[edit] History

Puerto Rico Air National Guard
Puerto Rico Air National Guard
	;
Active	1947 - present
Country	United States
Branch	Air National Guard
Role	"To meet state and federal mission responsibilities."
Garrison/HQ	Muñiz Air National Guard Base, Puerto Rico
Commanders
Civilian leadership	President Barack Obama; (Commander-in-Chief); Michael B. Donley; (Secretary of the Air Force); Governor Luis Fortuño; (Governor of Puerto Rico)
State military leadership	Major General Antonio J. Vicens
Insignia
USAF Roundel
Aircraft flown
Transport	C-130E Hercules

The Puerto Rico Air National Guard is a part of the Air Reserve Component (ARC) of the United States Air Force. On November 23, 1947, the Puerto Rico Air National Guard came into existence as a result of the efforts led by Colonel Mihiel Gilormini, Colonel Alberto A. Nido and Lieutenant Colonel José Antonio Muñiz.^[1] Gilormini was promoted to brigadier general and served as commander until his retirement in 1975. Colonel Nido was promoted to Brigadier General and served at National Guard Headquarters as Chief of Staff for Air. Brigadier General Jose M. Portela, the youngest C-141 Starlifter aircraft commander and captain was the only reservist ever to serve as director of mobility forces for Bosnia, served as commander of the Puerto Rico Air National Guard from January 11, 2005 to November 2006.^[2]

The tactical aviation element of PRANG operates as the 156th Airlift Wing, 198th Airlift Squadron, flying C-130E aircraft. They operate out of Muñiz Air National Guard Base, which shares the runways with Luiz Muñoz Marín International Airport (SJU, originally San Juan International Airport). In the past, they have operated P-47 Thunderbolts, C-47 Skytrains, F-86D, F-86E, and F-86H Sabre Jets, F-104 Starfighters, A-7D Corsair II, F-16 Fighting Falcons, and, currently, C-130 Hercules type aircraft.

[edit] Muñiz Air National Guard Base

"Base Muñiz" in Carolina, Puerto Rico was formally named in 1963 to honor of one of the initial members of the unit who was killed in the line of duty. Lieutenant Colonel José Antonio Muñiz (full name: José Antonio Muñiz Vazquez) was lost on July 4, 1960 when his F-86D lost power on climbout for a formation fly-by. Major General Orlando Llenza, then a fellow aviator in the unit, later described the loss in the following translation:

We were short one pilot and Joe offered to stand in. I was formation lead. Right after departing the runway, his afterburner nozzles failed open, indicating a loss of power. The ejection seats in use at the time could not safely extract a pilot at low altitude and Joe went in little after takeoff. No one in the flight mentioned the event; we executed the flyover and were notified of the loss upon our return to base. Shortly after that, we received the F-86H which did not use afterburning and could fly non-stop from homestead AFB (in Florida) to San Juan unlike the previous D and E models, which had to stop for fuel at Guantanamo, Cuba.^[3]

Muñiz Air National Guard Base is the home of the Puerto Rico Air National Guard's 156th Airlift Wing and the 198th Airlift Squadron. Muñiz ANGB a has hangar, Command Offices, a U.S. Air Force & Air National Guard recruiting office, Classrooms, Maintenance shops, A Community Club, a Family Readiness Center, a post barbershop and NGX has a Post exchange on base.

[edit] Units

156th Airlift Wing - Airlift Cargo Operations (C-130 Hercules) , Muñiz Air National Guard Base, Carolina, PR
141st Air Control Squadron. - Mobile Radar Unit, Ramey - Aguadilla (former Ramey AFB), PR
140th Air Defense Sq. - Fixed Radar Unit, Punta Salinas - Toa Baja, PR