The
91st Air Refueling Squadron (
91 ARS) is part of the
6th Air Mobility WingThe United States Air Force's 6th Air Mobility Wing is the host wing for MacDill Air Force Base, Florida. It is part of Air Mobility Command's Eighteenth Air Force....
at
MacDill Air Force BaseMacDill Air Force Base is an active United States Air Force base located approximately south-southwest of downtown Tampa, Florida...
,
FloridaFlorida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. It operates the
KC-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...
aircraft conducting
aerial refuelingAerial 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....
missions.
History
Established in 1940 as a long-range reconnaissance squadron, equipped with a mixture of B-17C/D Flying Fortresses and
B-18 BoloThe Douglas B-18 Bolo was a United States Army Air Corps and Royal Canadian Air Force bomber of the late 1930s and early 1940s. The Bolo was built by Douglas Aircraft Company and based on its DC-2 and was developed to replace the Martin B-10....
s. Assigned to the
GHQAFThe United States Army Air Corps was a forerunner of the United States Air Force. Renamed from the Air Service on 2 July 1926, it was part of the United States Army and the predecessor of the United States Army Air Forces , established in 1941...
Northeast Air District at Langley Field, Virginia Reassigned to Westover Field, Massachusetts in the spring of 1941. Flew antisubmarine patrols over the Northeast coastline after the Pearl Harbor attack; reassigned to
II Bomber CommandThe II Bomber Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to Second Air Force, based at Fort George Wright, Washington. It was inactivated on 6 October 1943....
and became a B-17 Operational Training Unit (OTU) at Geiger Field, Washington in January 1942, and was redesignated as a heavy bombardment squadron in April. Reassigned to Davis-Monthan Field in May 1942 and continued its mission as an OTU in May 1942, continuing this assignment, later being assigned to the
Desert Training CenterThe Desert Training Center was a World War II training facility established in the Mojave Desert; largely in Southern California and Western Arizona in 1942....
in Southern California in late 1942, remaining as a training squadron at the DTC until April 1944 with the closure of the facility.
Deployed to the European Theater of Operations (ETO) in late April 1944, being assigned to
VIII Bomber CommandThe VIII Bomber Command is an inactive United States Army Air Forces unit that is better known as the later appellation Eighth Air Force, as was popularized in post-World War II filmsand is frequently called the First Eighth Air Force by its veterans and successors in the services.The command was...
in
EnglandEngland 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...
. Engaged in long-ranger strategic bombardment operations over Occupied Europe and
Nazi GermanyNazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
, attacking enemy military and industrial targets as part of the United States' air offensive against Nazi Germany. Returned to the United States after the German Capitulation in May 1945, being programmed as a
B-29 SuperfortressThe B-29 Superfortress is a four-engine propeller-driven heavy bomber designed by Boeing that was flown primarily by the United States Air Forces in late-World War II and through the Korean War. The B-29 was one of the largest aircraft to see service during World War II...
squadron for deployment to the Pacific Theater. Inactivated in late August 1945 after the Japanese Capitulation and the end of World War II.
Reactivated as a
Strategic 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...
B-29 Air Refueling squadron in April 1950. Over the past 60 years, the 91st has flown worldwide air refueling operations. Crews and aircraft from the 91st deployed to
Southeast AsiaSoutheast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
to refuel
tacticalMilitary tactics, the science and art of organizing an army or an air force, are the techniques for using weapons or military units in combination for engaging and defeating an enemy in battle. Changes in philosophy and technology over time have been reflected in changes to military tactics. In...
aircraft and
B-52 StratofortressThe Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is a long-range, subsonic, jet-powered strategic bomber operated by the United States Air Force since the 1950s. The B-52 was designed and built by Boeing, who have continued to provide maintainence and upgrades to the aircraft in service...
es involved in combat in
VietnamVietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
from, January 1965-December 1975. It refueled aircraft participating in the Grenada rescue mission between October and November 1983. The squadron also supported U.S. operations during the 1991
Gulf WarThe Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
. It performed aerial refuelings for bombers, airlift, and fighter aircraft as part of Tanker Task Force (TTF) around the world from, 1992-1995. On 1 October 1996 the 91st relocated with aerial refueling aircraft from
Malmstrom Air Force BaseMalmstrom Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base and census-designated place in Cascade County, Montana, United States. It was named in honor of World War II POW Colonel Einar Axel Malmstrom...
