136th Attack Squadron

The 136th Attack Squadron is a unit of the New York Air National Guard 107th Attack Wing located at Niagara Falls Joint Air Reserve Station, New York. The 136th is equipped with the MQ-9 Reaper. If activated to federal service, the squadron is gained by the United States Air Force's Air Combat Command.

The squadron was formed as the 482nd Bombardment Squadron during World War II. It shortly became the 503rd Fighter-Bomber Squadron, renumbering along with all other Army Air Forces single engine bombing units. After training in the United States, it deployed to England in March 1944, where it was equipped with North American P-51 Mustangs. It flew the Mustang in combat for the next year, destroying 90 enemy aircraft and earning a Distinguished Unit Citation. After V-E Day, it returned to the United States for inactivation.

The squadron was redesignated the 136th Fighter Squadron and allotted to the National Guard Activated in 1948, it was mobilized in March 1951, standing air defense alert at its home station as the 136th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron until November 1952, when it transferred its aircraft to a regular unit and returned to state control. The squadron continued as an air defense unit, augmenting Air Defense Command, until 1958, when its mission changed to fighter bomber and it became the 136th Tactical Fighter Squadron, augmenting Tactical Air Command. The squadron was mobilized a second time in 1961 for the Berlin Crisis, but tensions eased before it could deploy and it remained at Niagara Falls International Airport until being released to state control. Its third mobilization was in 1968 for the Pueblo Crisis, however this time the squadron deployed to Tuy Hoa Air Base, Vietnam, flying combat missions from there until 1969. In 1971, it returned to the air defense mission, continuing to fly fighters until converting to the air refueling mission in 1994.

The 136th Air Refueling Squadron frequently deployed its Boeing KC-135 Stratotankers to support exercises, operations and contingincies until 2008, when it became an airlift unit as the 136th Airlift Squadron. Seven years later, it lost its manned aircraft mission and became the 136th Attack Squadron, operating unmanned aerial vehicles.