93rd Air Refueling Squadron | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Active | 1942–1946; 1949–1995; 1995–present |
| Country |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Air Force |
| Role | Aerial refueling |
| Part of | Air Mobility Command |
| Garrison/HQ | Fairchild Air Force Base, WA |
| Nickname | Vanguards (World War II)[1] |
| Motto | Domini Artis (Latin for 'Masters of the Art') (1995-present) |
| Engagements | China-Burma-India Theater Kosovo War Desert Storm |
| Decorations | Distinguished Unit Citation Air Force Meritorious Unit Award Air Force Outstanding Unit Award |
| Insignia | |
| 93rd Air Refueling Squadron emblem[a][2][3] |  |
| 93rd Air Refueling Squadron emblem[b] |  |
| 93rd Air Refueling Squadron emblem[c][3] | .png) |
| 493rd Bombardment Squadron emblem[4] |  |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Tanker | KC-135 Stratotanker |
The93rd Air Refueling Squadron is an activeUnited States Air Force unit, stationed atFairchild Air Force Base, Washington, where it is assigned to the92nd Operations Group and operates theBoeing KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft conductingair refueling missions.
The earliest predecessor of the squadron is the493rd Bombardment Squadron, which was activated in India in October 1942 and was equipped withConsolidated B-24 Liberators in January 1943. It participated in combat in theChina Burma India Theater with the Liberator untilV-J Day, earning aDistinguished Unit Citation in March 1945. Dring the period in whichBoeing B-29 Superfortress bombers operated from India, it also transported gasoline to forward bases in China. After the end of hostilities, it returned to the United States for inactivation in January 1946.
The93rd Air Refueling Squadron was activated in March 1949 and equipped withBoeing KB-29 Superfortress tankers. It upgraded to theBoeing KC-97 Stratofreighter in 1953, and the KC-135 in 1957. For most of its time atCastle Air Force Base, California, it served as the training unit for KC-135 aircrews, but also maintained combat readiness to executeStrategic Air Command (SAC) missions. In September 1985 the two squadrons were consolidated into a single unit. When SAC inactivated in 1992, the squadron became part ofAir Mobility Command. In March 1995, the squadron was inactivated at Castle, but activated the same day at Fairchild, where it assumed the personnel of another unit.
The squadron providesair refueling, as well as rapid and reliable passenger and cargo airlift andaeromedical evacuation. It supports U.S. and coalition conventional operations andUnited States Strategic Command strategic deterrence missions. It deploys expeditionary combat support forces to support worldwide contingency requirements.[5]
The7th Bombardment Group was deploying to the Philippines when the Japanesestruck Pearl Harbor. With theair bases in the Philippines in Japanese hands, it engaged in combat in Australia and the Netherlands East Indies. By late spring 1942, it had moved to India.[6] In India, it was assigned twomedium bomber squadrons, the11th and22d Bombardment Squadrons,[7] and twoheavy bomber squadrons, the9th and436th Bombardment Squadrons.[8] In September, the two medium squadrons were reassigned to form thecadre for the new341st Bombardment Group,[7] while the492nd and493rd Bombardment Squadrons were organized to take their places and make the 7th Group an all heavy bomber unit.[9]
The493rd Bombardment Squadron was activated atCamp Malir nearKarachi, India (now Pakistan).[2] It initially was nominally manned, but after moving toPandaveswar Airfield, India in January 1943, it drew its cadre from the 9th Bombardment Squadron and received substantial manning by the end of the month.[1] The squadron flew its first combat mission on 26 January 1943 when it bombed docks, shipping, and warehouses atRangoon, Burma.[1]
The squadron engaged in strategic bombardment operations, primarily directed against Japanese forces in Burma. with attacks on airfields, fuel and supply dumps, docks, shipping and warehouses. In particular the Burmese rail system was a focus with attacks on railways, locomotive works, and bridges. The squadron also attacked oil refineries and railroads in Thailand and power production facilities in China. It conducted strikes on enemy shipping in the Andaman Sea.[6]
As the 1944 monsoon began in June, the squadron moved toTezgaon Airfield, India (now Bangla Desh). There, it ceased combat operations and began ferrying fuel overthe Hump toFourteenth Air Force in China. Supply operations continued until September, when it returned to Pandaveswar. On 27 December a detachment of the squadron moved toLuliang Airfield, China, where it resumedairlift operations, hauling gasoline toSuichwan Airfield, China until late January 1945.[2][6]