,
MontanaMontana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
to
MacDill Air Force BaseMacDill Air Force Base is an active United States Air Force base located approximately south-southwest of downtown Tampa, Florida...
,
FloridaFlorida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. Since 2002 the squadron has refueled fighter aircraft providing security for the
southeastern United StatesThe Southeastern United States, colloquially referred to as the Southeast, is the eastern portion of the Southern United States. It is one of the most populous regions in the United States of America....
.
Lineage
- Constituted 1 Reconnaissance Squadron (Heavy) on 20 Nov 1940
- Activated on 15 Jan 1941
- Redesignated: 391 Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 22 Apr 1942
- Redesignated: 391 Bombardment Squadron, Heavy, on 20 Aug 1943
- Inactivated on 28 Aug 1945
- Consolidated (19 Sep 1985) with the 91 Air Refueling Squadron, Medium, which was constituted on 1 Mar 1950
- Activated on 16 Apr 1950
- Redesignated 91 Air Refueling Squadron, Heavy, on 1 Jan 1963
- Inactivated on 1 Oct 1987
- Redesignated 91 Air Refueling Squadron on 1 Sep 1991.
Assignments
- General Headquarters Air Force (later, Air Force Combat Command), 15 Jan 1941
- Associated with: 1st Photographic Group
The 1st Photographic Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 311th Photographic Wing, stationed at Buckley Field, Colorado. It was inactivated on 5 October 1944.-History:...
, 15 Jan 1941-22 Apr 1942 (training)
- Attached to 34th Bombardment Group, 15 Jan 1941-
- 1st Bomber Command, 5 Sep 1941
- Remained attached to 34th Bombardment Group
- II Bomber Command
The II Bomber Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to Second Air Force, based at Fort George Wright, Washington. It was inactivated on 6 October 1943....
, c. 25 Jan 1942
- Attached to 34th Bombardment Group through 24 Feb 1942
- 34th Bombardment Group, 25 Feb 1942-28 Aug 1945
- 91st Strategic Reconnaissance Group, 16 Apr 1950
- Attached to 91st Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, 10 Feb 1951-27 May 1952
- 91st Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, 28 May 1952
- Attached to 5th Air Division, 12 Jan-26 Feb 1954
- Attached to Northeast Air Command
The Northeast Air Command was a short-lived organization in the United States Air Force tasked with the operation and defense of air bases in Greenland, Labrador and Newfoundland. It was formed in 1950 from the facilities of the United States established during World War II in Northeast Canada,...
, 6 Oct-12 Nov 1954 and 10 Jul-Oct 1955
- 801st Air Division
The 801st Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Strategic Air Command, assigned to Eighth Air Force, being stationed at Lockbourne Air Force Base, Ohio...
, 8 Nov 1957
- 376th Bombardment Wing, 1 Dec 1957
- Attached to 301st Air Refueling Wing
The 301st Air Refueling Wing is an inactive unit of the United States Air Force being last assigned to the Strategic Air Command at Malmstrom AFB, Montana. It was inactivated on 1 June 1992....
, 4 May-14 Jun 1964
- 301st Air Refueling Wing
The 301st Air Refueling Wing is an inactive unit of the United States Air Force being last assigned to the Strategic Air Command at Malmstrom AFB, Montana. It was inactivated on 1 June 1992....
, 15 Jun 1964
- 47th Air Division, 1 Jul 1971
- 14th Air Division, 1 Apr 1972
- 12th Strategic Missile Division, 1 Aug 1972
- 384th Air Refueling (later, 384 Bombardment) Wing, 1 Dec 1972-1 Oct 1987
- 301st Air Refueling Wing
The 301st Air Refueling Wing is an inactive unit of the United States Air Force being last assigned to the Strategic Air Command at Malmstrom AFB, Montana. It was inactivated on 1 June 1992....
