187th Fighter Squadron

187th Airlift Squadron
187th Airlift Squadron C-130H 92-1531 Modular Airborne Fire Fighting Systems (MAFFS) aerial fire fighting aircraft
Active	1943–present
Country	United States
Allegiance	Wyoming
Branch	Air National Guard
Type	Squadron
Role	Airlift/Aireal Firefighting
Part of	Wyoming Air National Guard
Garrison/HQ	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 Wyoming Air National Guard 153d Airlift Wing. located at Cheyenne Air National Guard Base, Wyoming. The 187th is equipped with the C-130 Hercules.

The squadron's World War II predecessor unit, the 402d Fighter Squadron was assigned to Ninth Air Force in England, flying its first combat mission on 14 March 1944. Flying P-38 Lightnings, the group received a Distinguished Unit Citation for a mission in support of ground forces in the Hurtgen Forest 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.

The wartime 402d Fighter Squadron was re-activated and re-designated as the 187th Fighter Squadron, and was allotted to the Wyoming Air National Guard, on 24 May 1946. It was organized at Cheyenne Municipal Airport, Wyoming and was extended federal recognition on 11 August 1946 by the National Guard Bureau. The 187th Fighter Squadron was bestowed the history, honors, and colors of the 402d Fighter Squadron. The squadron was equipped with F-51D Mustangs and was assigned to the 86th Fighter Wing, Buckley Field, Colorado. As part of the Continental Air Command Fourth Air Force, the unit trained for tactical fighter missions and air-to-air combat.