transferred to Europe. With a readiness date of 25 June, the 116th was ready to move, and by 1 July they had sent their seventy-five F-84Es to the New York Port of Embarkation for shipment to France. However, on 3 July 1951 they received orders transferring them to Japan. Fifty-four F-84Es had to be obtained from Bergstrom Air Force Base, Texas and Langley Air Force Base, Virginia as partial replacements for these Thunderjets. The 116th FBG with the 158th and 159th FBS's departed from San Diego on the transport aircraft carrier USS Windham Bay on 12 July, white the 196th FBS had preceded them by two days on the . The USAF, having learned from the expensive previous experience with open air transportation of the F-84 on an aircraft carrier deck, heavily protected their F-84s this time with cosmoline and tarpaulins. The Wing off-loaded at Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan between 24–27 July, with their aircraft being barged to Kisarazu, Japan for cleaning and preparation for flight. Regardless of the care taken, thirty-three F-84s suffered some degree of salt damage. Two squadrons, the 158th and 159th were then sent to Misawa Air Base, Japan while the 196th was established at Chitose Air Base, Japan. Their initial role was to serve as an augmentation of Japanese air defenses, and their operational training began on 6 August. The 116th remained on garrison 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 aerial defense of northern Japan as a supplement to the other air defense units. On 30 November 1951 the 159th Squadron was alerted for a combat role, and on 2 December they dispatched sixteen F-84Es to Taegu Air Base (K-2), South Korea. The 159th flew their first combat mission of twelve Thunderjets against rail targets at Wonsan in southeastern North Korea that morning. Three F-84s suffered flak damage. They then returned again that afternoon. The following day they returned to Wonsan two fly two more strikes. Further missions were flown on 4 and 5 December, and then on 6 December they sent twelve F-84s to Sinanju and Sunchon, North Korea on a rail cutting mission, and then returned to Misawa. On 12 December wing pilots flew eighty-eight effective combat sorties. On 25 December 15 the 158th Squadron was attacking a train when