909th Air Refueling Squadron
909th Air Refueling Squadron | |
---|---|
Commanders | |
Current commander | Lt Col Travis Epp[citation needed] |
Insignia | |
909th Air Refueling Squadron emblem[a][1] | |
KC-135 Tail Code | ZZ |
409th Bombardment Squadron emblem[b][2] | |
World War II Fuselage Code[3] | YM |
World War II Tail Marking[3] | Circle B |
The 909th Air Refueling Squadron is part of the
The squadron was first activated in 1942 as the 19th Reconnaissance Squadron, but was redesignated the 409th Bombardment Squadron shortly after activation. After briefly serving as an
The squadron was reactivated shortly after the end of
The 909th Air Refueling Squadron was activated in 1963 at
Mission
The 909th is the Pacific Air Forces (PACAF)'s "lead force" for air refueling U.S. and allied aircraft during contingencies. The squadron accomplishes aeromedical evacuations for military and civilian members, transporting patients to as far away as the United States when necessary. It also conducts Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) and headquarters- and command-directed missions.[4]
History
World War II
Training and initial operations
The squadron was established as the 19th Reconnaissance Squadron in early 1942 at
Two weeks later the squadron began to deploy to the
The
Deployments to the Mediterranean Theater
In early December, the air echelon of the squadron deployed to Algeria,
The squadron returned to England in February 1943 and until June attacked engine repair facilities,
In June, the air echelon returned to Libya and initially supported
The squadron returned to England in August, but flew only two missions before the air echelon returned to the Mediterranean to fly missions from Tunisia to support the
European Theater and post war
From England, the squadron resumed strategic bombardment raids against
Near the end of the war, on 24 March 1945, the squadron dropped supplies to airborne forces near Wesel and bombed a night fighter base near Störmede during Operation Varsity, the airborne assault across the Rhine. The squadron ended combat operations in April, and began returning to the United States in May and June.[5] The ground echelon sailed aboard the RMS Queen Mary and received thirty days leave upon arrival.[8] In July the 409th was inactivated when its parent group began conversion to Boeing B-29 Superfortresses.[5][8]
The squadron was activated again at
Air refueling operations
The 909th Air Refueling Squadron was organized at
The 909th maintained combat proficiency at Amarillo until June 1966, when it moved to
The unit rotated aircrews to Southeast Asia from 1967 to 1973. In 1971 SAC decided to maintain a permanent tanker presence in the Pacific and the squadron moved to
The 909th provided air refueling in Southwest Asia during
Expeditionary operations
The 909th has been a major force provider for a number of operations in the Pacific area. For these operations, PACAF has activated a provisional 909th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron for the operations, using the squadron's resources.
The 909th expeditionary squadron has been:
- Assigned to the 613th Air Expeditionary Group from 1 January 2000 to 31 January 2000 at Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base for Cope Tiger
- Assigned to the 13th Air Expeditionary Group from 5 February 2004 to 9 March 2004 at Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base for Cope Tiger 04
- Assigned to the 605th Air Expeditionary Group from 30 October 2004 to 30 November 2004 at Yokota Air Base for Keen Sword 05
- Assigned to the 3d Air Expeditionary Group from 2 October 2005 to 24 October 2005 at Cope Thunder 06-1
- Assigned to the 5th Air Expeditionary Group from 31 October 2005 to 24 November 2005 at Yokota Air Base for Cope North 06-1
- Assigned to the 13th Air Expeditionary Group from 14 January 2008 to 13 February 2008 at Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base for Cope Tiger 08
- Attached to Thirteenth Air Force from 21 November 2008 to 9 December 2008 at RAAF Base Darwinfor Aces North 09
- Assigned to the 13th Air Expeditionary Wing from c. March 2009 to 3 April 2009 at Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base for Cope Tiger 09
