117th Air Refueling Squadron
Encyclopedia
The 117th Air Refueling Squadron flies the KC-135R Stratotanker. It is a unit of the Kansas Air National Guard
. Its parent unit is the 190th Air Refueling Wing
.
The unit was ordered to active federal service at Langley AFB during the Korean War
, returning to Pennsylvania afterward.
Reactivated as the 117th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, Kansas Air National Guard in 1957, the unit flew the F-80 from Hutchinson Naval Air Station. The 117th was re-equipped with the RB-57 in 1958 and, in 1962, was redesigned as the 190th Tactical Reconnaissance Group.
The group was transferred to Forbes AFB near Topeka in 1967 and, in 1972, was the only military unit in the world equipped with the day/night-capable B-57G bomber. In April 1974, the unit converted to EB-57B aircraft and became the 190th Defense Systems Evaluation Group. The aircraft was equipped with electronic countermeasures equipment and the mission was penetration and evaluation of US air and ground defense capabilities.
The arrival of the first KC-135 Stratotanker in 1978 heralded the still-current air refueling mission. In 1990, the 190th was the first unit to arrive at Jeddah, Saudi Arabia for service during operations Desert Shield/Desert Storm. During 1999, the 190th deployed twice to Turkey in support of Operation Northern Watch, refueling Allied aircraft over the northern No-Fly Zone in Iraq.
Kansas Air National Guard
The Kansas Air National Guard is the air force militia of the U.S. state of Kansas. It is, along with the Kansas Army National Guard, an element of the Kansas National Guard. It is considered a part of the United States Air Force, as well as of the state....
. Its parent unit is the 190th Air Refueling Wing
190th Air Refueling Wing
The United States Air Force's 190th Air Refueling Wing is an aerial refueling unit located at Forbes Field, Kansas.-History:...
.
History
The 117th Air Refueling Squadron traces its origins to the 440th Bombardment Squadron (Light) -- a Harrisburg, Pennsylvania unit—flew the B-26 aircraft in Africa, Sicily, Italy, and France during World War II. Based in Okinawa at the end of the war, it was reorganized as the 117th Bombardment Squadron (Light) and stationed at the Philadelphia Municipal Airport.The unit was ordered to active federal service at Langley AFB during the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
, returning to Pennsylvania afterward.
Reactivated as the 117th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, Kansas Air National Guard in 1957, the unit flew the F-80 from Hutchinson Naval Air Station. The 117th was re-equipped with the RB-57 in 1958 and, in 1962, was redesigned as the 190th Tactical Reconnaissance Group.
The group was transferred to Forbes AFB near Topeka in 1967 and, in 1972, was the only military unit in the world equipped with the day/night-capable B-57G bomber. In April 1974, the unit converted to EB-57B aircraft and became the 190th Defense Systems Evaluation Group. The aircraft was equipped with electronic countermeasures equipment and the mission was penetration and evaluation of US air and ground defense capabilities.
The arrival of the first KC-135 Stratotanker in 1978 heralded the still-current air refueling mission. In 1990, the 190th was the first unit to arrive at Jeddah, Saudi Arabia for service during operations Desert Shield/Desert Storm. During 1999, the 190th deployed twice to Turkey in support of Operation Northern Watch, refueling Allied aircraft over the northern No-Fly Zone in Iraq.
Lineages
- Organized as the 440th Bombardment Squadron (Light) in 1939
- Inactivated on 18 Jun 1942
- Constituted 440th Bombardment Squadron (Medium) on 19 Jun 1942
- Activated on 26 Jun 1942
- Redesignated 440th Bombardment Squadron (Light) on 3 Feb 1945
- Inactivated on 4 Jan 1946
- Redesignated 117th Bombardment Squadron (Light), and allotted to Pennsylvania Air National Guard, on 24 May 1946.
