350th Air Refueling Squadron: Difference between revisions
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Remained in Europe as part of the [[United States Air Forces in Europe]] occupation forces, dropping food to the people in the west of the [[Netherlands]], and in June transported French Allied former prisoners of war from [[Austria]] to [[France]]. Demobilizing in England, in December 1945 the squadron inactivated as a paper unit. |
Remained in Europe as part of the [[United States Air Forces in Europe]] occupation forces, dropping food to the people in the west of the [[Netherlands]], and in June transported French Allied former prisoners of war from [[Austria]] to [[France]]. Demobilizing in England, in December 1945 the squadron inactivated as a paper unit. |
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Activated in the Reserves in 1947 at Miami Airport, [[Florida]]. Unclear whether or not the unit was manned or equipped; inactivated in 1949 due to budget restrictions. Reactivated under [[Strategic Air Command]] received new, swept wing [[B-47 Stratojet]]s in 1956 which were designed to carry nuclear weapons and to penetrate Soviet air defenses with its high operational ceiling and near supersonic speed. The squadron flew the B-47 for about a decade when by the mid-1960s it had become |
Activated in the Reserves in 1947 at Miami Airport, [[Florida]]. Unclear whether or not the unit was manned or equipped; inactivated in 1949 due to budget restrictions. Reactivated under [[Strategic Air Command]] received new, swept wing [[B-47 Stratojet]]s in 1956 which were designed to carry nuclear weapons and to penetrate Soviet air defenses with its high operational ceiling and near supersonic speed. The squadron flew the B-47 for about a decade when by the mid-1960s it had become obsolete and vulnerable to new Soviet air defenses. The squadron began to send it's stratojets to AMARC at Davis-Monthan AFB for retirement in 1965, the last being retired in 1966, one of the last B-47 Squadrons. |
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Redesignated as a strategic reconnaissance squadron, operating [[AQM-34 Firebee]] [[Military strategy|strategic]] [[reconnaissance]] drones launched from [[DC-130 Hercules]] aircraft and recovered by [[CH-3]] helicopters from, 1966–1976. Additionally, it provided refueling support for [[SR-71]] aircraft from, 1983–1990. The 350th |
Redesignated as a strategic reconnaissance squadron, operating [[AQM-34 Firebee]] [[Military strategy|strategic]] [[reconnaissance]] drones launched from [[DC-130 Hercules]] aircraft and recovered by [[CH-3]] helicopters from, 1966–1976. Additionally, it provided refueling support for [[SR-71]] aircraft from, 1983–1990. The 350th also provided cargo support and intratheater refueling during combat in [[Southwest Asia]] from, August 1990–March 1991.<ref name="AFHRA 350 ARS Page">[http://afhra.maxwell.af.mil/rso/squadrons_flights_pages/0350ars.html AFHRA 350 ARS Page]</ref> |
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===Lineage<ref name="AFHRA 350 ARS Page"/>=== |
===Lineage<ref name="AFHRA 350 ARS Page"/>=== |
Revision as of 18:20, 12 July 2010
350th Air Refueling Squadron | |
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![]() 350th Air Refueling Squadron Patch | |
Active | 1 June 1942 - 15 December 1945 16 July 1947 - 27 June 1949 1 January 1956 - 1 July 1976 28 January 1982 - Present |
Country | United States |
Branch | United States Air Force |
Type | Aerial refueling |
Part of | Air Mobility Command 18th Air Force 22d Air Refueling Wing 22d Operations Group |
Garrison/HQ | McConnell Air Force Base |
Nickname(s) | Red Falcons |
Decorations | ![]() ![]() |
Commanders | |
Current commander | Lt Col Scott Thatcher |
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e4/350th_Bombardment_Squadron_-_SAC_-_Emblem.png/200px-350th_Bombardment_Squadron_-_SAC_-_Emblem.png)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b1/350th_Bombardment_Squadron_-_Emblem.png/200px-350th_Bombardment_Squadron_-_Emblem.png)
The 350th Air Refueling Squadron (350 ARS) is part of the 22d Air Refueling Wing at McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas. It operates the KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft conducting aerial refueling missions.
Mission
Provides worldwide in-flight refueling to over 50 different Air Force, DoD & allied aircraft supporting tactical, conventional, and peacetime operations directed by the POTUS and/or SecDef to include Hq USSTRATCOM OPLAN 8010. Maintains a high state of readiness for immediate, sustained, long-range air refueling and airlift operations including deployment capability to support Global Reach and Special Operations (SOAR) missions.