- Assigned to the 18th Air Expeditionary Wing from 6 July 2009 to 26 July 2009 at RAAF Base Darwin for Talisman Saber 09[22]
Lineage
409th Bombardment Squadron
- Constituted as the 19th Reconnaissance Squadron (Heavy) on 28 January 1942
- Activated on 1 March 1942
- Redesignated 409th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 22 April 1942
- Redesignated 409th Bombardment Squadron, Heavy on 6 March 1944
- Inactivated on 6 July 1945
- Redesignated 409th Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy[5] on 5 August 1945
- Activated on 20 August 1945
- Inactivated on 1 October 1946
- Consolidated on 19 September 1985 with the 909th Air Refueling Squadron as the 909th Air Refueling Squadron[23]
909th Air Refueling Squadron
- Constituted as the 909th Air Refueling Squadron, Heavy on 18 January 1963 and activated (not organized)
- Organized on 1 April 1963
- Consolidated on 19 September 1985 with the 409th Bombardment Squadron
- Redesignated 909th Air Refueling Squadron on 1 October 1991[23]
Assignments
- 93d Bombardment Group, 1 March 1942 – 6 July 1945
- 93d Bombardment Group, 20 August 1945
- 444th Bombardment Group, 6 May 1946 – 1 October 1946
- Strategic Air Command, 18 January 1963 (not organized)
- 461st Bombardment Wing, 1 April 1963
- 22d Bombardment Wing, 25 June 1966
- 376th Strategic Wing, 1 July 1971
- 18th Operations Group, 1 October 1991 – Present[23]
Stations
- Barksdale Field, Louisiana, 1 March 1942
- Page Field, Florida, 18 May 1942 – 13 August 1942
- RAF Alconbury (AAF-102),[24] England, 7 September 1942
- RAF Hardwick (AAF-104),[24] England, c. 6 December 1942 – 15 June 1945
- Air echelon operated from:
- Tafaraoui Airfield, Algeria, 7 December 1942
- RAF Gambut Main (LG139),[25] Libya, 16 December 1942 – 25 February 1943
- Bengazi Airfield, Libya, 27 June 1943 – 25 August 1943
- Oudna Airfield, Tunisia, 18 September 1943 – 3 October 1943
- Sioux Falls Army Air Field, South Dakota, 26 June 1945 – 26 July 1945
- Pratt Army Air Field, Kansas, 20 August 1945
- Clovis Army Air Field, New Mexico, 13 December 1945
- Davis-Monthan Field, Arizona, 18 June 1945 – 1 October 1946
- Amarillo Air Force Base, Texas, 1 April 1963
- March Air Force Base, California, 25 June 1966
- Kadena Air Base, Japan, 1 July 1971 – Present[23]
Aircraft
- Consolidated B-24 Liberator (1942–1945)
- Boeing B-29 Superfortress (1945–1946)
- Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker (1963 – present)[23]
Awards and campaigns
Award streamer | Award | Dates | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Distinguished Unit Citation |
17 Dec 1942-20 Feb 1943 North Africa | 409th Bombardment Squadron[2] | |
Distinguished Unit Citation | 1 August 1943 Ploiești, Romania | 409th Bombardment Squadron[2] | |
Combat "V" Device |
1 July 1971 – 31 March 1972 | 909th Air Refueling Squadron[1] | |
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award w/Combat "V" Device | 1 April 1972 – 28 January 1973 | 909th Air Refueling Squadron[1] | |
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 April 1967 – 1 October 1967 | 909th Air Refueling Squadron[1] | |
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 25 March 1968 – 1 May 1968 | 909th Air Refueling Squadron[1] | |
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 July 1969 – 30 June 1970 | 909th Air Refueling Squadron[1] | |
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 September 1970 – 30 June 1971 | 909th Air Refueling Squadron[1] | |
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 29 January 1973 – 31 March 1974 | 909th Air Refueling Squadron[1] | |
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 July 1974 – 30 June 1976 | 909th Air Refueling Squadron[1] | |
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 July 1976 – 30 June 1977 | 909th Air Refueling Squadron[1] | |
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 July 1977 – 30 June 1979 | 909th Air Refueling Squadron[1] | |
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 July 1981 – 30 June 1983 | 909th Air Refueling Squadron[1] | |
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 July 1985 – 30 June 1987 | 909th Air Refueling Squadron[1] | |
