196th Attack Squadron

196th Attack Squadron
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
Insignia
196th Attack Squadron emblem

The 196th Attack Squadron (196 ATKS) is a unit of the

Mission

The 196 ATKS's primary mission is to train and equip its members to operate an MQ-9 Reaper aircraft anywhere in the world. Members of the 196 ATKS maintain a high level of vigilance and proficiency as MQ-9 Reaper crew members; ready at a moment's notice to go wherever they are needed. When not training to operate MQ-9 Reapers in combat, the 196 ATKS is diligently supporting domestic operations for the State of California, such as locating missing hikers or fighting fires with CAL FIRE. The 196 ATKS has assisted CAL FIRE with containing some of the state's worst fires including the Thomas Fire, SCU Lightning Complex, and LNU Lightning Complex.

In November 2006, the squadron's parent wing, formerly the 163rd Air Refueling Wing, was redesignated the

History

World War II

see:

373d Fighter Group

for expanded World War II history

The squadron was formed at

P-47 Thunderbolts

.

The unit flew its first combat mission on 8 May 1944, a fighter sweep over

the air over the beachhead when the Allies launched the Normandy invasion on 6 June 1944, and hit troops, tanks, roads, fuel depots and other targets in the assault area until the end of the month.

The squadron moved to the European Continent in July 1944 where it struck railroads, hangars, boxcars, warehouses, and other objectives to prevent reinforcements from reaching the front at St. Lo, where the Allies broke through on 25 July 1944. The squadron bombed such targets as troops in the Falaise-Argentan area in August 1944. During the Battle of the Bulge, from December 1944 to January 1945, the 411th concentrated on the destruction of bridges, marshalling yards, and highways. It also flew reconnaissance missions to support ground operations in the Rhine Valley in March 1945, hitting airfields, motor transport, etc. The squadron continued tactical air operations until 4 May 1945.

The 411th returned to the United States and prepared for transfer to the

during the Summer of 1945. The Japanese capitulation in August led to the squadron's inactivation in November 1945.

California Air National Guard

The wartime 411th Fighter Squadron was allotted to the

.

The squadron trained for tactical fighter missions and air-to-air combat under the supervision of

units to receive these new jets.

Combat in Korean War

The 196th was federalized on 10 October 1950 due to the

.

At George the three fighter squadrons were equipped with Lockheed F-80Cs and began operational training. After losing many of their F-80 pilots who were assigned to

Langley AFB

, Virginia, as partial replacements for the Thunderjets sent east.

The 196th FBS departed from San Diego on 10 July on the

Kisarazu, Japan

, for cleaning and preparation for flight. Despite the care taken, thirty-three F-84s suffered some degree of salt damage.

The 196th was established at

air defenses

, and operational training began on 6 August. The 116th FBW remained on duty in Japan into the fall of 1951. During this period they concentrated on providing air-to-ground support to Army units training in Japan as well as assisting in providing air defense for northern Japan. The 116 FBG began rotating squadrons to Korea in early December.

The 196th FBS started for

Johnson Air Base

, Japan, and resumed the air defense mission.

On 10 June 1952 the 116th FBW was relieved from assignment to Tactical Air Command and reassigned to Far East Air Force without personnel. The Guardsmen remaining in the wing were returned to the United States, while the equipment and regular personnel of the Wing were transferred to the regular

474th Fighter-Bomber Wing

.

Air Defense

The squadron was reorganized at Norton the same day it was relieved from active duty, although it took until January 1953 before it re-equipped with the long-range

and operationally-gained by TAC.

The squadron moved from Norton AFB to

(ADC). With the F-86A, the squadrons began standing dusk-to-dawn alerts, joining its ADC active-duty counterparts. The squadron received newer F-86F Sabres in 1957.

On 17 May 1958, the 196th was authorized to expand to a group level, and the

was established as its headquarters. The 196th FIS was the group's flying squadron, while the 163d Material Squadron, 163d Air Base Squadron, and the 163d USAF Dispensary were activated to support the 196th.

ADC upgraded the squadron to F-86H Sabre day interceptors in 1959 and

.

The unit received two

for extended periods ending in 1964 and 1974.

Tactical Air Command

On 8 March 1975, the unit again assumed a new mission and was again aligned under TAC as the 196th Tactical Air Support Squadron. The 196th received the

to accomplish its new role.

In October 1982, the 163d again assumed a tactical fighter role and converted to the

, near Riverside, into new facilities built for the unit. The 163d transitioned to the upgraded F-4E on 1 April 1987. This newer aircraft incorporated more sophisticated electronics and weaponry.

