119th Fighter Squadron The 119th Fighter Squadron ( 119 FS ) is a unit of the New Jersey Air National Guard 177th Fighter Wing located at Atlantic City Air National Guard Base , New Jersey . The 119th is equipped with the F - 16 Fighting Falcon aircraft . The squadron is a descendant organization of the World War I 5th Aviation School Squadron ( later 119th Aero Squadron ) , established on 5 June 1917 . It was reformed on 30 January 1930 , as the 119th Observation Squadron , and is one of the 29 original National Guard Observation Squadrons of the United States Army National Guard formed before World War II . History . Origins . The 119th Fighter Squadron is one of the oldest units in the United States Air Force , its origins beginning in June 1917 as the World War I 5th Aviation School Squadron at Langley Field , Virginia . In September 1917 it was redesignated as the 119th Aero Squadron . Not deployed overseas , the unit was inactivated in May 1919 . The squadron was reactivated in 1930 when it was reorganized as the 119th Observation Squadron , New Jersey National Guard , at Metropolitan Airport , Newark , New Jersey as an air arm of the 44th Division Aviation and received federal recognition in January 1930 . In 1934 , aircraft of the 119th Observation Squadron were dispatched to the scene of the " Morro Castle " , a ship burning off the coast of Asbury Park , New Jersey . Many hours were spent flying over the ship and adjacent water assisting in the direction of rescue efforts and locating survivors . The 119th Observation Squadron fell victim to the " draft " on 16 September 1940 , when it was inducted into active service . The unit continued as the 119th until 12 April 1948 , at which time it became the 490th Fighter Squadron . The 490th was disbanded in May 1944 while still at Thomasville , Georgia . New Jersey Air National Guard . The wartime 490th Fighter Squadron was reconstituted on 21 June 1945 . It was then re - designated as the 119th Fighter Squadron , and was allotted to the New Jersey Air National Guard , on 24 May 1946 . It was organized at Newark Airport , New Jersey and was extended federal recognition on 9 June 1947 . The 119th Fighter Squadron was entitled to the history , honors , and colors of the 490th . The squadron was equipped with F - 47D Thunderbolt s and was allocated to the First Air Force , Continental Air Command by the National Guard Bureau . The 119th moved to the former Atlantic City Naval Air Station , now known as the William J . Hughes Technical Center , on 5 August 1958 . This change of station also brought about a change in aircraft to the F - 84F . The 119th was called to active duty again in October 1961 , for the Berlin Crisis . The unit remained at home station ; however , the pilots were periodically rotated to Chaumont Air Base , France . On 15 October 1962 , the 119th was authorized to expand to a group level , and the 177th Tactical Fighter Group was established by the National Guard Bureau . The 119th TFS becoming the group ' s flying squadron . Other squadrons assigned into the group were the 177th Headquarters , 177th Material Squadron ( Maintenance ) , 177th Combat Support Squadron , and the 177th USAF Dispensary . The 119th transitioned into F - 86H aircraft . Two years later , the unit transitioned into F - 100 " Super Sabres " . In January 1968 , a new crisis , the seizure of the American ship USS Pueblo by North Korean forces , and again the 119th was called to active duty . In May 1968 , the squadron was activated to federal service , and its personnel were assigned to the 113th Tactical Fighter Wing , Myrtle Beach AFB , South Carolina . Personnel were spread throughout the United States , Taiwan , Korea , and Vietnam with the main unit stationed at the 113 TFW . The 119 TFS returned to Atlantic City , New Jersey , in June 1969 , and transitioned into the F - 105 ' Thunderchief " in 1970 . In 1972 , Headquarters Air Force announced that the 119th TFS would be assigned to the Aerospace Defense Command and be responsible for protecting the United States from airborne attacks , and so was reorganized as the 177th Fighter Interceptor Group and 119th Fighter Interceptor Squadron . In 1973 , the unit transitioned into the F - 106 " Delta Dart " and assumed alert status the following year . The Aerospace Defense Command then came under TAC as the Air Defense Tactical Air Command ( ADTAC ) , and then again changed to a numbered Air Force , 1st Air Force . During 1988 , the unit transitioned into the F - 16A / B , " Fighting Falcon " , and received an " excellent " rating during its first Operational Readiness Inspection with the F - 16 in October 1989 . From 1 May through 13 June 1998 , the squadron deployed five F - 16C Fighting Falcon aircraft and 46 personnel to Howard AFB , Panama , in support of OPERATION CORONET NIGHTHAWK . 130 personnel rotated on a two - week basis during the six - week deployment . Operating as part of a joint interagency task force , the wing ’ s role was to detect and identify suspected drug smuggling aircraft . Once identified , the suspected aircraft are turned over to law enforcement agencies for apprehension . As the events of 11 September unfolded , the 119th Fighter Squadron , through years of preparation , training and commitment launched to our nation ' s emergency and desperate call for help . These Air Guard warriors brought with them the character and core values of generations of heroic citizen soldiers and airmen . Since October 2001 , the unit has had an active involvement in Operation Noble Eagle , Operation Southern Watch , Operation Northern Watch , Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom .