98th Air Refueling Squadron

The 98th Air Refueling Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the 92d Operations Group, based at Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington. It was inactivated on 1 July 1998.

History
Established in January 1942 as B-25 Mitchell medium bomber Operational Training Unit for Third Air Force. Became B-26 Marauder OTU in June 1942, also flew antisubmarine patrols over the Gulf of Mexico.

B-29 Superfortress operations against Japan
Re-Activated in March 1944 as a B-29 Superfortress Very Heavy bombardment squadron. When training was completed moved to North Field Tinian in the Mariana Islands of the Central Pacific Area in January 1945 and assigned to XXI Bomber Command, Twentieth Air Force. It's mission was the strategic bombardment of the Japanese Home Islands and the destruction of its war-making capability.

Flew "shakedown" missions against Japanese targets on Moen Island, Truk, and other points in the Carolines and Marianas. The squadron began combat missions over Japan on 25 February 1945 with a firebombing mission over Northeast Tokyo. The squadron continued to participate in wide area firebombing attack, but the first ten day blitz resulting in the Army Air Forces running out of incendiary bombs. Until then the squadron flew conventional strategic bombing missions using high explosive bombs.

The squadron continued attacking urban areas with incendiary raids until the end of the war in August 1945, attacking major Japanese cities, causing massive destruction of urbanized areas. Also conducted raids against strategic objectives, bombing aircraft factories, chemical plants, oil refineries, and other targets in Japan. The squadron flew its last combat missions on 14 August when hostilities ended. Afterwards, its B 29s carried relief supplies to Allied prisoner of war camps in Japan and Manchuria.

Squadron was largely de-mobilized on Tinian during the fall of 1945. Remained in Western Pacific, assigned to Twentieth Air Force. Moved to Clark Field to the Philippines in March 1946. Inactivated at Clark Field on Luzon on June 15, 1946; its low-hour aircraft flown to storage depots in the United States.

United States Air Force
On 16 August 1950 the unit was reactivated as the 98th Air Refueling Squadron at Spokane Air Force Base, Washington and assigned to the 98th Bombardment Group, Medium, while flying the KB-29. It was inactivated again on 8 April 1952. From 1952 to 1963, the squadron was activated and inactivated several times and moved from base to base.

The 98th Air Refueling Squadron (SAC) was formed at Lincoln AFB, Nebraska in 1954. Made up of former members of the 55th ARS from Forbes AFB, Kansas. Inactivated in 1963 when SAC's heavy strategic bomber forces began to be drawn down in favor of ICBMs. In 1985, after 22 years of inactivation, the 98th ARS was reactivated and consolidated with the 398th Bombardment Squadron. It was re-designated the 98th Air Refueling Squadron, Heavy on 19 September 1986 and then renamed the 98th Air Refueling Squadron on 1 April 1994 at Fairchild AFB, Washington, flying KC-135T Stratotanker aircraft. The 98th ARS was again inactivated in 1998 as the Air Force drew down after the end of the Cold War.

Operations and decorations

 * Combat Operations: Antisubmarine patrols in the Gulf of Mexico, 8 Jun 1942 and 31 Jul-8 Aug 1942. Combat in Western Pacific, 16 Jun-14 Aug 1945.
 * Campaigns: World War II: Antisubmarine, American Theater; Air Offensive, Japan; Eastern Mandates; Western Pacific.
 * Decorations: Distinguished Unit Citations: Yokahoma, Japan, 28 May 1945; Japan and Korea, 27 Jul-14 Aug 1945.

Lineage

 * Constituted 8th Reconnaissance Squadron (Medium) on 13 January 1942
 * Activated on 1 February 1942
 * Redesignated 398th Bombardment Squadron (Medium) on 22 April 1942
 * Disbanded on 10 October 1943.


 * Constituted 398th Bombardment Squadron (Very Heavy) on 28 February 1944
 * Activated on 11 March 1944
 * Inactivated on 15 June 1946


 * Consolidated on 1 June 1985 with the 98th Air Refueling Squadron which was activated on 16 August 1950.
 * Inactivated on 7 January 1963


 * Redesignated 98th Air Refueling Squadron, Heavy on 19 September 1986
 * Activated on 19 September 1986
 * Redesignated 98th Air Refueling Squadron on 1 April 1994
 * Inactivated on 30 September 1998.

Assignments

 * 21st Bombardment Group, attached on 1 February 1942, and assigned 22 April 1942-10 October 1943
 * 504th Bombardment Group, 11 March 1944-15 June 1946
 * 98th Bombardment Group, 16 August 1950
 * 98th Bombardment Wing, 16 June 1952-7 January 1963
 * 92d Bombardment Wing, 19 September 1986
 * Redesignated: 92d Wing, 19 September 1991
 * Redesignated: 92d Bomb Wing, 1 June 1992
 * Redesignated: 92d Air Refueling Wing, 19 July 1994-30 September 1998

Stations

 * Bowman Field, Kentucky, 1 February 1942
 * Jackson Army Air Base, Mississippi, 8 February 1942
 * Columbia Army Air Base, South Carolina, 24 April 1942
 * Key Field, Mississippi, 26 May 1942
 * MacDill Field, Florida, 28 June 1942-10 October 1943
 * Dalhart Army Air Field, Texas, 11 March 1944


 * Fairmont Army Airfield, Nebraska, 12 March-5 November 1944
 * North Field, Tinian, Mariana Islands, 23 December 1944
 * Clark Field, Luzon, Philippines, 13 March-15 June 1946
 * Fairchild AFB, Washington, 16 August 1950
 * Lincoln AFB, Nebraska, 16 April 1954-7 January 1963
 * Fairchild AFB, Washington, 19 September 1986-30 September 1998

Aircraft

 * B-25 Mitchell, 1942
 * B-26 Marauder, 1942–1943
 * B-17 Flying Fortress, 1944
 * B-29 Superfortress, 1944–1946


 * KB-29 Superfortress (Tanker), 1950–1952
 * KC-97 Stratotanker, 1952–1960
 * KC-135 Stratotanker, 1960–1963; 1986–1998