The squadron began practice with VB-1Azon ("Azimuth only") controllable bombs. B-24s using the Azon were specially equipped with electronics to control the bombs. Azon bombs were radio controlled and could be steered left or right, although their trajectory could not be changed to shorten or lengthen their flight to target. The VB-1 was particularly suited to long and narrow targets like bridges or railways where range errors would be irrelevant. For this reason, the squadron used them almost exclusively for attacks on bridges. 27 bridges in Burma were destroyed with the bomb, including theBridge on the River Kwai. Perhaps the greatest success with the VB-1 was on 27 December 1944, when 9 of the bombs destroyed the rail bridge atPyinmana, Burma, which had stood despite a rain of thousands of bombs in the two previous years. On 30 December 1944, the squadron launched four B-24s equipped with Azon bombs along with two regular Liberators. The primary target was theNyaungchudauk bridge in Burma with its bypass bridge as the first alternate target and theTaungup bridge as second alternate. Direct hits demolished the primary and bypass bridge. The regular B-24s failed in their attempt to destroy the nearbyOkshitpin bridge, but the Azon crews destroyed it in two passes. The Azon equipped planes then crossed the mountains to drop a span of theTaungup road bridge. In all, four major bridges were disabled with a few Azon bombs still remaining.[10] The squadron made its first Azon attack on 27 December 1944.[11]
On 19 March, the 493rd earned aDistinguished Unit Citation for attacks against rail lines and bridges in Thailand.[6] The squadron also dropped propaganda leaflets in Thailand from June through September 1945 for theOffice of War Information.[12]
AfterV-J Day the 493rd Squadron staged throughDudhkundi Airfield, India,Kanchrapara Airfield, India, and Camp Angus (nearCalcutta), India, departing Calcutta aboard theUSS General W. M. Black[citation needed] on 7 December 1945. The vessel reached the Port of Embarkation on 5 January 1946 and the squadron inactivated atCamp Kilmer, New Jersey, the following day[2]
The second predecessor of the squadron was the93rd Air Refueling Squadron, which activated atCastle Air Force Base, California on 1 March 1949 and was assigned to the93rd Bombardment Group.[2] The squadron remained unmanned for over a year, finally receiving personnel in September 1950. It started receivingBoeing KB-29 Superfortress tankers the following month, but was not considered combat ready until October 1951. It primarily providedair refueling for the93rd Bombardment Wing's bombers for their wartime mission, training,exercises and overseas deployments. The 93rd deployed with its KB-29s toRAF Upper Heyford, England from 6 Dec 1951 to 6 Mar 1952.[13] In June 1952, the squadron was reassigned from the 93rd Bombardment Group, which had not been operational since February 1951, directly to the 93rd Bombardment Wing.[2][14] The squadron supported Operation Fox Peter II, the movement of the31st Fighter-Escort Wing from the United States to Japan, in July 1952 using KB-29Ps flying fromGuam andKwajalein to refuel 58Republic F-84G Thunderjet fighters on their way to theKorean War.[citation needed]
The squadron began to convert from KB-29s toBoeing KC-97 Stratofreighters in November 1953 and completed the conversion in December.[13] The squadron frequently deployed its tankers, beginning with a deployment toDavis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona from 1 April to 15 May 1954. It deployed twice to forward locations overseas, including toErnest Harmon Air Force Base, Newfoundland, from 19 June to 14 August 1954 and toThule Air Base, Greenland, from 19 January to March 1955. It also deployed twice toElmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, from 2 November 1955 to 5 January 1956 and from 27 September to December 1956.[2] The 93rd began training its aircrews to operateBoeing KC-135 Stratotankers in May 1957.[13]
The squadron was the first Stratotanker squadron in the Air Force.[15] Shortly after converting to the Stratotanker, it assumed KC-135 aircrew training as primary mission. On 1 July 1959, the924th Air Refueling Squadron was activated at Castle, drawing its cadre from the 93rd and assuming the training mission.[13] SAC's commander, GeneralThomas S. Power, had established an initial goal of maintaining one third of SAC's planes on fifteen minute ground alert, fully fueled and ready for combat to reduce vulnerability to a Soviet missile strike,[16] and the squadron began placing aircraft on alert. The SAC alert commitment increased to half the squadron's aircraft in 1962.[17]
Soon after1962 detection of Soviet missiles in Cuba, SAC brought all degraded and adjusted alert sorties were up to full capability.[18] As SAC launched 1/8 of itsBoeing B-52 Stratofortresses on airborne alert, additional KC-135 were placed on alert to replace KC-135s devoted to refueling the airborne B-52 bombers.[19] On 24 October SAC went toDEFCON 2, placing all aircraft on alert.[20] On 27 November SAC returned to normal alert posture.[21]
On 21 August 1963, the 93rd ceased standing alert and on 26 August again began KC-135 aircrew training as its primary mission, it routinely supported Alaskan, European, and Pacific tanker task forces. It refueled wing B-52s to support their wartime taskings; and other US Air Force, Navy, and Marine aircraft for routine training, operations, exercises, and worldwide contingencies that required tanker support, but did not stand alert.[13][e] The squadron also provided specialized training of shorter duration to senior officers (such as wing commanders). For a period the 93rd also sent instructor teams to locations whereAir Force Reserve andAir National Guard units were converting to KC-135 tanker operations to help in-house training programs.[citation needed] On 1 September 1991, SAC reorganized its wings in the Objective Wing reorganization, and the squadron was reassigned to the 93rd Operations Group.[2]
