43rd Air Refueling Squadron

43d Air Refueling Squadron
43d Air Refueling Squadron
	43d Air Refueling Squadron
Active	1942-1991
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Air Refueling
Role	Aerial Refueling

The 43d Air Refueling Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 92nd Bombardment Wing, stationed at Fairchild AFB, Washington. It was inactivated on 1 September 1991.

History

Air Transport Command

Activated on 17 Aug 1942, the 43d Ferrying Squadron did not become operational at Accra Airport, British Gold Coast (now Ghana), Africa, until 4 December. As a unit of the 12th Ferrying Group, the 43d delivered combat and transport aircraft to British forces in the Middle East and later to U.S. forces in North Africa, but its major task was the transport of high priority cargo and personnel within the theater and as far east as Karachi, Pakistan. Redesignated the 43d Transport Squadron in March 1943, it disbanded on 30 Sep 1943 during a reorganization of Air Transport Command units in North Africa.

Strategic Air Command

One of two refueling squadrons that the Strategic Air Command activated on 12 Jul 1948, the 43d Air Refueling Squadron, Medium, was the USAF’s first air refueling unit.

The 43d AREFS began operations in January 1949, flying KB-29M Superfortress tanker aircraft from Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona. The squadron refueled B-50s using the looped method developed by the British. In February 1949 supported the circumnavigation flight of the "Lucky Lady II", the first aircraft to fly non-stop around the world. During the Korean War, the 43d sent aircrews to Far East Air Force to refuel fighter aircraft, at that time an experimental procedure. Deployed 21 Mar-5 Jun 1953 to RAF Lakenheath, England. In 1953, the 43d AREFS completed transition to new aircraft, the KC-97 Stratotanker, equipped with the recently developed Boeing flying boom. Deployed 18 Sep-9 Dec 1954 to RAF Fairford, England.

While the 43d was still at Davis-Monthan, a new wing was being organized at Larson AFB (Moses Lake), Washington. Headquarters, 4170th Strategic Wing was organized and established at Larson AFB on 1 July 1959 under the command of Lt Colonel Robert R. Johnston. Assisted by one master sergeant, the colonel's job was to pave the way for SAC's assumption of command of the base on 1 January 1960. The 4170th Wing was activated on 1 January 1960, with maintenance, support and medical units. Also on this date command of Larson was taken from Military Air Transport Service's 62nd Troop Carrier Wing. The 4170th Strategic Wing was a heavy bombardment organization to be equipped with B-52 Stratofortress bombers, KC-135 jet tankers and the HGM-25A Titan I Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles at a later date. On 8 April 1960, Colonel Everett W. Best assumed command of the Wing. Under the command of Colonel Best, the 4170th SW became a functional unit of the Strategic Air Command on 13 July 1960 upon assignment of the 327th Bombardment Squadron's crews and aircraft. The 43d Air Refueling Squadron was assigned to the 4170th on 15 November 1960 and changed its suffix from "Medium" to "Heavy" in preparation for transition to the KC-135A. The 43d AREFS flew its last KC-97 mission in October 1960. The first crews of the 43d arrived on 19 March 1961 from Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona, and the first of the KC-135's arrived on 24 March 1961.

With this new aircraft, 43d aircrews over the next few years refueled aircraft virtually everywhere in the world. Aircraft and crews deployed temporarily to Guam, Alaska, Greenland, Spain, England, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq. Colonel David A. Tate assumed command of the 4170th Strategic Wing in November 1961 and, on 1 February 1963, when the wing was redesignated the 462nd Strategic Aerospace Wing, Colonel Tate became the commander of the newly designated unit. The redesignation of the wing was part of the Air Force's program to honor former units with outstanding combat records. In Aug 1964, 43d aircrews deployed to Clark AB, Philippines, to begin supporting combat in Southeast Asia. Before terminating this refueling support in December 1975, the 43d AREFS dedicated substantial resources to the Vietnam War.

Colonel Alex W. Talmant assumed command of the 462nd Strategic Aerospace Wing upon the retirement of Colonel Tate on 31 July 1965. Under his command Larson AFB was scheduled to be inactivated on 30 June 1966, with Wing phase out scheduled to be complete by 25 June 1966.

