186th Fighter Squadron
Encyclopedia
The 186th Fighter Squadron flies the F-15C Eagle. It is a unit of the Montana Air National Guard
. Its parent unit is the 120th Fighter Wing
.
fighter squadron, trained under I Fighter Command
in the mid-Atlantic states. Also flew air-defense missions as part of the Philadelphia Fighter Wing
. Deployed to the European Theater of Operations
(ETO), being assigned to IX Fighter Command
in England
, April 1944.
From airfields in England, the squadron flew fighter sweeps against enemy targets in France
during the spring of 1944, attacking troop concentrations, armor columns, rail and road transport hubs and other targets of opportunity prior to the D-Day
invasion. Provided air cover for invasion forces in Normandy
on 6 June 1944 and in the immediate aftermath of the invasion.
Moved to a forward Advanced Landing Ground
in France on 23 June, and provided air support for the United States Third Army forces as part of XIX Tactical Air Command
. Attacked enemy forces in front of advancing ground units and disrupted communications, supply, troop movements by attacking roads and bridges and enemy airfields on a daily basis. Moved eastward to a succession of both temporary and liberated French airfields during the Summer and Fall of 1944. Advanced into Occupied Germany in April 1944, operating from seized Luftwaffe
airfields as Third Army moved eastward until the German capitulation in May. Became part of the United States Air Forces in Europe
as part of the occupation forces in Germany after the war, initially being stationed in Bavaria
; then being reassigned to the American Zone of occupied Austria
. Demobilized at Strasbourg
, France
in the fall of 1945; inactivated as a paper unit in the United States in November.
in May 1946. On June 27, 1947, the 186th Fighter Squadron was activated and federally recognized. Within two weeks, six P-51 D Mustangs arrived. Eighty-nine days after activation, tragedy struck the fledgling unit. En route to pick up the adjutant general in Helena
, the A-26 Invader
Lt. Col. Sperry was flying went down in a heavy snowstorm. The wreckage could not be found until the following summer. Aboard also was Sgt. Charles Glover, for whom the street along the east side of building 64 is named.
On April 1, 1951, the unit was activated for duty in South Korea
. Personnel were sent to Moody AFB, Ga., and ten F-51s were shipped to Korea. (The "P" for "pursuit" had been dropped in 1948 and changed to "F" for "fighter.") The unit received its first jet aircraft in 1952, a T-33 Shooting Star
. The first jet fighter landed at Gore Field a year later in the form of the F-86A Sabre Jet, the first F-86 assigned to an Air National Guard squadron. The squadron was redesignated the 186th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron and adopted the "Charlie Chicken" patch. The F-89 Scorpion
arrived in 1955 and the Montana Air National Guard was redesignated the 120th Fighter Group (Air Defense).
October 1, 1958 saw the beginning of the unit's commitment to five-minute runway alert, a task that would last for 38 years. The arrival of the F-102 Delta Dagger
in 1966 ushered in the supersonic age. In 1972, the unit was redesignated the 120th Fighter-Interceptor Group and assigned the F-106 Delta Dart
, the first Air National Guard unit to receive this aircraft. With the F-106, the squadron competed in and won its first William Tell, a live-fire missile competition held at Tyndall AFB, Florida.
The F-16A/B arrived in 1987, and in 2001 began a conversion in 2001 migrating to the F-16C/D model aircraft. This conversion replaced the air defense mission with one of general purpose/air-to-ground as part of the Expeditionary Aerospace Force.
With the conversion, unit members felt it was time to consider a change in the aircraft tail markings. The most notable change included the 186th Fighter Squadron's nickname of "Vigilantes". The nickname by the pilots of the 186th is intended to honor the first men in the Montana Territory who organized for the safety and welfare of the people. The squadron once again found itself on alert status after the terrorism attacks in New York City
and Washington, D.C. Base personnel implemented the necessary procedures to establish a secure environment while maintaining a 24 hour alert status for aircraft. Throughout 2002, hundreds of unit personnel were activated and deployed to multiple locations in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and the world.
Montana Air National Guard
The Montana Air National Guard is the air force militia of the U.S. state of Montana. It is, along with the Montana Army National Guard, an element of the Montana National Guard.-120th Fighter Wing:...
