92nd Air Refueling Squadron | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Active | 1941–1945; 1957–present |
| Country |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Air Force |
| Role | Aerial refueling |
| Part of | Air Mobility Command |
| Garrison/HQ | Fairchild Air Force Base |
| Motto | Dantibus Damus (Latin for 'We Give So That You May Give') |
| Engagements | Pacific Theater of Operations |
| Decorations | Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat V device Air Force Outstanding Unit Award Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm |
| Insignia | |
| 92nd Air Refueling Squadron emblem[a][1][2] |  |
| Patch with early 92nd Air Refueling Squadron emblem[b][1] |  |
| 392nd Bombardment Squadron emblem[c][3] |  |
The92nd Air Refueling Squadron, officially92d Air Refueling Squadron, is aUnited States Air Forcesquadron of the92nd Air Refueling Wing's92nd Operations Group, stationed atFairchild Air Force Base, Washington. It was first activated shortly before the entry of the United States intoWorld War II as the2nd Reconnaissance Squadron. After training in theDouglas B-18 Bolo in the southeastern United States, the squadron moved to the Pacific Coast after theJapanese attack on Pearl Harbor and participated inantisubmarine patrols with theConsolidated B-24 Liberator. In April 1942, it was redesignated the392nd Bombardment Squadron. Starting in mid-1942, it also began trainingcrews on the Liberator. It ended these operations in July 1943 and began to prepare for overseas movement. After three months of training, the squadron moved to the Central Pacific, where it flew its first combat mission in November. The 392nd continued combat operations until March 1945, when it was withdrawn and moved toHawaii, where it conducted routine training and patrol operations until it was inactivated in November 1945.
In July 1957, the 92nd Air Refueling Squadron was established atBergstrom Air Force Base, Texas by assuming the resources of the inactivating506th Air Refueling Squadron whenStrategic Air Command transferred its fighter units toTactical Air Command. Three months later, thesquadron moved toFairchild Air Force Base, Washington, where it equipped withBoeing KC-135 Stratotankers, which it has flown for over fifty years. During theCold War, the squadron maintained half its aircraft onalert. During theCuban Missile Crisis, all the squadron's tankers were either on alert, deployed, or supportingBoeing B-52 Stratofortresses on airborne alert. The squadron also deployed aircraft to the Pacific to refuel strike aircraft during theVietnam War.
In 1985, the 392nd Bombardment Squadron was consolidated with the 92nd Air Refueling Squadron. In 1992, the squadron ended its long association withStrategic Air Command and became part ofAir Mobility Command. Since consolidation, the squadron has deployed personnel and aircraft to support most major United States operations, including combat and humanitarian support operations. Although it has not participated as a unit, squadron personnel and aircraft have deployed worldwide to support these operations. The squadron operates theBoeing KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft conducting worldwideair refueling missions.[2]
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Thesquadron was first activated atMarch Field, California in January 1941 as the2d Reconnaissance Squadron, and was attached to the30th Bombardment Group perGeneral Headquarters Air Force's policy of attaching one reconnaissance squadron to each bombardment group.[4] Four months later it moved toNew Orleans Airport, Louisiana, where it trained with theDouglas B-18 Bolo. Following theJapanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the squadron returned to California where it participated inantisubmarine patrols, re-equipping withConsolidated B-24 Liberators for operations. It was redesignated the392d Bombardment Squadron in April 1942 and assigned directly to the 30th Bombardment Group.[2][5] In June 1942, the unit added the mission of trainingaircrews in the B-24 and in the LB-30 Lend Lease version of the Liberator.[2]
In July 1943, these operations ceased and the squadron began training to deploy to theCentral Pacific, arriving in Hawaii in October 1943. It began combat operations fromCanton Airfield in thePhoenix Islands in November 1943. From Canton, the squadron assisted in the invasion of theGilbert Islands by attacking military installations on the islands and by raiding enemyairfields in theMarshall Islands to protect theamphibious assault on the Gilberts from attacks by Japanese aircraft stationed there.[5]
