912th Air Refueling Squadron

The 912th Air Refueling Squadron (912 ARS) is a United States Air Force Reserve squadron, assigned to the 452d Operations Group, stationed at March Joint Air Reserve Base, California.

The squadron is a corollary unit of the active duty 93d Air Refueling Squadron, 92d Air Refueling Wing (92 ARW), Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington.

Overview
The squadron operates the KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft conducting aerial refueling and other air mobility missions.

History
The squadron flew combat missions in the European Theater of Operations from, 13 May 1943–20 April 1945. It conducted long distance aerial refueling from, 1961–1972 and worldwide aerial refueling, beginning 1973. The 912th gained also flew EC–135 airborne command post missions from, 1984–1989. On 19 Sep 1985 the 912th Air Refueling Squadron was consolidated with the 412th Bombardment Squadron (Very Heavy), a unit that was last active 27 Jun 1949. Thia action was directed by Department of the Air Force Letter DAF/MPM 662q Attachme1 (Active Units), 19 Sep 1985 The Consolidated Unit retains the Designation of "912th Air Refueling Squadron, Heavy". The 912th supported operations in Grenada, 23–24 October 1983, Panama, 18–21 December 1989, and Southwest Asia, August 1990–March 1991.

The squadron was inactivated at Grand Forks AFB, North Dakota on 20 Mar 2009 pursuant to BRAC 2005 action which directed the transition of Grand Forks AFB from an air refueling mission to an unmanned reconnaissance aircraft mission with the RQ-4 Global Hawk.

The squadron was reactivated at March ARB, California on 3 Dec 2010 as an Active Associate organization, an active duty Regular Air Force flying unit assigned to an Air Force Reserve Command flying unit, with both organizations operating the same aircraft. As part of the 452nd Air Mobility Wing (452 AMW) at March, the 912th is an active duty squadron that will work in tandem with March's 336th Air Refueling Squadron and 452nd Maintenance Group, flying and maintaining the KC-135R Stratotanker aircraft as the 912th previously did at Grand Forks. However, the 912 ARS will remain under the administrative control of the 92nd Air Refueling Wing (92 ARW) at Fairchild AFB, Washington.

Operations and Decorations

 * Combat Operations: Combat in European Theater of Operations (ETO), 13 May 1943-20 Apr 1945. Gained EC-135 airborne command post mission, 1984-1989. Supported operations in Grenada, 23-24 Oct 1983; Panama, 18-21 Dec 1989; and Southwest Asia, Aug 1990-Mar 1991. Performed aerial refueling operations in support of various missions including: Joint Task Force Southwest Asia; effort to monitor airspace over Bosnia; humanitarian missions in Haiti, Rwanda and Cuba; and NATO actions, 1996-. Deployed aircraft and personnel in support of homeland defense after terrorist attacked the US on 11 Sep 2001.


 * Campaigns: World War II: Air Offensive, Europe; Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe; Air Combat, EAME Theater. Southwest Asia: Defense of Saudi Arabia; Liberation and Defense of Kuwait.


 * Decorations: Distinguished Unit Citations: Germany, 17 Aug 1943; Munster, Germany, 10 Oct 1943; Berlin, Germany, 4 Mar 1944. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: [1 Dec] 1961-31 Mar 1962; 1 Jul 1976-30 Jun 1978; 1 Jul 1982-30 Jun 1984; 1 Jul 1984-30 Jun 1986; 1 Oct 1993-30 Jun 1995; 1 Jul 1995-30 Jun 1997; 1 Jul 2000-30 Jun 2002; 1 Jul 2002-30 Jun 2004; 1 Jul 2004-30 Jun 2005; 1 Jul 2005-30 Jun 2006; 1 Jul 2006-30 Jun 2007; 1 Jul 2007-20 Mar 2009.

Lineage

 * Constituted as 22d Reconnaissance Squadron (Heavy) on 28 Jan 1942
 * Redesignated as 412th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 22 Apr 1942
 * Activated on 15 Jun 1942
 * Redesignated as 412th Bombardment Squadron, Heavy, on 20 Aug 1943
 * Inactivated on 28 Aug 1945


 * Redesignated as 412th Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy, on 9 Jul 1947
 * Activated in the Reserve on 16 Jul 1947
 * Inactivated on 27 Jun 1949


 * Consolidated (19 Sep 1985) with 912th Air Refueling Squadron, Heavy, which was constituted, and activated, on 3 Aug 1961
 * Organized on 1 Dec 1961
 * Redesignated as 912th Air Refueling Squadron on 1 Sep 1991.

Assignments

 * 95th Bombardment Group, 15 Jun 1942-28 Aug 1945; 16 Jul 1947-27 Jun 1949
 * Strategic Air Command, 3 Aug 1961
 * 4137th Strategic Wing, 1 Dec 1961
 * 465th Bombardment Wing, 1 Feb 1963
 * 19th Bombardment (later, 19th Air Refueling) Wing, 25 Jul 1968
 * 19th Operations Group, 1 Sep 1991
 * 319th Operations Group, 1 Apr 1994
 * 92d Operations Group, 1 Oct 2010-Present

Stations

 * Barksdale Field, Louisiana, 15 Jun 1942
 * Pendleton Field, Oregon, 26 Jun 1942
 * Geiger Field, Washington, 28 Aug 1942
 * Ephrata Army Air Base, Washington, 31 Oct 1942
 * Geiger Field, Washington, 24 Nov 1942
 * Rapid City Army Air Base, South Dakota, 17 Dec 1942-18 Apr 1943
 * RAF Framlingham (AAF-153), England, 11 May 1943


 * RAF Horham (AAF-119), England, 15 Jun 1943-6 Aug 1945
 * Sioux Falls Army Airfield, South Dakota, 14-28 Aug 1945
 * Knoxville Municipal Airport, Tennessee, 16 Jul 1947-27 Jun 1949
 * Robins AFB, Georgia, 1 Dec 1961
 * Grand Forks AFB, North Dakota, 1 Apr 1994
 * March AFB, California, 1 Oct 2010-Present

Aircraft

 * B-17 Flying Fortress, 1942-1945
 * KC-135 Stratotanker, 1962-Present
 * EC-135, 1984-1989.