909th Air Refueling Squadron

The 909th Air Refueling Squadron (909 ARS) is part of the 18th Wing at Kadena Air Base, Japan. It operates the KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft conducting aerial refueling missions.

Mission
The 909th is the Pacific Air Forces' "lead force" for air refueling U.S. and allied aircraft during all contingencies. The squadron accomplishes aeromedical evacuations for military and civilian members, transporting patients to as far away as the United States when necessary. It also conducts Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) and headquarters- and command-directed missions.

History
Established in early 1942 initially as a B-24 Liberator reconnaissance squadron, flying antisubmarine patrols. Later being redesignated as a heavy bomb group; trained under Third Air Force in Florida. Completed training in late 1942; deploying to European Theater of Operations (ETO) as one of the initial heavy bomber squadrons assigned to VIII Bomber Command in England, September 1942.

Engaged in long-ranger strategic bombardment operations over Occupied Europe. Deployed to IX Bomber Command in Egypt in December 1942; operating from airfields in Libya and Tunisia. Raided enemy military and industrial targets in Italy and in the southern Balkans, including the Nazi-controlled oilfields at Polesti, Romania, receiving a Distinguished Unit Citation for its gallantry in that raid. Also flew tactical bombing raids against Afrika Korps defensive positions in Tunisia; supporting British Eighth Army forces in their advance to Tunis, in September and October 1943.

Returned to England with disestablishment of IX Bomber Command in North Africa. From England, resumed long-range strategic bombardment raids on Occupied Europe and Nazi Germany, attacking enemy military and industrial targets as part of the United States' air offensive. The squadron was one of the most highly decorated units in the Eighth Air Force, continuing offensive attacks until the German capitulation in May, 1945.

Returned to the United States in June, 1945 where it was programmed to be re-equipped with Boeing B-29 Superfortress very heavy bombers for deployment to the Pacific, but the squadron was inactivated in July. The squadron was activated again at Clovis Army Air Field, New Mexico in November, where it trained with B-29s. In June 1946 it moved to Davis-Monthan Field, Arizona, where it was assigned to the 444th Bombardment Group, one of the first ten combat groups of Strategic Air Command. In October, the 444th group and its squadrons were inactivated and their mission, equipment and personnel were transferred to the 43d Bombardment Group.

Reactivated and redesignated in July 1963 as an air refueling squadron; conducted worldwide air refueling; including rotating aircrews to Southeast Asia from, 1967–1973 and providing air refueling in Southwest Asia from, August 1990–March 1991.

Lineage

 * Constituted 19th Reconnaissance Squadron (Heavy) on 28 Jan 1942
 * Activated on 1 Mar 1942
 * Redesignated: 409th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 22 Apr 1942
 * Redesignated: 409th Bombardment Squadron, Heavy, on 6 Mar 1944
 * Inactivated on 6 Jul 1945


 * Redesignated 409th Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy, on 5 Aug 1945
 * Activated on 20 Aug 1945
 * Inactivated on 1 Oct 1946


 * Consolidated (19 Sep 1985) with the 909th Air Refueling Squadron, Heavy, which was constituted, and activated, on 18 Jan 1963
 * Organized on 1 Apr 1963
 * Redesignated 909th Air Refueling Squadron on 1 Oct 1991.

Assignments

 * 93d Bombardment Group, 1 Mar 1942-6 Jul 1945; 20 Aug 1945
 * Attached to IX Bomber Command, 7 Dec 1942-3 Oct 1943


 * 444th Bombardment Group, 6 May-1 Oct 1946
 * Strategic Air Command, 18 Jan 1963
 * 461st Bombardment Wing, 1 Apr 1963
 * 22d Bombardment Wing, 25 Jun 1966
 * 376th Strategic Wing, 1 Jul 1971
 * 18th Operations Group, 1 Oct 1991–Present

Bases stationed

 * Barksdale Field, Louisiana, 1 Mar 194
 * Page Field, Florida, 18 May-13 Aug 1942
 * RAF Alconbury (AAF-102), England, 7 Sep 1942
 * RAF Hardwick (AAF-104), England, c. 6 Dec 1942-15 Jun 1945
 * Air echelon operated from: Tafaraoui Airfield, Algeria, 7–15 Dec 1942
 * Air echelon operated from: RAF Gambut, Libya, 16 Dec 1942-25 Feb 1943
 * Air echelon operated from: Bengasi Airport, Libya, 27 Jun-25 Aug 1943
 * Air echelon operated from: Oudna Airfield, Tunisia, 18 Sep-3 Oct 1943


 * Sioux Falls Army Air Field, South Dakota, 26 Jun-26 Jul 1945
 * Pratt Army Air Field, Kansas, 20 Aug 1945
 * Clovis Army Air Field, New Mexico, 13 Dec 1945
 * Davis-Monthan Field, Arizona, 18 Jun-1 Oct 1946
 * Amarillo Air Force Base, Texas, 1 Apr 1963
 * March Air Force Base, California, 25 Jun 1966
 * Kadena Air Base, Japan, 1 Jul 1971–Present

Aircraft Operated

 * B-24 Liberator (1942–1945)
 * B-29 Superfortress (1945–1946)
 * KC-135 Stratotanker (1963–Present)

Operations

 * World War II
 * Operation Desert Storm