198th Airlift Squadron The 198th Airlift Squadron ( 198 AS ) is a unit of the Puerto Rico Air National Guard 156th Airlift Wing located at Muñiz Air National Guard Base , in Carolina , Puerto Rico . The 115th is equipped with the C - 130E Hercules . History . World War II . 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 . Puerto Rico Air National Guard . The wartime 463d Fighter Squadron was re - designated as the 198th Fighter Squadron , and was allotted to the Puerto Rico Air 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 by the National Guard Bureau . The 164th Fighter Squadron was bestowed the lineage , history , honors , and colors of the 463d Fighter Squadron . The squadron was equipped with F - 47N Thunderbolts and was assigned to the Puerto Rico Air National Guard , operationally gained by Fourteenth Air Force , Air Defense Command . Air Defense mission . The mission of the 198th Fighter Squadron was the air defense of Puerto Rico . The postwar era was a time of organization and expansion of the Air National Guard . The units had to be organized , federally recognized , equipped and stationed . The first several years were difficult as units had to contend with worn - out World War II aircraft while the Air Force converted to modern jet fighters . Air Guard units were under - funded and largely left to themselves to conduct training with little assistance and supervision by the Air Force . However , as a result of using wartime aircraft , parts were no problem and many of the maintenance personnel were World War II veterans , so readiness was quite high and the planes were often much better maintained than their USAF counterparts . In some ways , the postwar Air National Guard was almost like a flying country club and a pilot could often show up at the field , check out an aircraft and go flying . However , the unit also had regular military exercises that kept up proficiency , and in gunnery and bombing contests they would often score at least as well or better than active - duty USAF units , given the fact that most ANG pilots were World War II combat veterans . On 10 April 1954 the 198th Fighter - Interceptor Squadron entered the jet age with the arrival of the F - 86E Sabre . However 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 . In May 1956 , all Puerto Rico National Guard activities were consolidated at the International Airport and the 198th was upgraded to F - 86D day / night / all - weather Sabre Interceptors . Tactical Fighter mission . 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 TFG . Other squadrons assigned into the group were the 156th Headquarters , 156th Material Squadron ( Maintenance ) , 156th Combat Support Squadron , and the 156th USAF Dispensary . With the transfer to TAC , the 198th received F - 86H Sabre tactical fighters . In 1967 , F - 104C Starfigher s ( and an F - 104D two - seat trainer ) were assigned to the 156th , upgrading the group to Mach - 2 supersonic tactical fighter - bombers , replacing the elderly F - 86H Sabre fighter - bombers . The F - 104C was equipped to carry bombs or rocket pods on under - wing and fuselage points . The upward - firing Lockheed C - 2 rocket - boosted ejector seat was standard . The internal 20 - mm rotary cannon of the F - 104A was retained , as well as the ability to carry an AIM - 9 Sidewinder air - to - air missile on each wingtip to fill an air defense interceptor mission . In 1975 , the F - 104s were retired , the 198th being the last USAF unit to fly the Starfighters . They were replaced by A - 7D Corsair II ground support aircraft . Although designed primarily as a ground attack aircraft , it also had limited air - to - air combat capability . On 12 January 1981 a group of terrorists destroyed and damaged ten A - 7D and a Starfighter F - 104 static display . The terrorist attack was the largest on American Air Force Base since the Vietnam War . The hostage situation in Iran at the time overshadowed this incident in the news media . The eleven National Guard planes at Muñiz Air Base were alleged by socialist organizations to be destined for use against popular insurgents in El Salvador . These allegations were never proven and may have been self - serving . At the time , the base had 25 pilots and 900 military personnel . This loss was calculated at $ 45 million . The security increased from 11 to 22 personnel with 100 percent federal funding . The Air Force / Air National Guard invested $ 5 . 5 million in Electronic Security Equipment ( ESE ) , a Master Surveillance Control Facility ( MSCF ) , and fencing to secure the flight line and operations area . In addition , Muñiz Air National Guard Base was provided a security police manpower package of 18 AGR security police personnel and 46 civilian contract guards . On 1 August 1987 , the 156th Tactical Fighter Group reorganized into a Four - Deputy structure according to the new Air National Guard policy . In 1992 the A - 7Ds were being retired , and they were replaced by Block 15 F - 16A / B Fighting Falcon s modified for Air Defense . The F - 16 ADF was a standard block 15 model converted to air defense fighters for the Air National Guard , and would take over the fighter interception mission , providing the primary defense of North America against bombers and cruise missiles . The unit took part , from 24 – 28 June 1991 , in Granada South exercise , Panama . From 11 – 18 August 1991 , it deployed to Iquique , Chile for Condor II Exercise and then from 18 – 24 August 1991 , to Asuncion with the Paraguayan Air Force for training . From 7 – 20 September 1991 , it deployed to Fortunata II , Volk Field , Wisconsin and then again from 2 – 6 December 1991 , to Granada South , Panama . In March 1992 , with the end of the Cold War , the 156th adopted the Air Force Objective Organization plan , and the unit was re - designated as the 157th Fighter Group . A few months later , on 1 June , Tactical Air Command was inactivated as part of the Air Force reorganization after the end of the Cold War . It was replaced by Air Combat Command ( ACC ) . From 20 February to 6 March 1993 , the unit took part in the " Caminos de Paz " exercise at Golfito , and then deployed from 12 – 21 August 1993 , to Asunción , Paraguay , marking its First F - 16 Deployment . From 5 – 13 November 1994 , the unit took part in the Condor III Exercise held in Iquique , Chile . In October 1995 , in accordance with the Air Force " One Base – One Wing " policy , the status of the 157th was upgraded to a Wing ; the 198th Fighter Squadron being assigned to the new 157th Operations Group . Airlift Mission . On 22 November 1997 , unit received its first C - 130s while celebrating its 50th federal recognition Anniversary . On 10 February 1998 , the Air Force announced conversion of the 156th Fighter Wing from its F - 16 fighter aircraft to C - 130E Hercules Airlifters . On 3 March 1998 the last F - 16 departed from the 156th Fighter Wing . On 11 September 1998 a ceremony was held to mark the arrival of the first C - 130 . On 1 October 1998 , the Department of the Air Force issued the official order designating the 156th Fighter Wing as 156th Airlift Wing . The 156th was transferred to Air Mobility Command , being re - designated as the 156th Airlift Wing . Beginning in June 1999 , the major mission for the Wing became support of Operation Coronet Oak , which was transferred from Howard AFB , Panama when the base was closed as part of the turnover of the Panama Canal . Air Force Reserve Command ( AFRC ) and Air National Guard C - 130 aircraft , aircrews and related support personnel deploy from the United States to Muniz AGB to provide theater airlift support for the U . S . Southern Command . The main Coronet Oak mission is to deliver special forces to any location in theater as directed by Southern Command . One C - 130 of the unit is on alert 24 / 7 / 365 for that contingency . Coronet Oak shares the Muñiz flight line with the Puerto Rico Air National Guard , which also flies C - 130s . That makes for a good partnership , when C - 130s need repairs or spare parts . The mission also includes any other kind of contingency and logistics support . Aircrews provide theater mobility , embassy support and airdrops . They also fly people , food and mail .