History
Established as a B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bombardment squadron in mid-1942; trained initially under Third Air Force in the southeast, then transferring to Second Air Force in the Pacific Northwest. Operated as an Operational Training Unit (OTU) in the Midwest until being deployed to the European Theater of Operations (ETO), being assigned to VIII Bomber Command in England in June 1949.
Engaged in strategic bombardment operations over Occupied Europe and Germany, sustaining very heavy losses of personnel and aircraft while conducting many unescorted missions over enemy territory attacking airfields, industries, naval facilities and transportation hubs. During the summer of 1944, aircrews bombed enemy positions at Saint-Lô, followed by similar campaigns at Brest in August and September. In October 1944, the squadron attacked enemy and ground defenses in the allied drive on the Siegfried Line, then bombed marshaling yards, German occupied villages, and communication targets in the Ardennes during the Battle of the Bulge from December 1944 to January 1945. Attacked enemy targets in Germany during the spring of 1945, ending combat operations with the German Capitulation in May 1945.
Remained in Europe as part of the United States Air Forces in Europe occupation forces, dropping food to the people in the west of the Netherlands, and in June transported French Allied former prisoners of war from Austria to France. Demobilizing in England, in December 1945 the squadron inactivated as a paper unit.
Activated in the Reserves in 1947 at Miami Airport, Florida. Unclear whether or not the unit was manned or equipped; inactivated in 1949 due to budget restrictions. Reactivated under Strategic Air Command received new, swept wing B-47 Stratojets in 1956 which were designed to carry nuclear weapons and to penetrate Soviet air defenses with its high operational ceiling and near supersonic speed. The squadron flew the B-47 for about a decade when by the mid-1960s it had become obsolete and vulnerable to new Soviet air defenses. The squadron began to send it's stratojets to AMARC at Davis-Monthan AFB for retirement in 1965, the last being retired in 1966, one of the last B-47 Squadrons.
Redesignated as a strategic reconnaissance squadron, operating AQM-34 Firebee strategic reconnaissance drones launched from DC-130 Hercules aircraft and recovered by CH-3 helicopters from, 1966–1976. Additionally, it provided refueling support for SR-71 aircraft from, 1983–1990. The 350th also provided cargo support and intratheater refueling during combat in Southwest Asia from, August 1990–March 1991.[1]
Lineage[1]
- Constituted 350 Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 28 Jan 1942
- Activated on 1 Jun 1942
- Redesignated 350 Bombardment Squadron, Heavy, on 20 Aug 1943
- Inactivated on 15 Dec 1945
- Redesignated 350 Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy, on 9 Jul 1947
- Activated in the Reserve on 16 Jul 1947
- Inactivated on 27 Jun 1949
- Redesignated 350 Bombardment Squadron, Medium, on 1 Aug 1955
- Activated on 1 Jan 1956
- Redesignated 350 Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron on 25 Jun 1966
- Inactivated on 1 Jul 1976
- Redesignated 350 Air Refueling Squadron, Heavy, on 19 Jan 1982
- Activated on 28 Jan 1982
- Redesignated 350 Air Refueling Squadron on 1 Sep 1991.
Assignments[1]
- 100th Bombardment Group, 1 Jun 1942-15 Dec 1945; 16 Jul 1947-27 Jun 1949
- 100th Bombardment (later, 100 Strategic Reconnaissance) Wing, 1 Jan 1956-1 Jul 1976
- Attached to Sixteenth Air Force, 4 Mar-4 Apr 1958
- 100th Air Refueling Wing, 28 Jan 1982
- 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, 15 Mar 1983
- 9th Operations Group, 1 Sep 1991
- 43d Operations Group, 1 Oct 1993
- 22d Operations Group, 1 Jul 1994-Present
Bases stationed[1]
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Aircraft Operated[1]
- B-17 Flying Fortress (1942–1945)
- AT-6 Texan (1947–1949)
- AT-7 Navigator (1947–1949)
- AT-11 Kansan (1947–1949)
- B-47 Stratojet (1956–1966)
- DC-130 Hercules (1966–1976)
- CH-3 (1966–1976)
- AQM-34 Firebee (1966–1976)
- KC-135 Stratotanker (1982–Present)