. Its parent unit is the 120th Fighter Wing
120th Fighter Wing
The United States Air Force's 120th Fighter Wing is a unit located at Great Falls International Airport, Montana.-Mission:The 120th Fighter Wing, as part of the Montana Air National Guard,serves a dual mission:...
.
World War II
Established in mid-1943 as a P-47 ThunderboltP-47 Thunderbolt
Republic Aviation's P-47 Thunderbolt, also known as the "Jug", was the largest, heaviest, and most expensive fighter aircraft in history to be powered by a single reciprocating engine. It was heavily armed with eight .50-caliber machine guns, four per wing. When fully loaded, the P-47 weighed up to...
fighter squadron, trained under I Fighter Command
I Fighter Command
The I Fighter Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the First Air Force, based at Mitchel Army Airfield, New York...
in the mid-Atlantic states. Also flew air-defense missions as part of the Philadelphia Fighter Wing
Philadelphia Fighter Wing
The Philadelphia Fighter Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the I Fighter Command, stationed at Philadelphia Airport, Pennsylvania It was inactivated on 3 April 1946....
. Deployed to the European Theater of Operations
European Theater of Operations
The European Theater of Operations, United States Army was a United States Army formation which directed U.S. Army operations in parts of Europe from 1942 to 1945. It referred to Army Ground Forces, United States Army Air Forces, and Army Service Forces operations north of Italy and the...
(ETO), being assigned to IX Fighter Command
IX Fighter Command
The IX Fighter Command is an inactive United States Army Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the Ninth Air Force, based at Erlangen, Germany. It was inactivated on 16 November 1945....
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, April 1944.
From airfields in England, the squadron flew fighter sweeps against enemy targets in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
during the spring of 1944, attacking troop concentrations, armor columns, rail and road transport hubs and other targets of opportunity prior to the D-Day
D-Day
D-Day is a term often used in military parlance to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. "D-Day" often represents a variable, designating the day upon which some significant event will occur or has occurred; see Military designation of days and hours for similar...
invasion. Provided air cover for invasion forces in Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
on 6 June 1944 and in the immediate aftermath of the invasion.
Moved to a forward Advanced Landing Ground
Advanced Landing Ground
Advanced Landing Ground was the term given to the temporary advance airfields constructed by the Allies during World War II in support of the invasion of Europe...
in France on 23 June, and provided air support for the United States Third Army forces as part of XIX Tactical Air Command
XIX Tactical Air Command
The XIX Tactical Air Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. The unit's last assignment was with the Ninth Air Force based at Biggs Field, Texas...
. Attacked enemy forces in front of advancing ground units and disrupted communications, supply, troop movements by attacking roads and bridges and enemy airfields on a daily basis. Moved eastward to a succession of both temporary and liberated French airfields during the Summer and Fall of 1944. Advanced into Occupied Germany in April 1944, operating from seized Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
airfields as Third Army moved eastward until the German capitulation in May. Became part of the United States Air Forces in Europe
United States Air Forces in Europe
The United States Air Forces in Europe is the United States Air Force component of U.S. European Command, a Department of Defense unified command, and is one of two Air Force Major Commands outside of the continental United States, the other being the Pacific Air Forces...
as part of the occupation forces in Germany after the war, initially being stationed in Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
; then being reassigned to the American Zone of occupied Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
. Demobilized at Strasbourg
Strasbourg
Strasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in eastern France and is the official seat of the European Parliament. Located close to the border with Germany, it is the capital of the Bas-Rhin département. The city and the region of Alsace are historically German-speaking,...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in the fall of 1945; inactivated as a paper unit in the United States in November.
Montana Air National Guard
Was allocated to the Montana Air National GuardMontana Air National Guard
The Montana Air National Guard is the air force militia of the U.S. state of Montana. It is, along with the Montana Army National Guard, an element of the Montana National Guard.-120th Fighter Wing:...
in May 1946. On June 27, 1947, the 186th Fighter Squadron was activated and federally recognized. Within two weeks, six P-51 D Mustangs arrived. Eighty-nine days after activation, tragedy struck the fledgling unit. En route to pick up the adjutant general in Helena
Helena
-First name:*Helena , Roman mother of Emperor Constantine*Helena, wife of Julian , Roman daughter of Emperor Constantine*Helena...