The 392d "island hopped" toAbemama Airfield in the Gilberts, where it intensified bombing raids against Japanese installations in theMarshall Islands to help prevent the launching of Japanese planes against the amphibious assault onTarawa.[5] Staging through the recently captured Tarawa andMakin Islands, the squadron attacked several atolls in the Marshalls, includingKwajalein, between 14 November 1943 and 1 April 1944 and participated in the invasion of Kwajalein in February 1944.[6]
As the war moved closer to Japan, the squadron attacked airfields andnaval bases in theTruk Islands to neutralize forces there during invasions in theMariana Islands.[5] The 392d also bombedWake Island,Guam,Saipan,[5] and harassed other islands in theCarolines and Marianas bypassed by American amphibious forces.[6]
In August 1944, the squadron moved toEast Field (Saipan), in the Mariana Islands. During the next six months, the 392d conducted bombing strikes against airfields and shipping at Bonin and Volcano Islands,Iwo Jima,ChiChi Jima, andYap. Its final bombing mission was at Iwo Jima on 19 February 1945, the same day three Marine divisions invaded the island.[5][6]
In March 1945, the 392d withdrew from combat and returned to Hawaii, although some of its crews and planes remained in the combat zone, transferring to either of the other Liberator groups in theater, the11th and494th Bombardment Groups.[7] Despite rumors that the group was to receive theConsolidated B-32 Dominator, the elements in Hawaii conducted training sorties and routine patrols with their Liberators until inactivating in November 1945.[2][5][6]
The92d Air Refueling Squadron was activated on 1 July 1957 when it was partially manned by personnel of the inactivating506th Air Refueling Squadron asStrategic Air Command transferred the42d Air Division and its fighter resources atBergstrom Air Force Base toTactical Air Command.[8] The squadron was assigned to the92d Bombardment Wing, but was attached toSecond Air Force as a non-operational unit until the middle of September 1957, when it moved on paper toFairchild Air Force Base, Washington, where it acquired a fewBoeing KB-29 Superfortress tankers, but became non-operational again in October.[2] At Fairchild, the92d Bombardment Wing was converting fromConvair B-36 Peacemakers toBoeing B-52 Stratofortresses and the 92d began to equip with theBoeing KC-135 Stratotanker to support the B-52s in February 1958.[2][9][10]
The squadron was declared combat ready in September 1958. In March 1959, the 92d flew its first mission supportingOperation Chrome Dome.[2] 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. The squadron maintained aircraft on alert except for periods when its forces were deployed until the end of theCold War.[11]
Soon after detection of Soviet missiles in Cuba in October 1962,Strategic Air Command (SAC) placed additional squadron KC-135s on alert to replace tankers devoted to maintaining 1/8 of SAC's B-52 bomber force on airborne alert.[12] With the exception of aircraft deployed to support advanced Tanker Task Forces, all squadron aircraft went on alert on 24 October, as SAC assumedDEFCON 2.[13] On 21 November, SAC returned to normal airborne alert posture.[14] SAC finally returned to its normal alert posture on 27 November.[15]
At various times between January 1970 and December 1975, detachments of the unit were organized atMountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho and atMalmstrom andGlasgow Air Force Bases, Montana, where the 92d maintained part of its tanker alert force.[2] From the 1980s through the termination of the task forces, the squadron deployed aircraft and crews to Tanker Task Forces in Panama, Alaska, Europe and he Pacific.[2]
As military operations in Vietnam escalated, the demand forair refueling of attacking aircraft increased. Crews from the squadron became actively involved in Operation Young Tiger starting in 1965, refueling combat aircraft in Southeast Asia (after 1966, it was joined by its sister at Fairchild, the43d Air Refueling Squadron). Shortly thereafter, the mission of refueling B-52s participating inOperation Arc Light was added.[10] The 92d furnished tankers and crews to support combat inSoutheast Asia until 1975.[2]
In 1985, the392d Bombardment Squadron was consolidated with the92d Air Refueling Squadron into a single unit, retaining the refueling squadron designation.[2]
Following Iraq's invasion of Kuwait on 15 August 1990, the squadron deployed personnel forOperation Desert Shield. Operating until April 1991 to support Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm, the squadron personnel, along with those of the 43d Air Refueling Squadron, flew a combined total of 4,004 hours, 721 sorties, and off-loaded 22.5 million pounds of fuel to coalition aircraft.[2][10]
