page_title: 146th Airlift Wing
section_title: California Air National Guard
hierarchical_section_title: 146th Airlift Wing / History / California Air National Guard
caption_attribution_description: English: 197th Fighter Squadron - North American F-51H-5-NA Mustang 44-64455
context_page_description: The 146th Airlift Wing is a unit of the California Air National Guard, stationed at Channel Islands Air National Guard Station, Oxnard, California. If activated to federal service, the Wing is gained by the United States Air Force Air Mobility Command.
  The 115th Airlift Squadron assigned to the Wings 146th Operations Group, is a descendant organization of the 115th Observation Squadron, established on 16 June 1924. It is one of the 29 original National Guard Observation Squadrons of the United States Army National Guard formed before World War II. It is the oldest unit in the California Air National Guard, having almost 90 years of service to the state and nation.
context_section_description: .
  The wartime 373d Fighter Group was re-designated as the 146th Fighter Group, and was allotted to the California Air National Guard, on 24 May 1946. It was organized at Van Nuys Airport, Los Angeles, California and was extended federal recognition on 16 September by the National Guard Bureau. The 146th Fighter Group was bestowed the lineage, history, honors, and colors of the 373d Fighter Group.  The Group was assigned to the California ANG 62nd Fighter Wing.
  Upon activation, operational squadrons of the 144th Fighter Group were:
  195th Fighter Squadron, Van Nuys Airport, California
  196th Fighter Squadron, San Bernardino Army Air Field, California
  197th Fighter Squadron, Luke Army Airfield, Arizona
  The 196th, 197th and 198th Fighter Squadrons were all re-designations of the 373d Fighter Group's operational squadrons during World War II. 
  All of the fighter squadrons were initially equipped with F-51D Mustangs, with a mission of air defense of Southern California and Arizona.  The 115th was equipped with B-26 Invader light bombers, gained by Tactical Air Command.  Other components were the 146th Headquarters, 146th Material Squadron (Maintenance), 146th Combat Support Squadron, and the 1146th USAF Dispensary.
  During World War II, Van Nuys Airport was used as an Army Airfield and the organization moved into several buildings and hangars vacated just a few months previously by the 441st Army Air Force Base Unit.
caption: 197th Fighter Squadron F-51H Mustang, AF Ser. No. 44-64455
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