, the A-26 Invader
A-26 Invader
The Douglas A-26 Invader was a United States twin-engined light attack bomber built by the Douglas Aircraft Co. during World War II that also saw service during several of the Cold War's major conflicts...
Lt. Col. Sperry was flying went down in a heavy snowstorm. The wreckage could not be found until the following summer. Aboard also was Sgt. Charles Glover, for whom the street along the east side of building 64 is named.
On April 1, 1951, the unit was activated for duty in South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
. Personnel were sent to Moody AFB, Ga., and ten F-51s were shipped to Korea. (The "P" for "pursuit" had been dropped in 1948 and changed to "F" for "fighter.") The unit received its first jet aircraft in 1952, a T-33 Shooting Star
T-33 Shooting Star
The Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star is an American-built jet trainer aircraft. It was produced by Lockheed and made its first flight in 1948, piloted by Tony LeVier. The T-33 was developed from the Lockheed P-80/F-80 starting as TP-80C/TF-80C in development, then designated T-33A. It was used by the...
. The first jet fighter landed at Gore Field a year later in the form of the F-86A Sabre Jet, the first F-86 assigned to an Air National Guard squadron. The squadron was redesignated the 186th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron and adopted the "Charlie Chicken" patch. The F-89 Scorpion
F-89 Scorpion
The Northrop F-89 Scorpion was an early American jet-powered fighter designed from the outset as an all-weather interceptor. Though its straight wings limited its performance, it was among the first USAF jet fighters with guided missiles, and notably the first combat aircraft armed with air-to-air...
arrived in 1955 and the Montana Air National Guard was redesignated the 120th Fighter Group (Air Defense).
October 1, 1958 saw the beginning of the unit's commitment to five-minute runway alert, a task that would last for 38 years. The arrival of the F-102 Delta Dagger
F-102 Delta Dagger
The Convair F-102 Delta Dagger was a US interceptor aircraft built as part of the backbone of the United States Air Force's air defenses in the late 1950s. Entering service in 1956, its main purpose was to intercept invading Soviet bomber fleets...
in 1966 ushered in the supersonic age. In 1972, the unit was redesignated the 120th Fighter-Interceptor Group and assigned the F-106 Delta Dart
F-106 Delta Dart
The Convair F-106 Delta Dart was the primary all-weather interceptor aircraft for the United States Air Force from the 1960s through the 1980s. Designed as the so-called "Ultimate Interceptor", it has proven to be the last dedicated interceptor in USAF service to date...
, the first Air National Guard unit to receive this aircraft. With the F-106, the squadron competed in and won its first William Tell, a live-fire missile competition held at Tyndall AFB, Florida.
The F-16A/B arrived in 1987, and in 2001 began a conversion in 2001 migrating to the F-16C/D model aircraft. This conversion replaced the air defense mission with one of general purpose/air-to-ground as part of the Expeditionary Aerospace Force.
With the conversion, unit members felt it was time to consider a change in the aircraft tail markings. The most notable change included the 186th Fighter Squadron's nickname of "Vigilantes". The nickname by the pilots of the 186th is intended to honor the first men in the Montana Territory who organized for the safety and welfare of the people. The squadron once again found itself on alert status after the terrorism attacks in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and Washington, D.C. Base personnel implemented the necessary procedures to establish a secure environment while maintaining a 24 hour alert status for aircraft. Throughout 2002, hundreds of unit personnel were activated and deployed to multiple locations in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and the world.
Lineage
- Constituted 404th Fighter Squadron 25 May 1943
- Activated on 15 Jul 1943
- Inactivated on 10 Nov 1945.
- Redesignated 186th Fighter Squadron, and allotted to Montana Air National GuardMontana Air National GuardThe Montana Air National Guard is the air force militia of the U.S. state of Montana. It is, along with the Montana Army National Guard, an element of the Montana National Guard.-120th Fighter Wing:...
on 24 May 1946
- Redesignated 186th Fighter Squadron, and allotted to Montana Air National Guard
- Federally recognized, 186th Fighter Squadron on 27 June 1947
- Redesignated: 186th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 1953
- Redesignated: 186th Fighter Squadron, 1995
Assignments
- 371st Fighter Group371st Fighter GroupThe 371st Fighter Group is an inactive United States Army Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the Army Service Forces stationed at Camp Shanks , New Jersey...
