| 384th Air Refueling Squadron | |
|---|---|
 KC-135 Stratotankers atMcConnell AFB in 2014 | |
| Active | 1943–1946; 1955–1966; 1973–present |
| Country |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Air Force |
| Role | Aerial refueling |
| Part of | Air Mobility Command |
| Nickname | Squarepatchers[1] |
| Colors | Maroon/Silver[citation needed] |
| Engagements | European Theater of Operations |
| Decorations | Distinguished Unit Citation Meritorious Unit Award Air Force Outstanding Unit Award French Croix de Guerre with Palm |
| Insignia | |
| 384th Air Refueling Squadron emblem(approved 30 June 1959)[3][b] |  |
| Patch with 584th Bombardment Squadron emblem[c][4] |  |
| World War II fuselage code[5] | K5 |
The384th Air Refueling Squadron is an activeUnited States Air Force unit, stationed atFairchild Air Force Base, Washington, where it is assigned to the92d Operations Group and operates theBoeing KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft conductingair refueling missions.
The first predecessor of the squadron is the584th Bombardment Squadron, aMartin B-26 Marauder unit that served in theEuropean Theater of Operations, where it earned aDistinguished Unit Citation and aFrench Croix de Guerre with Palm. AfterV-E Day, it served with theoccupation forces in Germany until inactivating in 1946.
The 384th was activated in 1955 atWestover Air Force Base, Massachusetts, where it served as aStrategic Air Commandaerial refueling unit until inactivating in 1966. It was activated again in 1973 and has performed global refueling missions since then. The two squadrons were consolidated into a single unit in 1985.
The584th Bombardment Squadron was activated atMacDill Field, Florida as one of the original four squadrons of the394th Bombardment Group.[4][6][7] It began to train with theMartin B-26 Marauder, performing most of its training atKellogg Field, Michigan. It departed for theEuropean Theater of Operations (ETO) in mid-February 1944.[2]
The squadron was established atRAF Boreham, which was to be its station until afterD-Day, in mid March,[6] and flew its first combat mission on 23 March, less than two weeks after its arrival in the ETO.[8] It helped prepare for theinvasion of Normandy by participating inOperation Crossbow, strikingV-1 flying bomb andV-2 rocket launch sites. It also carried out attacks onmarshalling yards, bridges,gun emplacements andairfields. Not all targets were near the intended invasion landing areas. For example, in April, the squadron participated in a heavy attack on the marshalling yard atMechlen, Belgium.Later that month, it encountered particularly heavyflak in an attack onHeuringhem, in which the airplane leading the group formation received 264 holes.[9] However, bombing results were not as accurate as desired, and the squadron was removed from operations for a week for additional training.[10] On D-Day it attacked gun emplacements atCherbourg Naval Base, afterwards strikinglines of communications, fuel storage sites and enemy strong points.[6]
The squadron moved toRAF Holmsley South on 24 July, in a general move by the units of the98th Bombardment Wing to bases closer to the invasion area,[11] and on the following day supportedOperation Cobra, the breakout atSaint Lo. Between 7 and 9 August, the squadron made five attacks on strongly defended targets in northern France. This operation resulted in the award of theDistinguished Unit Citation to the squadron. Later that month, the squadron moved to its first base on the continent,Tour-en-Bessin Airfield, in France. From this base, the 584th attacked strong points atBrest, France and later began attacking targets in Germany from its bases on the continent. During theBattle of the Bulge, the squadron attacked lines of communications to prevent reinforcements from reaching the attacking German forces. it participated inOperation Clarion, intended to destroy the remaining elements of the German transportation system.[12] In addition to attacking transportation and storage facilities, toward the end of the war, the squadron dropped propaganda leaflets over occupied territory, which included the squadron's last combat mission.[6][13]
FollowingV-E Day, the squadron moved toKitzingen Airfield, Germany, where it became part of theArmy of Occupation. In December, it began to transition into theDouglas A-26 Invader. However, most personnel were rotating home for separation from the military, and in February, the squadron was transferred on paper toBolling Field, District of Columbia and was inactivated there at the end of March.[2][6]
