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198th Airlift Squadron
The 198th Airlift Squadron was the last flying squadron of the Puerto Rico Air National Guard's 156th Airlift Wing located at Muñiz Air National Guard Base, in Carolina, Puerto Rico. The 198th last assigned aircraft was the WC-130H Hercules. The 198th was established in October 1944 as the 463d Fighter Squadron, was re-designated as the 198th and allotted to the PRANG in May 1946, redesignated from fighter to airlift in October 1998, and was inactivated on 31 December 2019.
Established in late 1944 at Peterson Field, Colorado as the 463d Fighter Squadron. Trained under XXII Bomber Command as a Very Long Range P-47N Thunderbolt bomber escort squadron, programmed for B-29 Superfortress escort duty from Okinawa. For four months they received combat training for long-range escort, strafing, and dive-bombing. Training delayed due to P-47N aircraft non-availability, finally equipped in the late spring of 1945 with the long-distance fighters.
Deployed to Okinawa in June 1945 as part of the 507th Fighter Group and prepared for the invasion of Japan along with the 413th and 414th Fighter Groups, all equipped with P-47N. On 1 July 1945 it began flying airstrikes from Ie Shima, targeting enemy ships, railroad bridges, airfields, factories, and barracks in Japan, Korea, and China. On 8 August 1945 the group escorted B-29 bombers on a raid, shooting down several Japanese fighters.
The squadron flew some long distance fighter-bomber sweeps over Japanese Home Islands 1 July 1945 – 14 August 1945 but never performed operational B-29 escort missions due to the end of the war in August.
Remained in Okinawa until inactivated in May 1946.
The 463d was redesignated the 198th Fighter Squadron and was allotted to the National Guard on 24 May 1946. It was organized at Isla Grande Airport, San Juan, Puerto Rico, and was extended federal recognition on 23 November 1947. The squadron was equipped with F-47N Thunderbolts and was assigned to the Puerto Rico National Guard, operationally gained by Fourteenth Air Force, Air Defense Command.
The mission of the 198th Fighter Squadron was the air defense of Puerto Rico. The short runways of Isla Grande Airport at the time did not allow safe jet operations. The squadron was forced to move its aircraft to the runways at the still under-construction San Juan International Airport maintaining the rest of its organization at Isla Grande Airport. The 198th was upgraded to North American F-86D Sabre interceptors.
On 15 October 1962, the Puerto Rico Air National Guard was expanded to a group status, and the 156th Tactical Fighter Group was recognized and activated by the National Guard Bureau. The 156th was transferred to Tactical Air Command, with the 198th becoming at Tactical Fighter Squadron and assigned to the 156th Group. Other elements assigned into the group were the 156th headquarters, 156th Material Squadron (Maintenance and Supply), 156th Combat Support Squadron, and the 156th USAF Dispensary. With the transfer to a tactical fighter role, the 198th received F-86H Sabre tactical fighters.
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198th Airlift Squadron
The 198th Airlift Squadron was the last flying squadron of the Puerto Rico Air National Guard's 156th Airlift Wing located at Muñiz Air National Guard Base, in Carolina, Puerto Rico. The 198th last assigned aircraft was the WC-130H Hercules. The 198th was established in October 1944 as the 463d Fighter Squadron, was re-designated as the 198th and allotted to the PRANG in May 1946, redesignated from fighter to airlift in October 1998, and was inactivated on 31 December 2019.
Established in late 1944 at Peterson Field, Colorado as the 463d Fighter Squadron. Trained under XXII Bomber Command as a Very Long Range P-47N Thunderbolt bomber escort squadron, programmed for B-29 Superfortress escort duty from Okinawa. For four months they received combat training for long-range escort, strafing, and dive-bombing. Training delayed due to P-47N aircraft non-availability, finally equipped in the late spring of 1945 with the long-distance fighters.
Deployed to Okinawa in June 1945 as part of the 507th Fighter Group and prepared for the invasion of Japan along with the 413th and 414th Fighter Groups, all equipped with P-47N. On 1 July 1945 it began flying airstrikes from Ie Shima, targeting enemy ships, railroad bridges, airfields, factories, and barracks in Japan, Korea, and China. On 8 August 1945 the group escorted B-29 bombers on a raid, shooting down several Japanese fighters.
The squadron flew some long distance fighter-bomber sweeps over Japanese Home Islands 1 July 1945 – 14 August 1945 but never performed operational B-29 escort missions due to the end of the war in August.
Remained in Okinawa until inactivated in May 1946.
The 463d was redesignated the 198th Fighter Squadron and was allotted to the National Guard on 24 May 1946. It was organized at Isla Grande Airport, San Juan, Puerto Rico, and was extended federal recognition on 23 November 1947. The squadron was equipped with F-47N Thunderbolts and was assigned to the Puerto Rico National Guard, operationally gained by Fourteenth Air Force, Air Defense Command.
The mission of the 198th Fighter Squadron was the air defense of Puerto Rico. The short runways of Isla Grande Airport at the time did not allow safe jet operations. The squadron was forced to move its aircraft to the runways at the still under-construction San Juan International Airport maintaining the rest of its organization at Isla Grande Airport. The 198th was upgraded to North American F-86D Sabre interceptors.
On 15 October 1962, the Puerto Rico Air National Guard was expanded to a group status, and the 156th Tactical Fighter Group was recognized and activated by the National Guard Bureau. The 156th was transferred to Tactical Air Command, with the 198th becoming at Tactical Fighter Squadron and assigned to the 156th Group. Other elements assigned into the group were the 156th headquarters, 156th Material Squadron (Maintenance and Supply), 156th Combat Support Squadron, and the 156th USAF Dispensary. With the transfer to a tactical fighter role, the 198th received F-86H Sabre tactical fighters.