96th Air Refueling Squadron

The 96th Air Refueling Squadron (96 ARS) is an associate unit of the 15th Wing at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii in partnership with the 203rd Air Refueling Squadron and 154th Maintenance Group of the Hawaii Air National Guard.

Mission
The 96 ARS operates the KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft conducting aerial refueling missions.

History
The 96th Air Refueling Squadron was constituted as the 6th Reconnaissance Squadron (Medium) on 20 November 1940 and activated on 15 January 1941 at March Field, California. Originally attached to the 41st Bombardment Group, it became assigned to it on 25 February 1942. The squadron was tasked with conducting antisubmarine patrols, from December 1941–August 1942 and from December 1942–February 1943.

It was redesignated as the 396th Bombardment Squadron (Medium) on 22 April 1942 and as the 396th Bombardment Squadron, Medium, c. 9 May 1943. Trained with B-25 Mitchell medium bombers, being assigned to Seventh Air Force. Deployed to the Central Pacific Area, from 19 January–23 September 1944, engaging in combat operations in the Gilbert Islands, then returning to Hawaii in October 1944.

Deployed to Okinawa in June 1945, flying combat bombardment missions over eastern China and Formosa. Prepared for combat action as part of Operation Downfall, the planned invasion of the Japanese Home Islands however the Japanese Capitulation in August cancelled those plans. Squadron demobilized on Okinawa during the fall of 1945, aircraft being sent to reclamation in the Philippines. Personnel returned to the United States and squadron inactivated on 27 January 1946.

Reactivated as 96th Air Refueling Squadron, Medium in 1953. Based at Altus AFB, Oklahoma; supported refueling operations primarily in Northeast Air Command and Alaskan Air Command areas. Also deployed to Guam in 1956 flying KC-97F and G aircraft. The squadron was reassigned to the 11th Bombardment Wing, on 3 December 1957. Redesignated as the 96th Air Refueling Squadron, Heavy, on 8 March 1958, the squadron converted that same year to the KC-135A. The 96th ARS was discontinued on 1 October 1960. Organized on 15 December 1960, and assigned to 11th Bombardment (later, 11th Strategic Aerospace) Wing, at Altus AFB, OK, with the KC-135A as its aircraft, it was discontinued, and inactivated, on 25 June 1965.

Redesignated as the 96th Air Refueling Squadron, reactivated, on 1 April 1994 with KC-135Rs.

Lineage

 * Constituted 6th Reconnaissance Squadron (Medium) on 20 November 1940
 * Activated on 15 January 1941
 * Redesignated: 396th Bombardment Squadron (Medium) on 22 April 1942
 * Redesignated: 396th Bombardment Squadron, Medium, c. 9 May 1943
 * Inactivated on 27 January 1946


 * Consolidated (19 September 1985) with 96th Air Refueling Squadron, Medium, which was constituted on 6 November 1953
 * Activated on 18 November 1953
 * Redesignated: 96th Air Refueling Squadron, Heavy, on 8 March 1958
 * Discontinued on 1 October 1960


 * Organized on 15 December 1960
 * Discontinued, and inactivated, on 25 June 1965


 * Redesignated 96th Air Refueling Squadron, and activated, on 1 April 1994
 * Inactivated on 31 March 2005
 * Reactivated on 23 July 2010

Assignments

 * 41st Bombardment Group, attached 15 January 1941, assigned 25 February 1942-27 January 1946
 * Associated with: 1st Photographic Group, 10 Jun 1941-22 Apr 1942 (training)


 * 96th Bombardment Wing, 18 November 1953
 * Attached to: Northeast Air Command, 5 October-20 November 1954, 1 August-14 September 1955, 18–31 January 1956
 * Attached to: Alaskan Air Command and 303d Bomb Wing [split deployment], 25 June-9 October 1956
 * Attached to: 98th Air Base Group, 10 January-7 April 1957


 * 11th Bombardment Wing, 3 December 1957-1 October 1960
 * 11th Bombardment (later, 11th Strategic Aerospace) Wing, 15 December 1960-25 June 1965
 * 453d Operations Group, 1 April 1994
 * 92d Operations Group, 1 July 1994– 2005
 * 15th Operations Group 2010 -

Stations

 * March Field, California, 15 January 1941
 * Davis-Monthan Field, Arizona, 16 May 1941
 * Muroc Army Airfield, California, 8 December 1941
 * Sacramento MAP, California, c. 11 January 1942
 * Operated from NAS Alameda, California, April-10 May 1942
 * A detachment of the air echelon operated from MCAS Cherry Point, North Carolina, June-August 1942


 * Hammer Field, California, 24 August 1942
 * Stationed temporarily at: NAS Alameda, California, 1 December 1942-February 1943
 * Stationed temporarily at: Sacramento MAP, California, 17 February-29 September 1943


 * Hickam Field, Hawaii Territory, 20 October 1943;
 * Hawkins Field, Tarawa, Gilbert Islands, 24 December 1943


 * Makin Airfield, Gilbert Islands, 20 April 1944
 * Wheeler Field, Hawaii Territory, 14 October 1944-20 May 1945
 * Yontan Airfield, Okinawa, 7 June 1945
 * Fort William McKinley, Luzon, Philippines, December 1945-27 January 1946
 * Altus AFB, Oklahoma, 18 November 1953-1 October 1960
 * Deployed at: Ernest Harmon AFB, Newfoundland, 5 October-20 November 1954
 * Deployed at: Thule AFB, Greenland, 1 August-14 September 1955 and 18–31 January 1956
 * Deployed at: Elmendorf AFB, Alaska Territory and Andersen AFB, Guam [split deployment], 25 June-9 October 1956


 * Altus AFB, Workaholic, 15 December 1960-25 June 1965
 * Fairchild AFB, Washington, 1 April 1994-2005
 * Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii 2010-

Aircraft operated

 * PT-17 Kaydet (1941)
 * B-18 Bolo (1941–1942)
 * LB-30 (1941–1942)
 * A-29 Hudson (1941–1942)
 * B-25 Mitchell (1942–1945)
 * KC-97 Stratotanker (1954–1958)
 * KC-135 Stratotanker (1958–1960, 1960–1965, 1994–2005, 2010-

Operations

 * World War II
 * Enduring Freedom
 * Iraqi Freedom
 * Tomodachi