In June 1992, as a result of an Air Force reorganization, the squadron was temporarily separated from its parent of 35 years, when SAC's forces were split betweenAir Combat Command (ACC) andAir Mobility Command (AMC). While the 92d Wing became part of ACC,[10] the squadron was reassigned to AMC's453rd Operations Group,[2] which was activated at Fairchild to command AMC refueling forces there. Two years later, the 92d retired its B-52s and became the 92d Air Refueling Wing of AMC.[10] The 453d was inactivated and the squadron was reunited with the 92d.[2]
Since 1994, the unit has been involved in virtually every contingency, whether combat or humanitarian relief missions. In addition, its KC-135s have routinely supported special airlift missions. Throughout much of the 1990s, the unit was involved in missions inSouthwest Asia. Squadron personnel participated inOperation Desert Strike, the 1996cruise missile attacks on Iraq, and Operation Phoenix Scorpion, the positioning of a rapid deployment force to prepare for coercive strikes if needed when Iraq acted to stopUnited Nations (UN) weapons inspections.[10][16] It routinely deployed in support ofOperations Southern andNorthern Watch, which required a constant presence of tankers and personnel to enforce the UN-sanctioned no-fly zones in Iraq. The unit also deployed aircraft and personnel in 1999 to supportOperation Allied Force, theNorth Atlantic Treaty Organization strikes against Serb forces in theKosovo War.[10]
Following the terrorist attacks on9/11, the squadron began providing around-the-clock air refueling ofcombat air patrol fighter aircraft and began to maintain ground alert operations in support ofOperation Noble Eagle, the expansion of security forces to defend the United States from potential terrorist attacks. Preparations also began for what would become a series of extendedOperation Enduring Freedom deployments as well as Operation New Dawn, operations in Iraq after August 2010.[10]
On 1 October 2007, the141st Air Refueling Wing became an associate unit of the 92d wing and its116th Air Refueling Squadron began flying the same aircraft as the 92d squadron and the other flying squadrons of the wing.[10]
For ten months during 2011, the squadron relocated its operations toGrant County International Airport andSpokane International Airport[e]c while the Fairchild runway reconstruction project was taking place. Despite significant surge operations throughout the year, the unit was able to support all of its major taskings from the split locations.[10]
On 25 February 2014, the unit aircraft and aircrews returned from theTransit Center at Manas, Kyrgyzstan, for the last time. Deployments to Manas had begun in 2005.[10]
392d Bombardment Squadron
92d Air Refueling Squadron
| Award streamer | Award | Dates | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Air Force Outstanding Unit Award w/Combat "V" Device | 2 March 1969 – 30 September 1969 | 92d Air Refueling Squadron[2] |
 | Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 3 March 1959 – 6 October 1959 | 92d Air Refueling Squadron[2] |
| Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 January 1961 – 31 March 1962 | s92d Air Refueling Squadron[2] |
| Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 July 1967 – 30 June 1968 | 92d Air Refueling Squadron[2] |
| Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 July 1968 – 1 October 1968 | 92d Air Refueling Squadron[2] |
| Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 July 1969 – 30 June 1970 | 92d Air Refueling Squadron[2] |
| Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 July 1976 – 30 June 1977 | 92d Air Refueling Squadron[2] |
| Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 July 1987 – 30 June 1989 | 92d Air Refueling Squadron[2] |
| Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 June 2001–31 May 2003 | 92d Air Refueling Squadron[2] |
| Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 June 2003 – 31 Dec 2005 | 92d Air Refueling Squadron[2] |
| Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 January 2006 – 31 August 2007 | 92d Air Refueling Squadron[2] |
| Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 September 2007 – 31 August 2008 | 92d Air Refueling Squadron[2] |
 | Vietnamese Gallantry Cross with Palm | 2 March 1969 – 30 September 1969 | 92d Air Refueling Squadron[2] |
| Campaign Streamer | Campaign | Dates | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Antisubmarine | 7 December 1941 – June 1943 | 2d Reconnaissance Squadron (later 392d Bombardment Squadron)[3] |
 | Central Pacific | 20 October 1943 – 6 December 1943 | 392d Bombardment Squadron[3] |
| Air Offensive, Japan | 20 October 1943 – 2 September 1945 | 392d Bombardment Squadron[3] |
| Western Pacific | 17 April 1944 – 18 March 1945 | 392d Bombardment Squadron[3] |
| Eastern Mandates | 7 December 1943 – 14 April 1944 | 392d Bombardment Squadron[3] |
This article incorporatespublic domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
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