156th Airlift Squadron The 156th Airlift Squadron ( 156 AS ) is a unit of the North Carolina Air National Guard 145th Airlift Wing . It is assigned to Charlotte Air National Guard Base , North Carolina and is equipped with the C - 130H Hercules aircraft . History . World War II . Organized and trained in the Northeast United States by First Air Force . During training was part of the air defense of the northeast , being attached to the New York and Boston Fighter Wings . Deployed to England aboard the RMS Queen Elizabeth and served in combat as part of VIII Fighter Command from October 1943 to May 1945 , participating in operations that prepared for the invasion of the Continent , and supporting the landings in Normandy and the subsequent Allied drive across France and Germany . The squadron flew P - 47 Thunderbolt s until they were replaced by P - 51 Mustang s in November 1944 . From October 1943 until January 1944 , operated as escort for B - 17 Flying Fortress / B - 24 Liberator bombers that attacked such objectives as industrial areas , missile sites , airfields , and communications . Fighters from the 461st engaged primarily in bombing and strafing missions after 3 January 1944 , with its targets including U - boat installations , barges , shipyards , aerodromes , hangars , marshalling yards , locomotives , trucks , oil facilities , flak tower s , and radar stations . Bombed and strafed in the Arnhem , Netherlands area on 17 , 18 , and 23 September 1944 to neutralize enemy gun emplacements providing support to Allied ground forces during Operation Market - Garden . In early 1945 , the squadron ' s P - 51 Mustang s clashed with German Me 262 jet aircraft . The squadron flew its last combat mission , escorting B - 17 ' s dropping propaganda leaflets , on 7 May 1945 . Remained in the United Kingdom during the balance of 1945 , most personnel were demobilized and returned to the United States , with aircraft being sent to storage facilities in the UK . The squadron was administratively inactivated at Camp Kilmer New Jersey on 10 November 1945 without personnel or equipment . North Carolina Air National Guard . The unit designation was transferred to the North Carolina Air National Guard in May 1946 , being re - designated as the 156th Fighter Squadron . It was organized at Morris Field , near Charoltte , a former Third Air Force Army Airfield during World War II . Equipped with F - 47D Thunderbolt s , it was activated on 15 March 1948 by the NC Air National Guard , its gaining organization being Fourteenth Air Force , Continental Air Command . The 156th performed normal peacetime training operations , was re - equipped with F - 51 Mustangs in 1949 . As a result of the Korean War , the squadron was federalized and placed on active duty , 10 Oct 1950 . Assigned to Strategic Air Command , it was assigned to the Kentucky ANG 123d Fighter - Bomber Wing . After a training period at Godman AFB with F - 84E Thunderjet s , the wing was deployed to RAF Manston , England where it replaced the 12th Fighter - Escort Wing which had been returned to the United States . In England , the unit provided fighter escorts for SAC ' s rotational B - 50 Superfortress bombardment wings which operated from several USAF - controlled bases in the UK . In July 1952 the squadron returned to the United States and was returned to state control , leaving its aircraft and equipment in England . Upon return to Charlotte , the 156th returned to operating propeller - driven F - 51 Mustangs , operating them until their retirement in 1955 , being operationally gained by Tactical Air Command . Was transferred to Air Defense Command ( ADC ) in mid - 1955 , and re - equipped with F - 86A Sabre day interceptors . The squadron was given an air defense mission over North and South Carolina as part of the ADC 35th Air Division , Dobbins AFB , Georgia . In July 1957 , the squadron was expanded to a group - level , with the establishment of the 145th Fighter - Interceptor Group . The 156th was assigned as a subordinate unit to the new group . In 1959 was upgraded to the day / night / all - weather F - 86L Sabre Interceptor . In February 1961 , was reassigned to the Military Air Transport Service Eastern Transport Air Force ( EASTAF ) , at McGuire AFB , New Jersey . Was re - designated as the 156th Aeromedical Transport Squadron . Equipped with C - 119 Flying Boxcar s equipped for medical transport , the squadron performed evacuations of transport of critically ill military personnel ( and dependents ) to military medical facilities for treatment . Re - equipped with C - 121 Constellation s in 1964 , performed passenger transport missions for MATS both domestically and to the Caribbean and Europe for EASTAF . Was transferred to the new Military Airlift Command 21st Air Force when MATS was reorganized in 1966 . Was transferred back to Tactical Air Command control in 1971 , being equipped with early - model C - 130B Hercules tactical airlifters , being given a theater airlift and troop carrier mission as part of Ninth Air Force . Celebrated 25 years of service in 1973 , winning 1st place in worldwide airlift competition . In January 1974 , transferred to Military Airlift Command , Twenty - First Air Force , later that year assisted in rescue of 10 lives of the Eastern Air Lines Flight 212 crash at Charlotte on 11 September . In 1985 , the units mission was expanded by the addition of the Modular Airborne FireFighting System ( MAFFS ) capability added to the C - 130s for aerial firefighting . Other awards won were the 1986 Volant Rodeo competition as world ' s best airlift crew and plane and 1987 Spaatz Trophy for best flying unit in the Air National Guard . During the 1991 Persian Gulf Conflict , the squadron ' s 56th Aeromedical Evacuation Flight was activated and deployed to Saudi Arabia , participating in Operation Desert Storm . The squadron also achieved 150 , 000 hours of safe flying . Was reassigned to Air Mobility Command in 1992 . and helped evacuate hospital patients in South Florida after Hurricane Andrew in late August . Upgraded to C - 130H Hercules in 1993 . Celebrated 50th anniversary in 1998 , received an Excellent " on Operational Readiness Inspection ( ORI ) , and achieved 176 , 879 accident free flying hours . After Hurricane Floyd in 1999 , the squadron flew 33 , 000 cases of food rations in 3 C - 130s to flood victims and erected a tent city for 80 people near Wilmington ' s airport . Additional hurricane relief took place in 2005 when the 196th was the first airlift squadron on site in response to Hurricane Katrina Relief support . In July 2012 , four members of the squadron died as their C - 130 firefighting plane crashed during firefighting efforts in Colorado . They were : Lt . Col . Paul K . Mikeal , 42 , and Maj . Joseph M . McCormick , 36 , both pilots ; Maj . Ryan S . David , 35 , a navigator ; and Senior Master Sgt . Robert S . Cannon , 50 , a flight engineer .