912th Air Refueling Squadron
Encyclopedia
The 912th Air Refueling Squadron (912 ARS) is an "Active Associate" organization, a full-time active duty Regular Air Force squadron located with and assigned to the Air Force Reserve Command
's 452nd Air Mobility Wing at March Air Reserve Base
, California, while administrative control is maintained by the Air Mobility Command
's 92nd Air Refueling Wing at Fairchild Air Force Base
, Washington. The squadron operates the KC-135 Stratotanker
aircraft conducting aerial refueling
and other air mobility missions.
from, 13 May 1943–20 April 1945. It conducted long distance aerial refueling from, 1961–1972 and worldwide aerial refueling, beginning 1973. The 912th gained also flew EC–135 airborne command post missions from, 1984–1989. It supported operations in Grenada
, 23–24 October 1983, Panama
, 18–21 December 1989, and Southwest Asia
, August 1990–March 1991.
The squadron was deactivated at Grand Forks AFB, North Dakota on 20 Mar 2009 pursuant to BRAC
2005 action which directed the transition of Grand Forks AFB from an air refueling mission to an unmanned reconnaissance aircraft mission with the RQ-4 Global Hawk
.
The squadron was reactivated at March ARB, California on 3 Dec 2010 as an Active Associate organization, an active duty Regular Air Force flying unit assigned to an Air Force Reserve Command
flying unit, with both organizations operating the same aircraft. As part of the 452nd Air Mobility Wing (452 AMW) at March, the 912th is an active duty squadron that will work in tandem with March's 336th Air Refueling Squadron
and 452nd Maintenance Group, flying and maintaining the KC-135R Stratotanker
aircraft as the 912th previously did at Grand Forks. However, the 912 ARS will remain under the administrative control of the 92nd Air Refueling Wing (92 ARW) at Fairchild AFB, Washington.
Air Force Reserve Command
The Air Force Reserve Command is a major command of the U.S. Air Force with its headquarters at Robins AFB, Georgia.It stood up as a major command of the Air Force on 17 February 1997....
's 452nd Air Mobility Wing at March Air Reserve Base
March Air Reserve Base
March Joint Air Reserve Base is located in Riverside County, California between the cities of Riverside and Moreno Valley. It is the home to the Air Force Reserve Command's 4th Air Force Headquarters and the 452d Air Mobility Wing , the largest air mobility wing of the 4th Air Force...
, California, while administrative control is maintained by the Air Mobility Command
Air Mobility Command
Air Mobility Command is a Major Command of the U.S. Air Force. AMC is headquartered at Scott AFB, Illinois, east of St. Louis....
's 92nd Air Refueling Wing at Fairchild Air Force Base
Fairchild Air Force Base
Fairchild Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located approximately southwest of Spokane, Washington.The host unit at Fairchild is the 92d Air Refueling Wing assigned to the Air Mobility Command's 15th Expeditionary Mobility Task Force...
, Washington. The squadron operates the KC-135 Stratotanker
KC-135 Stratotanker
The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is an aerial refueling military aircraft. It and the Boeing 707 airliner were developed from the Boeing 367-80 prototype. The KC-135 was the US Air Force's first jet-powered refueling tanker and replaced the KC-97 Stratotanker...
aircraft conducting aerial refueling
Aerial refueling
Aerial refueling, also called air refueling, in-flight refueling , air-to-air refueling or tanking, is the process of transferring fuel from one aircraft to another during flight....
and other air mobility missions.
History
The squadron flew combat missions in the European Theater of OperationsEuropean Theater of Operations
The European Theater of Operations, United States Army was a United States Army formation which directed U.S. Army operations in parts of Europe from 1942 to 1945. It referred to Army Ground Forces, United States Army Air Forces, and Army Service Forces operations north of Italy and the...
from, 13 May 1943–20 April 1945. It conducted long distance aerial refueling from, 1961–1972 and worldwide aerial refueling, beginning 1973. The 912th gained also flew EC–135 airborne command post missions from, 1984–1989. It supported operations in Grenada
Grenada
Grenada is an island country and Commonwealth Realm consisting of the island of Grenada and six smaller islands at the southern end of the Grenadines in the southeastern Caribbean Sea...
, 23–24 October 1983, Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
, 18–21 December 1989, and Southwest Asia
Southwest Asia
Western Asia, West Asia, Southwest Asia or Southwestern Asia are terms that describe the westernmost portion of Asia. The terms are partly coterminous with the Middle East, which describes a geographical position in relation to Western Europe rather than its location within Asia...
, August 1990–March 1991.
The squadron was deactivated at Grand Forks AFB, North Dakota on 20 Mar 2009 pursuant to BRAC
Base Realignment and Closure
Base Realignment and Closure is a process of the United States federal government directed at the administration and operation of the Armed Forces, used by the United States Department of Defense and Congress to close excess military installations and realign the total asset inventory to reduce...
2005 action which directed the transition of Grand Forks AFB from an air refueling mission to an unmanned reconnaissance aircraft mission with the RQ-4 Global Hawk
RQ-4 Global Hawk
The Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk is an unmanned aerial vehicle used by the United States Air Force and Navy as a surveillance aircraft....
.