The squadron was activated atWestover Air Force Base, Massachusetts on 1 April 1955, whenStrategic Air Command (SAC) took over Westover fromMilitary Air Transport Service and organized the4050th Air Refueling Wing there.[2][14] This was part of a program by SAC to station most of its tankers into the northeastern United States. The 4050th was one of two tanker wings created in New England.[15] This based the squadron ahead of the fasterBoeing B-47 Stratojets it would refuel if the Emergency War Order were executed, and on their programmed route.[16]
The 384th was equipped withBoeing KC-97 Stratofreighters. Itrefueled SAC bombers, primarily in the North Atlantic area, andTactical Air Command aircraft, primarily for fighter deployments and unit movements. In addition to deployments of individual crews and aircraft, the squadron deployed as a unit toErnest Harmon Air Force Base, Newfoundland in the spring of 1956 and 1957 and toLajes Air Base,Azores (Operation Short Punt) in the fall of 1963.[2][17]
Starting in 1960, one third of the squadron's aircraft were maintained on fifteen minutealert, fully fueled and ready for combat to reduce vulnerability to a Soviet missile strike. This was increased to half the squadron's aircraft in 1962.[18] Ground alert for the KC-97 terminated on 10 November 1965.[19]
The squadron's parent 4050th Air Refueling Wing was replaced by the newly constituted 499th Air Refueling Wing which assumed its mission, personnel, and equipment on 1 January 1963.During theCuban Missile Crisis SAC went toDEFCON 2 on 22 October 1962, putting all the squadron's planes on alert.[20] On 29 October additional KC-97s were dispersed to bases in Canada and the Azores to provide refueling for B-47s on increased alert status.[21] On 21 November SAC went to DEFCON 3. Dispersed tankers were recalled on 24 November and on 27 November SAC returned to normal alert posture.[22]
However, the slow speed of the propeller-driven KC-97 made it incompatible with jet bombers, which had to descend from their cruising altitude to one where the KC-97 operated, resulting in the bomber burning much of the fuel it had just received in its climb back to its operating altitude. Although this problem was alleviated by adding twoGeneral Electric J47 jets to the KC-97, the only real solution was an all jet tanker.[23] The squadron began to draw down, losing its last aircraft in late 1965 and no longer being manned after February 1966. It was inactivated along with its parent 499th Air Refueling Wing on 25 June 1966.[2][24]
The squadron was reactivated in September 1973 atMcConnell Air Force Base, Kansas, where it was assigned to the384th Bombardment Wing, flyingBoeing KC-135A Stratotankers. It flew worldwide aerial refueling sorties. In September 1985, the 384th was consolidated with the 584th Bombardment Squadron, in a program to unite World War II units with tactical units that had been activated after the war.[2]
On 18 December 1989, The squadron deployed aircraft and personnel toBarksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. The following day, these elements flew to designated refueling tracks to supportairlift aircraft transporting ground troops to Panama inOperation Just Cause. Refueling sorties also supportedMcDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagles flying fighter cap near Cuba,General Dynamics EF-111 Ravens providing jamming andBoeing E-3 Sentry aircraft providingcommand and control of the force.[25] It supportedDesert Shield and Desert Storm from by deploying aircrews and aircraft assigned to provisional units from August 1990 to March 1991.[2]
The 384th went through a series of assignment changes in the early 1990s due to organizational changes in the Air Force. The implementation of the Objective Wing organization brought the flying elements of the 384th Wing together under the384th Operations Group. In June 1992, SAC was disestablished and its refueling units were transferred toAir Mobility Command (AMC). As a result, the squadron was separated from the 384th Bomb Wing and assigned to the19th Operations Group. This assignment lasted until 1994, when AMC assumed control of McConnell and the squadron was assigned to the22d Operations Group. The squadron's personnel and equipment was withdrawn at the end of September 2016 and the squadron remained at McConnell as a paper unit as the 22nd began its conversion to theBoeing KC-46 Pegasus.[1][e]
The squadron moved toFairchild Air Force Base, Washington on 23 March 2017, there it once again was manned and equipped. The date was chosen because it was the 73d anniversary of the squadron's first combat mission duringWorld War II.[26]
