Led by Lt.Col. Ralph Pickering, the 169th FS held its first drill in December 1946, and it received federal recognition on 21 June 1947. By the end of the first year, the unit consisted of 40 officers and 215 airmen. The original base consisted of a shale runway and a single hangar for eight F-51D Mustang fighters, four AT-6 trainers, and a B-26 tow target plane. The first annual training was held at Midway Municipal Airport, with flying done at Douglas Field.