42nd Air Refueling Squadron

The 42d Air Refueling Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 42d Bombardment Wing, stationed at Loring Air Force Base, Maine. It was inactivated on 1 September 1991.

History
Squadron activated in late 1942 as a B-17 Flying Fortress Operational Training Unit for pilots and aircrews. Transitioned in April 1943 to a B-24 Liberator Replacement Training Unit. Inactivated in April 1944 when heavy bombardment training was discontinued.

Reactivated at Limestone (later Loring) AFB on 18 January 1955 to support the 42d Bombardment Wing.

On 5 September 1983, members of the 42d escorted a crippled F-4E Phantom II over the Atlantic Ocean after it experienced the loss of an engine. For its actions, crew E-113 received the Mackay Trophy for refueling it four times and towing it with its refueling boom.

Remained assigned to the 42d BMW until its inactivation as part of the drawdown after the end of the Cold War on 1 September 1991.

Operations and Decorations

 * Combat Operations: American Theater, 1943–1944
 * Campaigns: None
 * Decorations: None

Lineage

 * Constituted as 542d Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 28 October 1942
 * Activated on 3 November 1942
 * Inactivated on 1 April 1944.


 * Re-designated as 42d Air Refueling Squadron, and activated 1 September 1955
 * Consolidated with 542d Bombardment Squadron, Heavy, 19 September 1985
 * Inactivated on 1 September 1991

Assignments

 * 383d Bombardment Group, 3 November 1942 – 1 April 1944
 * 42d Bombardment Wing, 8 January 1955 – 1 September 1991

Stations

 * Salt Lake City AAB, Utah, 3 November 1942
 * Rapid City AAB, South Dakota, 12 November 1942
 * Ainsworth AAF, Nebraska, 13 December 1942
 * Rapid City AAB, South Dakota, 26 April 1943
 * Geiger Field, Washington, 20 June 1943
 * Peterson Field, Colorado, c. 26 October 1943 – 1 April 1944.
 * Limestone (later, Loring) AFB, Maine, 18 January 1955 – 1 September 1991
 * Deployed to: Thule AFB, Greenland 2 Nov - 28 Dec 1955
 * Deployed to: Sidi Slimane AB, French Morocco, 6-19 Mar 1956
 * Deployed to: Thule AFB, Greenland, 28 Dec 1956 – 7 Mar 1957
 * Deployed to: Goose AB, Labrador, 1 Jul - 5 Oct 1959

Aircraft

 * B-17 Flying Fortress, 1943
 * B-24 Liberator, 1943–1944
 * KC-97 Stratotanker, 1955–1957
 * KC-135 Stratotanker, 1957–1991