On 2 Apr 1966, the 43d moved from Larson to Fairchild AFB, Wash. In May–June 1980, the explosive volcanic eruption of Mt. Saint Helens forced the suspension of operations from Fairchild for a month, but the 43d operated four tankers each from Beale AFB and Travis AFB, California. Once again, from 7 May to 8 Aug 1983, the squadron left Fairchild, deploying to Grant County Airport (formerly Larson AFB), Wash, while the Fairchild runway was repaired.

Inactivated in 1994 as part of phasedown of USAF after the end of the Cold War.

Lineage

Constituted 43d Ferrying Squadron on 9 Jul 1942

Activated on 17 Aug 1942

Redesignated 43d Transport Squadron on 24 Mar 1943

Disbanded on 30 Sep 1943

Reconstituted, and consolidated (19 Sep 1985) with 43d Air Refueling Squadron, Heavy

Constituted 43d Air Refueling Squadron, Medium, on 30 Jun 1948

Activated on 19 Jul 1948

Redesignated 43d Air Refueling Squadron, Heavy, on 15 Nov 1960

Inactivated on 1 September 1991

Redesignated 43d Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron and converted to provisional status on 12 June 2002^[1]

Assignments

12th Ferrying (later, 12th Transport) Group, 17 Aug 1942 – 30 Sep 1943
43d Bombardment Group, Medium, 19 Jul 1948

Attached to 43d Bombardment Wing, Medium, 10 Feb 1951 – 15 Jun 1952

43d Bombardment Wing, Medium, 16 Jun 1952

Attached to Eighth Air Force, 28 Oct-28 Dec 1955

303rd Bombardment Wing, Medium, 1960
4170th Strategic Wing, 15 Nov 1960
462nd Strategic Aerospace Wing, 1 Feb 1963
92nd Strategic Aerospace Wing (later, 92nd Bombardment Wing, Heavy), 2 Apr 1966 – 1 Sep 1991
Air Mobility Command to activate or inactivate as needed, 12 June 2002^[1]

Stations

Accra Airport, British Gold Coast, 17 Aug 1942 – 30 Sep 1943
Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona, 19 Jul 1948

Deployed at: RAF Lakenheath, England, 21 Mar-5 Jun 1953

Deployed at: RAF Fairford, England, 18 Sep-9 Dec 1954

Deployed at: Ernest Harmon AFB, Newfoundland, 28 Oct-28 Dec 1955

Larson AFB, Washington, 15 Nov 1960
Fairchild AFB, Washington, 2 Apr 1966 – 1 Sep 1991

Aircraft

Various aircraft assigned for transport duties, 1942-1943
B-29 Superfortress, 1948-1949
KB-29M Superfortress, 1949-1953
KC-97G Stratotanker, 1953-1960
KC-135 Stratotanker, 1961-1991

References

^ ^a ^b DAF/XPM Letter 303s, 12 June 2002, Subject: Air Mobility Command Expeditionary Units

This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

[DAF303s-1] DAF/XPM Letter 303s, 12 June 2002, Subject: Air Mobility Command Expeditionary Units

[1]

v t e Aerial refueling units of the United States Air Force
Wings	6th 19th 22d 68th 92d 100th 101st 107th 108th 117th 121st 126th 128th 134th 141st 157th 155th 157th 161st 163d 168th 171st 184th 185th 186th 190th 301st 305th 319th 340th 380th 384th 434th 452d 459th 497th 499th 507th 916th 927th 939th 940th 4045th 4061st 4108th 4397th 4505th
Groups	19th 43d 98th 307th 931st
Squadrons	2d 6th 7th 9th 11th 19th 22d 26th 28th 32d 34th 40th 41st 42d 43d 44th 46th 54th 55th 63d 64th 68th 70th 71st 72d 74th 77th 90th 91st 92d 93d 96th 97th 98th 99th 100th 105th 106th 108th 116th 117th 126th 127th 132d 133d 136th 141st 146th 147th 150th 151st 154th 166th 168th 203d 301st 303d 305th 306th 307th 308th 310th 314th 320th 321st 336th 340th 341st 344th 349th 350th 351st 376th 380th 384th 407th 465th 509th 711th 744th 763d 900th 901st 902d 903d 904th 905th 906th 907th 908th 909th 911th 913th 915th 916th 917th 919th 920th 922d 924th