| 340th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron | |
|---|---|
 KC-135 Stratotanker operating with the 340th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron | |
| Active | 1952–1962; 2002–present |
| Country |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Air Force |
| Role | Aerial refueling |
| Part of | United States Air Forces Central |
| Nickname | Pythons[1] |
| Motto | As Briefed (1952–1962) |
| Engagements | South West Pacific Theater of World War II War in Afghanistan War in Iraq Military intervention against ISIL |
| Decorations | Distinguished Unit Citation[2] Air Force Meritorious Unit Award[3] Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation[2] |
| Insignia | |
| 340 Expeditionary Air Refueling Sq emblem |  |
| Patch with 340th Air Refueling Squadron emblem |  |
| 340th Fighter Squadron emblem(approved 27 March 1943)[2] |  |
The340th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron is a provisionalUnited States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the379th Expeditionary Operations Group atAl Udeid Air Base,Qatar. It has supported combat operations inAfghanistan,Iraq, andSyria from this location.
The squadron was first activated duringWorld War II as the340th Fighter Squadron, aRepublic P-47 Thunderbolt unit that engaged in combat in theSouthwest Pacific Theater, where it earned twoDistinguished Unit Citations for action in the Philippines. FollowingV-J Day, it served in theoccupation forces in Japan until inactivating in 1946.
The340th Air Refueling Squadron was formed in 1952 atCastle Air Force Base, California, where it trained with the93d Bombardment Wing. After becoming combat ready, it moved toWhiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, where it served with the340th Bombardment Wing, aStrategic Air CommandBoeing B-47 Stratojet wing, until inactivating in 1962. The squadron was consolidated with the 340th Fighter Squadron in 1985, but the combined squadron was not activated until being converted to provisional status as the340th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron.
The340th Fighter Squadron was first activated atMitchel Field, New York at the end of September 1942 as one of the original three squadrons of the348th Fighter Group. Mitchel was only an activation base for the squadron, which moved on paper the same day toBradley Field, Connecticut. The squadron trained at various bases in the Northeastern United States withRepublic P-47 Thunderbolts until ready for overseas shipment in May 1943.[2][4]
Upon arrival in New Guinea, the squadron flew patrol andreconnaissance missions and escortedbombers attacking Japanese targets in New Guinea andNew Britain. Between 16 and 31 December 1943, the squadron flew missions covering Allied landings and supporting the advance of ground forces in New Britain, for which it was awarded aDistinguished Unit Citation.[4]
In 1944 the unit began attacks onairfields, military installations and shipping in western New Guinea,Seram Island andHalmahera with the aim of neutralizing enemy forces in that area to prepare for the Allied assault on the Philippines. As the attack progressed, the squadron moved to the Philippines in November 1944, providingconvoy cover andground support for invading forces, in addition to continuing its other missions. On 24 December 1944, the squadron was part of a group formation covering bombers attackingClark Field. The unit defended the bombers against enemyinterceptors, earning a second Distinguished Unit Citation. The squadron was also cited by the Philippine government for its support for the liberation of the Philippines.[4]
The forward move of the squadron enabled it to begin attacks on shipping along the coast of China and to escort bombers flying missions to Taiwan. The squadron began transitioning intoNorth American P-51 Mustang fighters in February 1945.[5] It moved to theRyuku Islands shortly before the end of the war, and conducted escort and attack missions to Japan before the war ended. In October 1945, it moved toItami Airfield as part of the occupation forces and was inactivated there in May 1946.[2][4]
The340th Air Refueling Squadron was activated on 20 October 1952 as part of the340th Bombardment Wing, which was activated the same day. However the squadron was activated atCastle Air Force Base, California where it drew itscadre from, and trained under the supervision of the93d Bombardment Wing after receiving its initial manning in January 1953.[6] It was not until January 1954 that it joined its parent wing atWhiteman Air Force Base, Missouri.[7] The move to Whiteman was without personnel or equipment, with its planes and manpower being transferred to the90th Air Refueling Squadron.[8] When it arrived at Whiteman, the 340th Wing was just beginning to receive its aircraft and the squadron did not become operational again until August 1954.[9]
The squadron flew theBoeing KC-97 Stratofreighter, providing air refueling to USAF units until it was inactivated in October 1962. In 1961, the squadron was selected to representSecond Air Force inStrategic Air Command's annual bombing competition.[10] It was inactivated in 1962.
The two squadrons were merged as the340th Air Refueling Squadron in September 1985,[11] but the consolidated squadron was not active before conversion to provisional status.
Reactivated as a provisional squadron about 2002 as a part of the globalwar on terror. It is equipped withBoeing KC-135 Stratotankers and conducts combat air refueling as one of the largest squadrons in the Air Force, doubling in size in 2014 due to increased operations in Syria.[1] The squadron was active as part ofOperation Iraqi Freedom andOperation Enduring Freedom. It is currently supporting theMilitary intervention against ISIL in Iraq and Syria. As a provisional unit, the squadron is manned and equipped by deployed airmen from the regular air force,Air Force Reserve andAir National Guard.[12] Elements of the155th Air Refueling Wing were deployed to the squadron during March 2016, and elements of the117th Air Refueling Wing during April–June 2016.
This article incorporatespublic domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
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