The 198th Airlift Squadron (198 AS) was the last flying squadron of the Puerto Rico Air National Guard (PRANG) 156th Airlift Wing located at Muñiz Air National Guard Base, in Carolina, Puerto Rico.

Training delayed due to P-47N aircraft non-availability, finally equipped in the late spring of 1945 with the long-distance fighters.

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.

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 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 the morning of January 12, 1981, a group of eleven commandos, seven guards and four explosive specialists, set explosives at Muñiz Air National Guard Base, located on the northeastern corner of the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan.

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.

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.

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 156th Fighter Group.

The 156th Airlift Wing newly assigned mission will be to support Contingency Response (CRG) and to add a Combat Communications Squadron to its current Operations Group.

This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency