Description
Computer made 4.0 inch-100mm
120th FIGHTER WING
Lineage. Constituted as 186th Fighter Squadron, and allotted to Montana Air National Guard on 24 May 1946. 186th Fighter Squadron federally recognized on 27 Jun 1947. Redesignated: 186th Fighter-Bomber Squadron in Nov 1951; 186th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron in Nov 1953. 120th Fighter Group (Air Defense) federally recognized on 15 Apr 1956; 120th Fighter-Interceptor Group on 1 Jul 1972; 120th Fighter Group on 15 Mar 1992; 120th Fighter Wing on 11 Oct 1995; 120th Airlift Wing on 1 Mar 2014-.
Assignments. 371st Fighter Group, 15 Jul 1943-10 Nov 1945. MT ANG, 27 Jun 1947; Strategic Air Command, 1 Apr 1951; Tactical Air Command, Nov 1951-1 Dec 1952; 140th Air Defense Wing, 1 July 1955; Air Defense Command, 1 Jul 1960; Tactical Air Command, 1 Apr 1980; Air Combat Command, 1 Jun 1992; Air Mobility Command, 1 Mar 2014-.
Components. Groups. 120th Operations, 1 Oct 1995-. Squadrons. 186th Fighter (later Airlift), 15 Apr 1956-.
Stations. Richmond AAB, VA, 15 July 1943; Camp Springs AAF, MD, 30 Sep 1943; (detachment operated from Millville AAF, NJ, 17 Nov-13 Dec 1943); Richmond AAB, VA, 18 Jan-14 Feb 1944; Bisterne, England, 7 Mar 1944 (operated from Ibsley, England, 21 Apr-c. 14 May 1944); Beuzeville, France, c. 23 Jun 1944; Perthes, France, c. 16 Sep 1944; Dole/Tavaux, France, c. 26 Sep 1944 (operated from Dijon, France, 12 Nov-22 Dec 1944); Tantonville, France, c. 20 Dec 1944; Metz, France, 15 Feb 1945; Frankfurt/Eschborn, Germany, 7 Apr 1945; Furth, Germany, 5 May 1945; Horsching, Austria, 16 Aug 1945; Stuttgart, Germany, c. 13 Sep-Oct 1945; Camp Shanks, NY, 9-10 Nov. Gore Field (later Great Falls IAP), MT, 27 Jun 1947-Present. Moody AFB, GA, 1 Apr 1951; George AFB, CA, Nov 1951-1 Dec 1952.
Aircraft. P-47, 1943-1945. F-51D, 1947-1953; F-86A, 1953-1955; F-94A, 1955-1956; F-89C, 1956-1958; F-89H, 1958-1960; F-89J, 1960-1966; F-102A, 1966-1972; F-106A/B, 1972-1987; F-16A/B, 1987-2001; F-16C/D, 2001-2008; F-15C/D, 2008-2014; C-130, 2014-.
Operations. Combat in ETO, 12 Apr 1944-9 May 1945. Called to active duty as part of the Korean War call-up, 1 Apr 1951-1 Dec 1952. Air defense of Northwestern US, 1952-2014.
Service Streamers. None.
Campaign Streamers. Air Offensive, Europe; Normandy; Northern France, Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe; Air Combat, EAME Theater.
Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citation: Germany, 15-21 Mar 1945. Cited in the Order of the Day, Belgian Army: 6 Jun-30 Sep 1944.
Emblem. 1956