wing in 2011.
It was assigned briefly to Strategic Air Command
Strategic Air Command
The Strategic Air Command was both a Major Command of the United States Air Force and a "specified command" of the United States Department of Defense. SAC was the operational establishment in charge of America's land-based strategic bomber aircraft and land-based intercontinental ballistic...
on 1 April 1992, but reassigned to Air Mobility Command, Fifteenth Air Force
Fifteenth Air Force
The Fifteenth Expeditionary Mobility Task Force is one of two EMTFs assigned to the United States Air Force Air Mobility Command . It is headquartered at Travis Air Force Base, California....
on 31 May 1992.
Major Command
- Air National GuardAir National GuardThe Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...
/Air Mobility CommandAir Mobility CommandAir Mobility Command is a Major Command of the U.S. Air Force. AMC is headquartered at Scott AFB, Illinois, east of St. Louis....
(1992–Present) - Air National GuardAir National GuardThe Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...
/Strategic Air CommandStrategic Air CommandThe Strategic Air Command was both a Major Command of the United States Air Force and a "specified command" of the United States Department of Defense. SAC was the operational establishment in charge of America's land-based strategic bomber aircraft and land-based intercontinental ballistic...
(1992) - Air National GuardAir National GuardThe Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...
/Tactical Air CommandTactical Air CommandTactical Air Command is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was a Major Command of the United States Air Force, established on 21 March 1946 being headquartered at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia...
(1962–1992)
Previous designations
- 186th Airlift Wing (2011+)
- 186th Air Refueling Wing (1992–2011)
- 186th Tactical Reconnaissance Group (1962–1992)
Squadrons assigned
- 153rd Airlift Squadron (2011+)
- 153rd Air Refueling Squadron153rd Air Refueling SquadronThe 153d Air Refueling Squadron flies the KC-135 Stratotanker. It is a unit of the Mississippi Air National Guard. Its parent unit is the 186th Air Refueling Wing.-Major Command/Gaining Command:*Air National Guard/Air Mobility Command...
(1992–2011) - 153rd Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron (1962–1992)
Aircraft operated
- C-26 MetrolinerC-26 Metroliner|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Donald, David, general editor. Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. Etobicoke, ON: Prospero Books, 1997. ISBN 1-85605-375-X....
(2007–Present) - KC-135R StratotankerKC-135 StratotankerThe Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is an aerial refueling military aircraft. It and the Boeing 707 airliner were developed from the Boeing 367-80 prototype. The KC-135 was the US Air Force's first jet-powered refueling tanker and replaced the KC-97 Stratotanker...
(1992–2011) - RF-4C Phantom II (1978–1992)
- RF-101C Voodoo (1970–1978)
- RF-84F Thunderflash (1958–1970)