, 5 Jan 1988
- 301st Operations Group
The 301st Operations Group is a flying component of the 301st Fighter Wing, assigned to the United States Air Force Reserve Tenth Air Force...
, 1 Sep 1991
- 43d Operations Group
The 43d Operations Group was the operational flying component of the United States Air Force 43d Airlift Wing. It was stationed at Pope Air Force Base, North Carolina, and is assigned to the Air Mobility Command Eighteenth Air Force.The unit was Air Mobility Command's only active-duty C-130...
, 1 Jun 1992
- 43d Air Refueling Group, 1 Jul 1994
- 6th Operations Group
The 6th Operations Group is the operational flying component of the 6th Air Mobility Wing, stationed at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida....
, 1 Oct 1996-present
Bases stationed
- Langley Field, Virginia
The 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...
, 15 Jan 1941
- Westover Field, Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, 29 May 1941
- Pendleton Army Airfield, Oregon
Oregon 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...
, c. 25 Jan 1942
- Davis-Monthan Field, Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
, c. 13 May 1942
- Geiger Field (later, AAB), Washington, 1 Jul 1942
- Ephrata Army Air Base, Washington, 1 Dec 1942
- Blythe Army Air Base, California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, 11 Dec 1942-3 Apr 1944
- Deployed at Salinas Army Air Base, California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, 29 May-13 Jul 1943
- RAF Mendlesham
RAF Mendlesham is a former World War II airfield in England. The field is located 5½ miles E of Stowmarket in Suffolk.-RAF Fighter Command use:...
(AAF-156), EnglandEngland 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...
, 23 Apr 1944-24 Jul 1945
- Sioux Falls Army Air Field, South Dakota
South 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...
, 13-28 Aug 1945
- Barksdale AFB, Louisiana
Louisiana 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...
, 16 Apr 1950
- Lockbourne AFB, Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, 11 Sep 1951
- Deployed at Nouasseur AB, French Morocco
French 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...
, 12 Jan-26 Feb 1954
- Deployed at Goose AB, Labrador
Labrador is the distinct, northerly region of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It comprises the mainland portion of the province, separated from the island of Newfoundland by the Strait of Belle Isle...
, 6 Oct-12 Nov 1954
- Deployed at Ernest Harmon AFB, Newfoundland
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
, 10 Jul-Oct 1955
- McConnell AFB, Kansas
Kansas 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...
, 30 Jun 1971-1 Oct 1987
- Malmstrom AFB, Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
, 5 Jan 1988
- MacDill AFB, Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, 1 Oct 1996-present
Aircraft Operated
- KC-135R Stratotanker (1988–Present)
- KC-135A Stratotanker (1963–1987)
- UH-1 Iroquois
The Bell UH-1 Iroquois is a military helicopter powered by a single, turboshaft engine, with a two-bladed main rotor and tail rotor. The helicopter was developed by Bell Helicopter to meet the United States Army's requirement for a medical evacuation and utility helicopter in 1952, and first flew...
(1971–1972)
- KC-97 Stratotanker
The Boeing KC-97 Stratotanker was a United States strategic tanker aircraft based on the Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter. It was succeeded by the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker.-Design and development:...
(1953–1963)
- KB-29P Superfortress (1950–1953)
- B-17 Flying Fortress (1944–1945)
- B-24 Liberator
The Consolidated B-24 Liberator was an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and a small number of early models were sold under the name LB-30, for Land Bomber...
(1942–1943, 1944)
- B-18 Bolo
The Douglas B-18 Bolo was a United States Army Air Corps and Royal Canadian Air Force bomber of the late 1930s and early 1940s. The Bolo was built by Douglas Aircraft Company and based on its DC-2 and was developed to replace the Martin B-10....
(1941–1942)
- B-17 Flying Fortress (1941–1943)
- PT-17 Kaydet (1941)
Operations
- World War II
World 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...
- Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
- Operation Urgent Fury
- Operation Desert Storm
See also