97th Air Refueling Squadron

The 97th Air Refueling Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 92d Air Refueling Wing, stationed at Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington. It was inactivated on 30 September 2004.

World War II
Established as a pre-World War II light bombardment squadron, equipped with B-18 Bolos; initially based in the Pacific Northwest, after the Pearl Harbor Attack was equipped with DB-7 Bostons and early-model B-24 Liberators (more likely LB-30s) taken by the AAF from export orders to perform antisubmarine patrols along the Washington and Oregon coast. In February 1942, with a Japanese submarine attack unlikely, the squadron was reassigned to III Bomber Command and re-equipped with A-20C Havoc light bombers and trained for overseas deployment.

In November 1942, deployed to French Morocco as part of the Operation Torch invasion force of French North Africa, being assigned to Twelfth Air Force. Arrived at a former Vichy French airfield; engaging in combat operations during the North African Campaign supporting Fifth Army forces driving east across Algeria and Tunisia. Remained as part of the Mediterranean Theater of Operations (MTO) engaging enemy forces in the invasion of Sicily and Southern Italy during 1943. Participated in the Italian Campaign throughout the balance of the war, upgrading to Douglas A-26C Invaders in early 1945. The A-26Cs were used specifically for night raids against enemy strong points and troop concentrations.

Returned to the United States in July 1945, being assigned to Seymour Johnson Field, North Carolina. Planned for re-deployment to the Pacific Theater of Operations (PTO) as part of the Operation Downfall invasion of the Japanese Home Islands. Deployment plans cancelled after the Japanese Capitulation in August, however remained active as part of the postwar Army Air Forces. Was inactivated in March 1946 due to personnel and budget shortages.

Air Refueling
Reactivated in 1949 as the 97th Air Refueling Squadron and initially equipped with KB-29 Superfortress tankers in 1950. Upgraded to KC-97s in 1954 Assigned to Lake Charles AFB, Louisiana and provided air refueling to USAF aircraft, being deployed to England as well as operating in Newfoundland and Labrador as part of Northeast Air Command. Inactivated in 1964 as part of phaseout of KC-97 aircraft.

Reactivated in 1992 with KC-135 Stratotankers; inactivated in 2004.

Lineage

 * Constituted 20th Reconnaissance Squadron (Light) on 20 Nov 1940
 * Activated on 15 Jan 1941
 * Redesignated: 97th Bombardment Squadron (Light) on 14 Aug 1941
 * Redesignated: 97th Bombardment Squadron, Light, on 20 Aug 1943
 * Inactivated on 31 Mar 1946


 * Consolidated (19 Sep 1985) with the 97th Air Refueling Squadron, Medium
 * Constituted on 2 Feb 1949
 * Activated on 1 Mar 1949
 * Discontinued, and inactivated, on 15 Mar 1964


 * Redesignated 97th Air Refueling Squadron, Heavy, and activated, on 8 Oct 1964
 * Organized on 23 Oct 1964
 * Redesignated 97th Air Refueling Squadron on 1 Sep 1991
 * Inactivated on 1 Apr 1992


 * Activated on 1 Oct 1992
 * Inactivated on 30 Sep 2004

Assignments

 * General Headquarters Air Force (later, Air Force Combat Command), 15 Jan 1941
 * Attached to: 17th Bombardment Group, 15 Jan-7 May 1941
 * Attached to: 47th Bombardment Group, 8 May-13 Aug 1941


 * 47th Bombardment Group, 14 Aug 1941-31 Mar 1946
 * 97th Bombardment Group, 1 Mar 1949
 * Attached to the 97th Bombardment Wing, 12 Jul 1950-15 Jun 1952


 * 97th Bombardment Wing, 16 Jun 1952
 * Attached to Fifteenth Air Force, c. 31 May-10 Jul 1955


 * 4061st Air Refueling Wing, 1 Sep 1957
 * 9th Bombardment (later, 9th Strategic Aerospace) Wing
 * Attached to 341st Combat Support Group, 15 Jul 1961


 * 28th Bombardment Wing, 1 Jul 1962-15 Mar 1964
 * Strategic Air Command, 8 Oct 1964
 * 97th Bombardment Wing, 23 Oct 196
 * 97th Operations Group, 1 Sep 1991-1 Apr 1992
 * 43d Operations Group, 1 Oct 1992
 * 453d Operations Group, 1 Apr 1994
 * 92d Operations Group, 1 Jul 1994-30 Sep 2004

Stations

 * McChord Field, Washington (1941)
 * Hammer Field, California (1941–1942)
 * Will Rogers Field, Oklahoma (1942)
 * Greensboro Airport, North Carolina (1942)
 * Langley Field, Virginia (1942)
 * Casablanca Airfield, French Morocco (1942)
 * Mediouna Airfield, French Morocco (1942)
 * Thelepte Airfield, Tunisia (1942–1943)
 * Youks-les-Bains Airfield, Algeria (1943)
 * Canrobert Airfield, Algeria (1943)
 * Souk-el-Arba Airfield, Tunisia (1943)
 * Grombalia, Tunisia (1943)
 * Takali Airdrome, Malta (1943)
 * Torrente Comunelli, Sicily (1943)
 * Catania, Sicily (1943)
 * Taranto, Italy (1943)
 * Foggia, Italy (1943–1944)
 * San Giuseppe, Italy (1944)
 * Capodichino, Italy (1944)
 * Ponte Galeria, Italy (1944)


 * Poretto, Italy (1944)
 * Salon, France (1944)
 * Follonica, Italy (1944)
 * Rosignano Airfield, Italy (1944)
 * Grossetto, Italy (1944–1945)
 * Pisa, Italy (1945)
 * Camp Kilmer, New Jersey (1945)
 * Seymour Johnson Field, North Carolina (1945)
 * Lake Charles Army Air Field, Louisiana (1944–1946)
 * Biggs Air Force Base, Texas (1949–1957)
 * Deployed: RAF Upper Heyford, England (15 March - 1 June 1952)
 * Deployed: Ernest Harmon Air Force Base, Newfoundland (21 November - 20 December 1954)
 * Deployed: Ernest Harmon Air Force Base, Newfoundland (c. 31 May - 10 July 1955)
 * Deployed: RAF Greenham Common, England (1 May - 9 July 1956)
 * Deployed: Goose Air Force Base, Labrador (April - 1 September 1957)
 * Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana (1957–1964)
 * Eaker Air Force Base, Arkansas (1964–1992)
 * Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana (1992–1994)
 * Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington (1994–2004)

Aircraft

 * B-18 Bolo (1941–1942)
 * B-24 Liberator (1941–1942)
 * DB-7 Boston (1942)
 * A-20 Havoc (1942–1945)
 * B-26 Marauder (1945–1946)
 * B-29 Superfortress (1950)
 * KB-29 Superfortress (1950–1954)
 * KC-97 Stratotanker (1954–1964)
 * KC-135 Stratotanker (1964–2004)

Operations

 * World War II