The squadron was reactivated at March ARB, California on 3 Dec 2010 as an Active Associate organization, an active duty Regular Air Force flying unit assigned to an Air Force Reserve Command
Air Force Reserve Command
The Air Force Reserve Command is a major command of the U.S. Air Force with its headquarters at Robins AFB, Georgia.It stood up as a major command of the Air Force on 17 February 1997....
flying unit, with both organizations operating the same aircraft. As part of the 452nd Air Mobility Wing (452 AMW) at March, the 912th is an active duty squadron that will work in tandem with March's 336th Air Refueling Squadron
336th Air Refueling Squadron
The 336th Air Refueling Squadron is part of the 452d Air Mobility Wing at March Joint Air Reserve Base, California. It operates the KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft conducting aerial refueling missions.-History:...
and 452nd Maintenance Group, flying and maintaining the KC-135R Stratotanker
KC-135 Stratotanker
The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is an aerial refueling military aircraft. It and the Boeing 707 airliner were developed from the Boeing 367-80 prototype. The KC-135 was the US Air Force's first jet-powered refueling tanker and replaced the KC-97 Stratotanker...
aircraft as the 912th previously did at Grand Forks. However, the 912 ARS will remain under the administrative control of the 92nd Air Refueling Wing (92 ARW) at Fairchild AFB, Washington.
Operations
- World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
- Operation Urgent Fury
- Operation Just Cause
- Operation Desert Storm
Lineage
- 22d Reconnaissance Squadron (Heavy) (1942)
- 412th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) (1942–1943)
- 412th Bombardment Squadron, Heavy (1943–1947)
- 412th Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy (1947–1961)
- 912th Air Refueling Squadron, Heavy (1961–1991)
- 912th Air Refueling Squadron (1991–Present)
Assignments
- 95th Bombardment Group (1942–1945, 1947–1949)
- Strategic Air CommandStrategic Air CommandThe Strategic Air Command was both a Major Command of the United States Air Force and a "specified command" of the United States Department of Defense. SAC was the operational establishment in charge of America's land-based strategic bomber aircraft and land-based intercontinental ballistic...
(1961) - 4137th Strategic Wing (1961–1963)
- 465th Bombardment Wing465th Bombardment WingThe 465th Bombardment Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the Strategic Air Command 57th Air Division, stationed at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia. It was inactivated on 21 July 1968....
(1963–1968) - 19th Air Refueling Wing (1968–1994)
- 319th Air Refueling Wing319th Air Refueling WingThe 319th Air Base Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Mobility Command's USAF Expeditionary Center. It is stationed at Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota. The wing is also the host unit at Grand Forks....
(1994 - 20 MAR 2009) - 452d Air Mobility Wing452d Air Mobility WingThe 452d Air Mobility Wing is a United States Air Force air mobility unit located at March ARB, California. It is assigned to Air Force Reserve Command , and is operationally gained by Air Mobility Command .-Mission:...
(2010–Present)
Bases stationed
- 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...
(1942) - Pendleton Field, OregonOregonOregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
(1942) - Geiger Field, Washington (1942)
- EphrataEphrata, WashingtonEphrata is a city in Grant County, Washington, United States. The population was 6,808 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Grant County.-History:...
, Washington (1942) - Rapid City Army Air Base, South DakotaSouth DakotaSouth Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
(1942–1943) - RAF FramlinghamRAF FramlinghamRAF Framlingham is a former World War II airfield in England. The field is located 3 miles SE of Framlingham in Suffolk.-USAAF use:...
, 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...
(1943)
- RAF HorhamRAF HorhamRAF Horham is a World War II era airfield in England. The field is located next to the village of Horham, England, and 4 miles SE of Eye in Suffolk. The large site straddled the parishes of Denham, Horham and Hoxne.-USAAF use:...
, England (1943–1945) - Sioux Falls Army Air Field, South Dakota (1945)
- Knoxville Municipal Airport, TennesseeTennesseeTennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
(1947–1949) - Robins Air Force BaseRobins Air Force BaseRobins Air Force Base is a major United States Air Force base located in Houston County, Georgia, United States. The base is located just east of and adjacent to the city of Warner Robins, Georgia, SSE of Macon, Georgia, and about SSE of Atlanta, Georgia...
, GeorgiaGeorgia (U.S. state)Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
(1961–1994) - Grand Forks Air Force BaseGrand Forks Air Force BaseGrand Forks Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located north of Emerado, North Dakota and approximately west of Grand Forks, North Dakota...
, North Dakota (1994–2009) - March Air Reserve BaseMarch Air Reserve BaseMarch Joint Air Reserve Base is located in Riverside County, California between the cities of Riverside and Moreno Valley. It is the home to the Air Force Reserve Command's 4th Air Force Headquarters and the 452d Air Mobility Wing , the largest air mobility wing of the 4th Air Force...
, California (2010–Present)
Aircraft Operated
- B-17 Flying Fortress (1942–1945)
- KC-135 StratotankerKC-135 StratotankerThe Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is an aerial refueling military aircraft. It and the Boeing 707 airliner were developed from the Boeing 367-80 prototype. The KC-135 was the US Air Force's first jet-powered refueling tanker and replaced the KC-97 Stratotanker...
(1962–Present) - EC-135Boeing EC-135The Boeing EC-135 was a command & control version of the C-135 Stratolifter. Modified for the "Looking Glass" program, during the Cold War EC-135 were airborne 24 hours a day to serve as flying command platforms for the military in the event of nuclear war...
(1984–1989)