| Award streamer | Award | Dates | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Distinguished Unit Citation | 7–9 August 1944 | France, 584th Bombardment Squadron[2] |
 | Air Force Meritorious Unit Award | 1 August 2009 – 31 July 2010 | 384th Air Refueling Squadron[2] |
| Air Force Meritorious Unit Award | 1 August 2010 – 31 July 2011 | 384th Air Refueling Squadron[2] |
| Air Force Meritorious Unit Award | 1 August 2011 – 31 July 2012 | 384th Air Refueling Squadron[2] |
| Air Force Meritorious Unit Award | 1 August 2012 – 31 July 2013 | 384th Air Refueling Squadron[2] |
| Air Force Meritorious Unit Award | 1 August 2013 – 31 July 2014 | 384th Air Refueling Squadron[2] |
| Air Force Meritorious Unit Award | 1 August 2014 – 31 July 2015 | 384th Air Refueling Squadron[2] |
| Air Force Meritorious Unit Award | 1 August 2016 – 31 July 2017 | |
 | Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 8 February 1956 – 1 December 1959 | 384th Air Refueling Squadron[2] |
| Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 Jul 1974 – 30 June 1976 | 384th Air Refueling Squadron[2] |
| Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 July 1976 – 30 June 1978 | 384th Air Refueling Squadron[2] |
| Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 July 1980 – 30 June 1981 | 384th Air Refueling Squadron[2] |
| Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 July 1987 – 30 June 1989 | 384th Air Refueling Squadron[2] |
| Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 30 May 1990 – 29 May 1992 | 384th Air Refueling Squadron[2] |
| Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 June 1994 – 31 May 1996 | 384th Air Refueling Squadron[2] |
| Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 August 1999 – 31 July 2000 | 384th Air Refueling Squadron[2] |
| Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 August 2000 – 31 July 2001 | 384th Air Refueling Squadron[2] |
| Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 August 2002 – 31 July 2004 | 384th Air Refueling Squadron[2] |
| Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 August 2004 – 31 July 2005 | 384th Air Refueling Squadron[2] |
| Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 August 2005 – 31 July 2006 | 384th Air Refueling Squadron[2] |
| Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 August 2006 – 31 July 2008 | 384th Air Refueling Squadron[2] |
| Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 August 2008 – 31 July 2009 | 384th Air Refueling Squadron[2] |
| Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 August 2015 – 31 July 2016 | 384th Air Refueling Squadron[2] |
| Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 August 2015 – 31 August 2017 | 384th Air Refueling Squadron[2] |
| Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 September 2017 – 31 August 2018 | 384th Air Refueling Squadron[2] |
| Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 September 2018 – 31 August 2019 | 384th Air Refueling Squadron[2] |
| Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 September 2019 – 31 August 2020 | 384th Air Refueling Squadron[2] |
 | French Croix de Guerre with Palm | 6 June – 14 September 1944 | 584th Bombardment Squadron[2] |
| Campaign Streamer | Campaign | Dates | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Air Offensive, Europe | 11 March 1944 – 5 June 1944 | 584th Bombardment Squadron[2] |
| Normandy | 6 June 1944 – 24 July 1944 | 584th Bombardment Squadron[2] |
| Northern France | 25 July 1944 – 14 September 1944 | 584th Bombardment Squadron[2] |
| Rhineland | 15 September 1944 – 21 March 1945 | 584th Bombardment Squadron[2] |
| Ardennes-Alsace | 16 December 1944 – 25 January 1945 | 584th Bombardment Squadron[2] |
| Central Europe | 22 March 1944 – 21 May 1945 | 584th Bombardment Squadron[2] |
 | Global War on Terror Expeditionary Medal | 384th Air Refueling Squadron[2] |
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
This article incorporatespublic domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)| Leadership |  | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Structure |
| ||||||||||
| Personnel and training | |||||||||||
| Uniforms and equipment | |||||||||||
| History and traditions |
| ||||||||||
 Air Mobility Command (AMC) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Numbered Air Forces | | ||||||||||||
| Command Organizations | |||||||||||||
| Bases | |||||||||||||
| Group | |||||||||||||
| Wings |
| ||||||||||||
| Stations |
| .svg) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Units |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Units |
| .svg) | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