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 July 1987 – 30 June 1988 | 909th Air Refueling Squadron[1] | |
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 July 1989 – 30 June 1991 | 909th Air Refueling Squadron[1] | |
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 June 1991 – 31 May 1993 | 909th Air Refueling Squadron[1] | |
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 June 1993 – 31 August 1994 | 909th Air Refueling Squadron[1] | |
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 September 1995 – 31 August 1997 | 909th Air Refueling Squadron[1] | |
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 October 1998 – 30 September 2000 | 909th Air Refueling Squadron[1] | |
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 October 2000 – 30 September 2002 | 909th Air Refueling Squadron[1] | |
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 October 2002 – 30 September 2004 | 909th Air Refueling Squadron[1] | |
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 October 2005 – 30 September 2007 | 909th Air Refueling Squadron[1] | |
Vietnamese Gallantry Cross with Palm |
1 July 1971 – 28 January 1973 | 909th Air Refueling Squadron[1] |
Campaign Streamer | Campaign | Dates | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Antisubmarine | 1 March 1942 – 13 August 1942 | 409th Bombardment Squadron[2] | |
Egypt-Libya | 16 December 1942 – 12 February 1943 | 409th Bombardment Squadron[2] | |
Air Offensive, Europe | 7 September 1942 – 5 June 1944 | 409th Bombardment Squadron[2] | |
Tunisia | 12 November 1942 – 13 May 1943 | 409th Bombardment Squadron[2] | |
Sicily | 14 May 1943 – 17 August 1943 | 409th Bombardment Squadron[2] | |
Naples-Foggia | 18 August 1943 – 21 January 1944 | 409th Bombardment Squadron[2] | |
Normandy | 6 June 1944 – 24 July 1944 | 409th Bombardment Squadron[2] | |
Northern France | 25 July 1944 – 14 September 1944 | 409th Bombardment Squadron[2] | |
Rhineland | 15 September 1944 – 21 March 1945 | 409th Bombardment Squadron[2] | |
Ardennes-Alsace | 16 December 1944 – 25 January 1945 | 409th Bombardment Squadron[2] | |
Central Europe | 22 March 1944 – 21 May 1945 | 409th Bombardment Squadron[2] | |
Air Combat, EAME Theater | 7 September 1942 – 11 May 1945 | 409th Bombardment Squadron[2] | |
Defense of Saudi Arabia | 2 August 1990 – 16 January 1991 | 909th Air Refueling Squadron[1] | |
Liberation and Defense of Kuwait | 17 January 1991 – 11 April 1991 | 909th Air Refueling Squadron[1] |
See also
- List of United States Air Force air refueling squadrons
- B-24 Liberator units of the United States Army Air Forces
References
Notes
- Explanatory notes
- ^ Approved 2 December 1963, updated 7 November 1995. Description: On a disc divided into an Air Force blue sky and a white cloud formation with a narrow black border, two stylized yellow aircraft in horizontal flight each emitting a yellow thunderbolt to a double six-pointed star with orange center, yellow, and black tips giving off black rays. Endicott, p. 888.
- ^ Approved 16 February 1943. Description: On a yellow disc, a caricatured panda bear, emitting three drops of perspiration proper and running with a large white aerial bomb, trimmed black grasped under left forepaw, point to dexter chief. Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 500-501.
- ^ The aircraft visible are B-24D-25-CO, serial 41-24226, Joisey Bounce (later Utah Man), collided in midair with B-24D-95-CO 42-40765 on 13 November 1943 on a mission to Bremen, Germany, and crashed near Husum, Germany (Missing Air Crew Report 2179); B-24D-20-CO, serial 41-24147, The Duchess, shot down 25 February 1944 over Herxheim, Germany, (Missing Air Crew Report 2924); B-24D-1-CO, serial 41-23722 "Bomerang"; B-24D-40-CO, serial 42-40246 Thunder Mug, salvaged 10 October 1943. Baugher, Joe (1 April 2023). "1941 USAF Serial Numbers". Joe Baugher. Retrieved 2 April 2023. Baugher, Joe (28 December 2022). "1942 USAF Serial Numbers". Joe Baugher. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
- ^ Consolidated B-24J-55-CO Liberator, serial 42-99949 Naughty Nan is visible in the foreground. Taken on a mission to Friedrichshafen Germany during August 1944. This aircraft was lost over Belgium on 21 September 1944, Missing Air Crew Report 9662.
