756th Air Refueling Squadron

The 756th Air Refueling Squadron (756 ARS) is a United States Air Force Reserve squadron, assigned to the 459th Operations Group, stationed at Andrews Field, Joint Base Andrews, Maryland.

Overview
The squadron operates KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft conducting air refueling missions.

History
Activated as a B-24 Liberator heavy bombardment squadron in July 1943; assigned to II Bomber Command for training. Primarily trained in Utah and Arizona received deployment orders for the Mediterranean Theater of Operations (MTO) in September 1943. Moved to Massachusetts where the group flew long-range convoy escort missions over the Newfoundland Banks to Long Island Sound, November-December 1943 while station in Italy was being constructed. Deployed to Southern Italy in January 1944; entered combat in February, being assigned to Fifteenth Air Force. Engaged in very long range strategic bombing missions to enemy military, industrial and transportation targets in Italy, France, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Romania, and Yugoslavia, bombing railroad marshalling yards, oil refineries, airdrome installations, heavy industry, and other strategic objectives. Also carried out some support and interdiction operations. Struck bridges, harbors, and troop concentrations in August 1944 to aid the invasion of Southern France. Hit communications lines and other targets during March and April 1945 to support the advance of British Eighth Army and American Fifth Army in northern Italy.

Returned to the United States in August 1945, being programmed for deployment to the Pacific Theater of Operations (PTO) as a B-29 Superfortress Very Heavy Bombardment Squadron. Many combat veterans of MTO demobilized upon arrival in the United States, and a small cadre of personnel reformed at Sioux Falls Army Airfield, South Dakota at the end of August. Japanese Capitulation in August led to inactivation of unit and assigned personnel being reassigned to other group squadrons or demobilized.

Reactivated in the Air Force Reserve in 1947 with B-29s. Trained at Long Beach Army Air Field, California then moving in 1949 to Smoky Hill AFB, Kansas and Barksdale AFB, Louisiana shortly afterward. Activated in 1951 by Second Air Force due to the Korean War, aircraft and personnel being reassigned to Strategic Air Command combat groups deployed to Far East Air Forces; inactivated shortly afterward.

Reactivated in 1954 as a reserve Tactical Air Command troop carrier squadron. Trained for and troop carrier and airlift operations beginning in Jun 1954 and in 1966 began flying airlift missions worldwide, including airlift support of contingency operations in Grenada in 1983 and in Panama in 1989. The squadron has also flown numerous humanitarian airlift missions.

Redesignated in 2003 as an air refueling squadron; equipped with KC-135Rs.

Lineage

 * Constituted 756th Bombardment Squadron, Heavy, on 19 May 1943
 * Activated on 1 Jul 1943
 * Inactivated on 28 Aug 1945


 * Redesignated 756th Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy on 11 Mar 1947
 * Activated in the Reserve on 19 Apr 1947
 * Redesignated 756th Bombardment Squadron, Medium on 26 Jun 1949
 * Ordered to Active Service on 1 May 1951
 * Inactivated on 16 May 1951


 * Redesignated 756th Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium on 6 May 1954
 * Activated in the Reserve on 1 Jun 1954
 * Redesignated: 756th Military Airlift Squadron on 1 Oct 1966
 * Redesignated: 756th Tactical Airlift Squadron on 29 Jun 1971
 * Redesignated: 756th Military Airlift Squadron on 1 Jul 1986
 * Redesignated: 756th Airlift Squadron on 1 Feb 1992
 * Redesignated: 756th Air Refueling Squadron on 1 Oct 2003

Assignments

 * 459th Bombardment Group, 1 Jul 1943-28 Aug 1945; 19 Apr 1947
 * Tenth Air Force, 26 Jun 1949
 * Fifteenth Air Force, 21 Jul 1949
 * Second Air Force, 1 Apr 1950-16 May 1951
 * First Air Force, 1 Jun 1954
 * 459th Troop Carrier Group, 26 Jan 1955
 * 459th Troop Carrier Wing, 14 Apr 1959
 * 909th Troop Carrier (later, 909 Military Airlift; 909 Tactical Airlift) Group, 17 Jan 1963
 * 459th Tactical Airlift (later, 459 Military Airlift; 459 Airlift) Wing, 1 Sep 1975
 * 459th Operations Group, 1 Aug 1992-Present

Stations

 * Alamogordo Army Airfield, New Mexico, 1 Jul 1943
 * Kearns Army Air Base, Utah, 2 Sep 1943
 * Davis-Monthan Field, Arizona, 22 Sep 1943
 * Westover Field, Massachusetts, 1 Nov 1943-2 Jan 1944
 * Giulia Airfield, Italy, 12 Feb 1944-c. 2 Aug 1945


 * Sioux Falls Army Air Field, South Dakota, c. 14-28 Aug 1945
 * Long Beach Army Air Field, California, 19 Apr 1947
 * Smoky Hill AFB, Kansas, 27 Jun 1949
 * Barksdale AFB, Louisiana, 10 Oct 1949-16 May 1951
 * Andrews AFB, Maryland, 1 Jun 1954-Present

Aircraft Operated

 * B-24 Liberator (1943–1945)
 * C-46 Commando (1954–1957)
 * C-119 Flying Boxcar (1957–1966)
 * C-124 Globemaster II (1966–1971)
 * C-130 Hercules (1971–1986)
 * C-141 Starlifter (1986–2003)
 * KC-135 Stratotanker (2003–Present)

Operations

 * World War II
 * Operation Urgent Fury
 * Operation Just Cause