186th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron

186th Airlift Squadron
186th Fighter Squadron F-15C 79-057. The unit is currently transitioning to the C-130 Hercules.
Active	1943-Present
Country	United States
Allegiance	Montana
Branch	Air National Guard
Type	Squadron
Role	Air Defense
Part of	Montana Air National Guard
Garrison/HQ	Great Falls Air National Guard Base, Great Falls, Montana
Nickname(s)	Charlies Chickens
Motto(s)	Vigalantes
Tail Code	White tail stripe "Montana"; Steer/mountain skyline
Insignia
186th Airlift Squadron emblem

The 186th Airlift Squadron (186 AS) is a unit of the Montana Air National Guard 120th Airlift Wing located at Great Falls Air National Guard Base, Montana. The 186th is equipped with the C-130H Hercules.

The 404th Fighter Squadron was activated at Richmond Army Air Base, Virginia in the summer of 1943 as one of the three original squadrons of the 371st Fighter Group. The squadron trained in the northeastern United States with Republic P-47 Thunderbolts under First Air Force before moving overseas in the spring of 1944.

Upon arriving in England, the squadron became an element of Ninth Air Force at Bisterne Close, England. The squadron's first combat operation was a fighter sweep over Occupied France. Prior to Operation Overlord, the invasion of Normandy, the 404th flew fighter sweeps, dive bombing and escort missions.

On D-Day the 404th patrolled the beachhead. attacking railroads, trains, vehicles. gun emplacements and other targets. Soon after the invasion, the squadron moved to France and participated in the air interdiction that preceded the Allied breakout at St Lo in late July and supported the following drive across northern France. It continued to operate in northeastern France and southwestern Germany through the winter of 1945, attacking storage dumps, marshalling yard, factories, bridges, roads, and vehicles. In December 1944 it provided close air support for ground forces engaged in the Battle of the Bulge.