On 21 March 1987, Captain

In July 1990, the unit again changed missions and was redesignated the 196th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron. The 163d was equipped with

RF-4C Phantom II

unarmed reconnaissance aircraft and maintained a dual state/federal mission. The unit's primary mission was to provide tactical reconnaissance to friendly forces. The unit was also actively involved in statewide missions. This was accomplished by using a system of visual, optical, electronic, and other sensory devices. During this time the aircrews accumulated over 30,000 hours of flying time and the unit deployed across both the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.

The 163d deployed to

Bosnia

.

Air Refueling

After the end of

.

On 1 April 1996, as a result of BRAC, March AFB was transferred to the Air Force Reserve Command and realigned as March Air Reserve Base, with the 196th and its parent wing remaining at March as an Air National Guard tenant command.

In 1999 the 196th deployed KC-135R aircraft in support of

. The unit flew combat missions around-the-clock refueling NATO aircraft, including complex night formation sorties with the F-117A. 1999 also saw the squadron's Pacer CRAG conversion. This extensive aircraft modernization project required intensive aircrew training and is expected to extend the life of the 40-year-old Boeing jet beyond the year 2020.

The 196th Air Refueling Squadron was recognized in 1999 and earned an

and also flew as the lead unit in support of flight operations over Bosnia. The 163d Operations Support Flight, 163d Logistics Group, 163d Logistics Squadron, and the 196th Air Refueling Squadron all earned the Governor's Outstanding Unit Citation as well.

The 19th supported NATO's

, France, from 31 October through 3 December 2000. Under Air Expeditionary Force 9, the Grizzlies also sent personnel to Kuwait, Germany, France, Saudi Arabia and Turkey from October through December 2000.

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle operations

In 2007 the Air National Guard stood up the first of several units that will operate the MQ-1 Predator armed unmanned reconnaissance aircraft. During a ceremony on 28 November at March Air Reserve Base in southern California, the 196th Air Refueling Squadron officially became the 196th Reconnaissance Squadron, taking on the Predator mission in place of operating KC-135R Stratotanker air refueling aircraft. The wing's last KC-135R tanker left in April 2008. The Wing was the first Air National Guard unit to receive the

and was the first to become a fully functional ANG Flying Training Unit (FTU) and Field Training Detachment (FTD) for the Predator.

The squadron was recently redesignated as the 196th Attack Squadron (196 ATKS), this in keeping with the parent wing's recent redesignation as the 163d Attack Wing (163 ATKW).^[6]

Lineage

• Constituted as 411th Fighter Squadron, Single Engine on 25 May 1943

Activated on 15 August 1943

Inactivated on 7 November 1945.

• Redesignated 196th Fighter Squadron, Single Engine and allotted to the ANG on 24 May 1946.
• Organized on 12 September 1946

Extended federal recognition on 9 November 1946

Re-designated 196th Fighter Squadron, Jet on 1 June 1948

Federalized and placed on active duty on 10 October 1950

Redesignated: 196th Fighter-Bomber Squadron on 1 November 1950

Released from active duty and returned to California state control on 10 July 1952

Redesignated: 196th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron on 1 October 1952

Redesignated: 196th Fighter-Bomber Squadron on 1 January 1953

Redesignated: 196th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron on 1 October 1965

Redesignated: 196th Tactical Air Support Squadron on 8 March 1975

Redesignated: 196th Tactical Fighter Squadron on 1 October 1982

Redesignated: 196th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron on 1 July 1990

Redesignated: 196th Reconnaissance Squadron on 16 March 1992

Redesignated: 196th Air Refueling Squadron, 1 October 1993

Redesignated: 196th Reconnaissance Squadron, 1 November 2006

Redesignated: 196th Attack Squadron, o/a 2016

Assignments

• 373d Fighter Group
  , 15 August 1943 – 7 November 1945
• 146th Fighter Group
  (later 146th Composite Group), 9 November 1946
• 116th Fighter-Bomber Group
  , 10 October 1950
• 144th Fighter-Bomber Group (later 144th Fighter-Interceptor Group), 10 July 1952 (not manned or equipped)
• 146th Fighter-Bomber Group (later 146th Fighter-Interceptor Group), 1 January 1953
• 163d Fighter Group
  (Air Defense), later 163d Fighter-Interceptor Group, 163d Tactical Air Support Group, 163d Tactical Fighter Group, 163d Tactical Reconnaissance Group, 163d Reconnaissance Group, 163d Air Refueling Group, 17 May 1958
• 163d Operations Group, 1 October 1995 – present

Stations

Aircraft

Heraldry

Unit Emblem: Ultramarine blue and Air Force yellow are the Air Force colors. Blue alludes to the sky, the primary theater of Air Force operations. Yellow refers to the sun and the excellence required of Air Force personnel. The stars represent all directions within air space. The shooting star over the globe symbolizes air defense of the world and throughout the skies.^{[citation needed]}

References

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