In June 1992, the Air Force reorganized its major commands, inactivating SAC. The 93rd Wing and its support andheavy bomber units, was assigned to the newAir Combat Command, while its refueling units, including the 93rd, became part ofAir Mobility Command (AMC), which activated the398th Operations Group at Castle as the headquarters for refueling units there.[2]
The1995 Base Realignment and Closure Commission (BRAC) directed closure of Castle.[22] In addition, BRAC directed AMC to move its tanker training toTinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, where its97th Air Mobility Wing was already conductingairlift crew training. AMC activated the55th Air Refueling Squadron at Tinker to conduct this training.[23][24] On 31 Mar 1995, the 93rd was inactivated at Castle, but was activated the same day atFairchild Air Force Base, Washington, where it assumed the mission, personnel and equipment of the96th Air Refueling Squadron, which was inactivated. At Fairchild, the 93rd was assigned to the92nd Operations Group.[2]
Following the11 September 2001 terrorist attacks, the squadron deployed tankers and aircrew that refueled combat aircraft for OperationsNoble Eagle,Enduring Freedom, andIraqi Freedom.[13] During a 2013 deployment toManas Air Base, Kyrgyzstan, a crew from the squadron perished when their KC-135 crashed nearChaldovar.[25]
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| Award streamer | Award | Dates | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Distinguished Unit Citation | 19 March 1945 | Thailand, 493rd Bombardment Squadron[2] |
 | Air Force Meritorious Unit Award | 1 June 2003–31 December 2005 | 93rd Air Refueling Squadron[2] |
| Air Force Meritorious Unit Award | 1 September 2012–31 August 2013 | 93rd Air Refueling Squadron[2] |
 | Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 January 1956–1 July 1959 | 93rd Air Refueling Squadron[2] |
| Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 June 1962–1 April 1963 | 93rd Air Refueling Squadron[2] |
| Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 April 1973–30 June 1974 | 93rd Air Refueling Squadron[2] |
| Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 July 1983–30 June 1985 | 93rd Air Refueling Squadron[2] |
| Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 July 1988–30 June 1990 | 93rd Air Refueling Squadron[2] |
| Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 2 August 1990–11 April 1991 | 93rd Air Refueling Squadron[2] |
| Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 July 1995–30 June 1997 | 93rd Air Refueling Squadron[2] |
| Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 January 1998–30 June 1999 | 93rd Air Refueling Squadron[2] |
| Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 24 March 1999–10 June 1999 | 93rd Air Refueling Squadron[2] |
| Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 June 2001–31 May 2003 | 93rd Air Refueling Squadron[2] |
| Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 January 2006–31 August 2007 | 93rd Air Refueling Squadron[2] |
| Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 September 2007–31 August 2008 | 93rd Air Refueling Squadron[2] |
| Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 August 2009–31 July 2011 | 93rd Air Refueling Squadron[2] |
| Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | [1] August 2011–31 August 2012 | 93rd Air Refueling Squadron[2] |
| Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 September 2013–31 August 2014 | 93rd Air Refueling Squadron[2] |
| Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 September 2014–31 August 2015 | 93rd Air Refueling Squadron[2] |
| Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 September 2015–31 August 2017 | 93rd Air Refueling Squadron[2] |
| Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 September 2017–31 August 2018 | 93rd Air Refueling Squadron[2] |
| Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 September 2018–31 August 2019 | 93rd Air Refueling Squadron[2] |
| Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 September 2019–31 August 2020 | 93rd Air Refueling Squadron[2] |
| Campaign Streamer | Campaign | Dates | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
 | China Defensive | 25 October 1942–4 May 1945 | 493rd Bombardment Squadron[2] |
| India-Burma | 2 April 1943–28 January 1945 | 493rd Bombardment Squadron[2] |
| Central Burma | 29 January 1945–15 July 1945 | 493rd Bombardment Squadron[2] |
 | Liberation and Defense of Kuwait | 17 January 1991–11 April 1991 | 93rd Air Refueling Squadron[2] |
 | Air Campaign | 24 March 1999–10 March 1999 | 93rd Air Refueling Squadron[2] |
 | Global War on Terror Service | 11 September 2001– | 93rd 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
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