, 15 Jul 1943-10 Nov 1945 - 120th Fighter Group, 27 June 1947
- Elevated to Federal Service, 1 Apr 1951-31 Mar 1953
- Redesignated: 120th Fighter-Interceptor Wing, 1953
- Redesignated: 120th Fighter-Interceptor Group, 1972
- Redesignated: 120th Fighter Wing120th Fighter WingThe United States Air Force's 120th Fighter Wing is a unit located at Great Falls International Airport, Montana.-Mission:The 120th Fighter Wing, as part of the Montana Air National Guard,serves a dual mission:...
, 1995-Present
Stations
- Richmond Army Air Base, VirginiaVirginiaThe Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, 15 July 1943 - Camp Springs AAF, MichiganMichiganMichigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, 30 September 1943 - Richmond Army Air Base, VirginiaVirginiaThe Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, 18 January-14 February 1944 - RAF BisterneRAF BisterneRAF Bisterne is a former World War II airfield in Hampshire, England. The airfield is located approximately south of Ringwood; about southwest of London...
(AAF-415), EnglandEnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, March 1944 - Beuzeville AirfieldBeuzeville AirfieldBeuzeville Airfield is an abandoned World War II military airfield, which is located near the commune of Beuzeville-la-Bastille in the Basse-Normandie region of northern France....
(A-6), FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, June 1944 - Perthes AirfieldPerthes AirfieldPerthes Airfield is an abandoned World War II military airfield, which is located near the commune of Perthes in the Champagne-Ardenne department of northern France....
(A-65), FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, 18 September 1944 - Dole/Tavaux Airfield (Y-7), FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, 1 October 1944 - Tantonville AirfieldTantonville AirfieldTantonville Airfield is an abandoned World War II United States Army Air Forces military airfield in France, which was located in the Département de Meurthe-et-Moselle approximately north of Mirecourt and south-southeast of Neuves-Maisons.-History:...
(Y-1), FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, 20 December 1944 - Metz Airfield (Y-34), FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, 15 February 1945
- Frankfurt/Eschborn Airfield (Y-74), GermanyGermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, 7 April 1945 - Furth AirfieldFürth AirfieldFürth Airfield is a former military airfield located in Germany about 2 miles north-northeast of Fürth ; approximately 200 miles south-southwest of Berlin.The airffield was used during World War II by the German Luftwaffe as a combat airfield...
(R-28), GermanyGermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, 5 May 1945 - AAF Station Hoersching, AustriaAustriaAustria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, 16 August 1945 - Strasbourg/Entzheim Airport, FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, September– October 1945 - Camp ShanksCamp ShanksCamp Shanks, named after Major General David Carey Shanks was a United States Army installation in and around Orangeburg in the Town of Orangetown, New York. Situated near the juncture of the Erie Railroad and the Hudson River, it served as a point of embarkation for troops departing overseas...
, New YorkNew YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, 9–10 November 1945. - Gore Field (later Great Falls International Airport)Great Falls International AirportGreat Falls International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located within city limits, three miles southwest of central Great Falls in Cascade County, Montana, USA...
, Montana, 27 June 1947 – Present
- Ground Echelon to Moody AFB, Georgia, 1 Apr 1951-31 Mar 1953
- Air Element deployed as replacement pilots/Aircraft for Far East Air Force
Aircraft
- P-47 ThunderboltP-47 ThunderboltRepublic Aviation's P-47 Thunderbolt, also known as the "Jug", was the largest, heaviest, and most expensive fighter aircraft in history to be powered by a single reciprocating engine. It was heavily armed with eight .50-caliber machine guns, four per wing. When fully loaded, the P-47 weighed up to...
, 1943–1945 - F-51D Mustang (Fall 1947-1953)
- F-86A Sabre (October 1953-1955)
- F-89C/H/J Scorpion (August 1958-1966)
- F-102A Delta Dagger(1966–1972)
- F-106A/B Delta Dart (April 1972-1987)
- F-16A/B Fighting Falcon (Nov. 1986-2001)
- F-16C/D Fighting Falcon (2001–2008)
- F-15C/D Eagle (2008–Present)