- Activated to Federal Service in 12 Mar 1951
- Returned to Pennsylvania state control in 19 Jul 1953
- Allocated to Kansas Air National Guard on 3 Jan 1957
- Redesignated 117th Fighter Interceptor Squadron and activated on 23 Feb 1957
- Redesignated 117th Photo Reconnaissance Squadron on 1 Apr 1958
- Redesignated 117th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron 14 Oct 1962
- Redesignated 117th Tactical Bombardment Squadron on 12 June 1972
- Redesignated 117th Defense Systems Evaluation Squadron on 6 Apr 1974
- Redesignated 117th Air Refueling Squadron, Heavy on 8 July 1978
- Redesignated 117th Air Refueling Squadron on 16 Mar 1992
Assignments
- Pennsylvania National GuardPennsylvania National GuardThe Pennsylvania National Guard is composed of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard and the Pennsylvania Air National Guard. It is one of the largest National Guards in the nation. It has the largest Army National Guard of all the states and the fourth largest Air National Guard. These forces are...
in 1939 - 319th Bombardment Group, 26 Jun 1942
- VII Bomber CommandVII Bomber CommandThe VII Bomber Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Seventh Air Force, based on Okinawa. It was inactivated on 31 March 1946.-Lineage:...
, 18 Dec 1945-4 Jan 1946 - 190th Bombardment Group, 24 May 1946
- Attached to: 4400th Combat Crew Training Group, 12 Mar 1951-19 Jul 1953 while Federalized
- 190th Photo Reconnaissance Wing, 1 Apr 1958
- 190th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, 14 Oct 1962
- 190th Tactical Bombardment Group, 12 June 1972
- 190th Defense Systems Evaluation Group, 6 Apr 1974
- 190th Air Refueling Wing, Heavy, 8 July 1978
- 190th Air Refueling Wing190th Air Refueling WingThe United States Air Force's 190th Air Refueling Wing is an aerial refueling unit located at Forbes Field, Kansas.-History:...
, 16 Mar 1992
Stations
- Harrisburg Municipal Airport. 1939
- Barksdale Field, LouisianaLouisianaLouisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, 26 Jun 1942 - Harding Army Air Field, LouisianaLouisianaLouisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, 8-27 Aug 1942 - RAF ShipdhamRAF ShipdhamRAF Shipdham is a former World War II airfield in England. The field is located 3 miles S of East Dereham in Norfolk, now used as a privately owned airfield.-USAAF use:...
(AAF-115), EnglandEnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, 12 Sep 1942 - RAF Horsham St FaithRAF Horsham St FaithRAF Horsham St Faith was a Royal Air Force station near Norwich, Norfolk, England from 1939 to 1963. It was then developed as Norwich International Airport.-RAF Bomber Command use:...
(AAF-123), EnglandEnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, c. 4-21 Oct 1942 - Saint-Leu AirfieldSaint-Leu AirfieldSaint-Leu Airfield was a military airfield in Algeria, near the city of Bettioua, about 45 km northeast of Oran.During World War II it was used by the United States Army Air Force Twelfth Air Force 319th Bombardment Group during the North African Campaign against the German Afrika Korps...
, AlgeriaAlgeriaAlgeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
, c. 10 Nov 1942 - Tafaraoui Airfield, AlgeriaAlgeriaAlgeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
, 18 Nov 1942 - Maison Blanche Airport, AlgeriaAlgeriaAlgeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
, 21 Nov 1942 - Telergma Airfield, AlgeriaAlgeriaAlgeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
, 18 Dec 1942 - Oujda Airfield, French MoroccoFrench MoroccoFrench Protectorate of Morocco was a French protectorate in Morocco, established by the Treaty of Fez. French Morocco did not include the north of the country, which was a Spanish protectorate...
, 3 Mar 1943 - Rabat-Salé AirportRabat-Salé AirportSalé Airport or Rabat-Salé Airport is an airport serving Rabat, the capital city of Morocco, and also the capital of the Rabat-Salé-Zemmour-Zaer region. It is a joint use public and military airport, also known as the First Royal Air Force Base...
, French MoroccoFrench MoroccoFrench Protectorate of Morocco was a French protectorate in Morocco, established by the Treaty of Fez. French Morocco did not include the north of the country, which was a Spanish protectorate...