- Citations
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad Robertson, Patsy (27 May 2010). "Factsheet 909 Air Refueling Squadron (PACAF)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Archived from the original on 12 January 2015. Retrieved 6 March 2014.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 500–501
- ^ a b Watkins, pp. 38–39
- ^ "Factsheet 18th Operations Group". 18th Wing Public Affairs. 11 September 2007. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Maurer, Combat Units, pp. 160–162
- ^ Maurer (1987), p. 340
- ^ Maurer (1987), p. 436
- ^ a b c d e f g Freeman, pp. 244–245
- ^ a b c d e Freeman, pp. 33–35
- ^ Freeman, p. 38
- ^ a b c d Freeman, pp. 86–89
- ^ "Abstract, History Davis-Monthan Field October–November 1946". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 28 August 2013.
- ^ "Abstract, History 461 Bombardment Wing Jul 1963". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 11 March 2014.
- ^ "Abstract (Unclassified), History of the Strategic Bomber since 1945 (Top Secret, downgraded to Secret)". Air Force History Index. 1 April 1975. Retrieved 4 March 2014.
- ^ "Abstract, History 461 Bombardment Wing Oct–Dec 1965". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 11 March 2014.
- ^ "Abstract, History 461 Bombardment Wing Apr–Jun 1965". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 11 March 2014.
- ^ "Abstract, History 461 Bombardment Wing Jan–Mar 1965". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 11 March 2014.
- ^ a b Ravenstein, pp. 254–256
- ^ Ravenstein, pp. 41–43
- ^ "Abstract, Vol. 1, History 376 Strategic Wing Jul–Dec 1988". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 11 March 2014.
- ^ "Abstract, Vol. 1, History 376 Strategic Wing Jan 1996 – Dec 1997". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 11 March 2014.
- ^ Activations and inactivations of the 909th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron in the monthly Organization Status Change Report, Research Division, Air Force Historical Research Agency.
- ^ a b c d e Lineage, including assignments, stations and aircraft in Robertson, 909 Air Refueling Squadron Factsheet
- ^ a b Station number in Anderson
- ^ Landing ground number in Freeman, p. 245
Bibliography
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
- Anderson, Capt. Barry (1985). Army Air Forces Stations: A Guide to the Stations Where U.S. Army Air Forces Personnel Served in the United Kingdom During World War II (PDF). Maxwell AFB, AL: Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 7 July 2012.
- Endicott, Judy G. (1998). Active Air Force Wings as of 1 October 1995 and USAF Active Flying, Space, and Missile Squadrons as of 1 October 1995 (PDF). Air Force History and Museums Program. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ASIN B000113MB2. Retrieved 2 July 2014.
- Freeman, Roger A. (1970). The Mighty Eighth: Units, Men and Machines (A History of the US 8th Army Air Force). London, England, UK: Macdonald and Company. ISBN 978-0-87938-638-2. (ISBN for 1993 reprint)
- Maurer, Maurer (1987). Aviation in the U.S. Army, 1919-1939 (PDF). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History, United States Air Force. OCLC 15661556. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
- Maurer, Maurer (1987). Aviation in the U.S. Army, 1919-1939 (PDF). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History, United States Air Force. OCLC 15661556. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
- Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. LCCN 61060979.
- Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. OCLC 72556.
- Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947–1977. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9.
- Watkins, Robert (2008). Battle Colors: Insignia and Markings of the Eighth Air Force in World War II. Vol. I (VIII) Bomber Command. Atglen, PA: Shiffer Publishing Ltd. ISBN 978-0-7643-1987-7.
Further reading
- Smith, Richard K. (1998). Seventy-Five Years of Inflight Refueling: Highlights, 1923–1998 (PDF). Air Force History and Museums Program. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office. Retrieved 13 August 2013.
- Stout, Jay A (November 2003). Fortress Ploiesti: The Campaign to Destroy Hitler's Oil Supply. Archived from the original on 22 June 2010. Retrieved 4 February 2009.
- Dugan, James; Stewart, Carroll (2002). Ploesti: The Great Ground-Air Battle of 1 August 1943. Potomac Books, Incorporated. ISBN 978-1-57488-510-1.
External links
- The 93rd Bombardment Group Museum, Station 104, Hardwick. A small museum on the actual airfield site in Nissen (Quonset) and brick built huts.