, 25 Apr 1943 - Sedrata Airfield, AlgeriaAlgeriaAlgeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
, 1 Jun 1943 - Djedeida AirfieldDjedeida AirfieldDjedeida Airfield is an airfield in Tunisia, located approximately 10 km east-northeast of El Battan, and 30 km west of Tunis. The airfield was built prior to 1942 and used by the German Luftwaffe. It was attacked and seized by the American II Army on 25 November 1942...
, TunisiaTunisiaTunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
, 26 Jun 1943
- Decimomannu Airfield, Sardina, 1 Nov 1943
- Serragia AirfieldSerragia AirfieldSerragia Airfield is an abandoned military airfield in France, located approximately 26 km west-southwest of Porto-Vecchio on Corsica. Its last known use was by the United States Army Air Force Twelfth Air Force in 1944....
, CorsicaCorsicaCorsica is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is located west of Italy, southeast of the French mainland, and north of the island of Sardinia....
, c. 21 Sep 1944-c. 9 Jan 1945 - Bradley FieldBradley International AirportBradley International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located in Windsor Locks on the border with East Granby and Suffield, in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. It is owned by the State of Connecticut....
, ConnecticutConnecticutConnecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
, 25 Jan 1945 - Columbia Army Air Base, South CarolinaSouth CarolinaSouth Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
, c. 28 Feb-27 Apr 1945 - Kadena Airfield, Okinawa, 2 Jul 1945
- Machinato Airfield, Okinawa, 21 Jul-8 Dec 1945
- Fort LawtonFort LawtonFort Lawton is a United States Army fort located in the Magnolia neighborhood of Seattle, Washington. The fort was included in the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure list.-History:...
, Washington, 2-4 Jan 1946. - Philadelphia Municipal AirportPhiladelphia Municipal AirportPhiladelphia Municipal Airport is a city-owned public-use airport located two nautical miles northwest of the central business district of Philadelphia, a city in Neshoba County, Mississippi, United States. This airport is included in the FAA's National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for...
, PennsylvaniaPennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
(1946–1951; 1953–1957) - Langley Air Force Base, VirginiaVirginiaThe Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
(1951–1953) - Hutchinson Naval Air StationHutchinson Naval Air StationSunflower Aerodrome Gliderport is a private glider airport in Reno County, Kansas, United States. It is located eight nautical miles south of Hutchinson, and 2 miles west-southwest of Yoder. It was opened in 1971. The facility is used for glider flying...
, KansasKansasKansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
(1957–1967) - Forbes Air Force BaseForbes Air Force BaseForbes Field, previously Forbes Air Force Base, is a joint-use civil-military airport operated by the Topeka Airport Authority located approximately south of Topeka, Kansas....
, KansasKansasKansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
(1967–1973) - Forbes Field, KansasKansasKansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
(1973–Present)
Aircraft
- KC-135R Stratotanker (2008–Present)
- KC-135E Stratotanker (1978–2008)
- EB-57B Canberra (1974–1978)
- B-57G Canberra (1972–1974)
- RB-57 Canberra (1958–1972)
- F-80 Shooting Star (1957–1958)
- A-26 InvaderA-26 InvaderThe Douglas A-26 Invader was a United States twin-engined light attack bomber built by the Douglas Aircraft Co. during World War II that also saw service during several of the Cold War's major conflicts...
, 1945–1946 - B-25 MitchellB-25 MitchellThe North American B-25 Mitchell was an American twin-engined medium bomber manufactured by North American Aviation. It was used by many Allied air forces, in every theater of World War II, as well as many other air forces after the war ended, and saw service across four decades.The B-25 was named...
, 1944–1945 - B-26 MarauderB-26 MarauderThe Martin B-26 Marauder was a World War II twin-engine medium bomber built by the Glenn L. Martin Company. First used in the Pacific Theater in early 1942, it was also used in the Mediterranean Theater and in Western Europe....
(1942–1944)