9th Air Refueling Squadron

9th Air Refueling Squadron
Official crest of the 9th Air Refueling Squadron
Active	19 January 1942 – 4 December 1945 1 August 1951 – 15 December 1965 12 December 1969 – 27 January 1982 1 August 1982 –
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Size	over 120 combat-ready personnel
Part of	Air Mobility Command Eighteenth Air Force 60th Air Mobility Wing 60th Operations Group
Garrison/HQ	Travis Air Force Base
Motto(s)	"UNIVERSAL"
Equipment	(12x) KC-10A Extender
Commanders
Current Commander	Lieutenant Colonel Thad Middleton
Ceremonial chief	Major Jarrod Paine
First Sergeant	MSgt Gary Dayton
Current Squadron Superintendent	CMSgt Robbie Wellbaum
Notable commanders	General Arthur J. Lichte General Paul Selva Lieutenant General Michelle D. Johnson
Aircraft flown
Tanker	KC-10 Extender

9 EARS OEF, OIF unit patch

9 EARS Morale Patch

World War II 9th Reconnaissance Squadron emblem

9th Photographic Squadron emblem

The 9th Air Refueling Squadron (9th ARS) was initially activated in 1951, although its history can be traced back to the 9th Photographic Squadron of World War II. The 9th ARS has had many deployments to worldwide locations, and is still performing a global mission (some to remote forward operating location), during wartime, humanitarian operations, and exercises.

History

Established under First Air Force as a photo-reconnaissance squadron at Mitchell Field, New York. Operated over the Northeast United States flying reconnaissance missions over the Atlantic coast and Newfoundland shipping lanes, primarily operating early-model F-4 (P-51B) Mustangs.

Deployed to the China-Burma-India Theater of Operations (CBI) during the summer of 1943; being assigned to Headquarters, Tenth Air Force. Flights of F-5 (P-51D) photo-reconnaissance aircraft operated over a wide area of Burma; Thailand and China until the Japanese Capitulation in August 1945 obtaining aerial photos and reconnaissance of enemy positions and targets for heavy bomber attacks. Flew tactical reconnaissance missions to support United States and British ground forces in Burma.

Returned to the United States during the fall of 1945, inactivated in December. Unit transferred their mission to worldwide air refueling, and with a name change to the 9th Air Refueling Squadron, Medium, received KB-29 tanker aircraft. They then began refueling operations from August 1951 to December 1965, January 1970 to January 1982, and from August 1982 through today, including support during the rescue of US nationals from Grenada in 1983, support for deployments to Southwest Asia from 1990 to 1991, and humanitarian airlift missions to Somalia in support of Operation Restore Hope during 1992–1993. On 19 September 1985 the 9th Air Refueling Squadron was consolidated with the 9th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, a unit that was last active 4 September 1945. This action was directed by Department of the Air Force Letter DAF/MPM 662q Attachment 1 (Active Units), 19 September 1985. The Consolidated Unit will retain the Designation of 9th Air Refueling Squadron, Heavy".

Following the events of 9/11 supported Operation Noble Eagle. Starting in October 2001 and continuing present day deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Starting in March 2003 and continuing present day deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Lineage

• Constituted 9th Photographic Squadron on 19 January 1942

Activated on 1 February 1942

Redesignated: 9th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron on 9 June 1942

Redesignated: 9th Photographic Squadron (Light) on 6 February 1943

Redesignated: 9th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron on 13 November 1943

Inactivated on 4 December 1945

• Consolidated (19 September 1985) with the 9th Air Refueling Squadron, Medium, which was constituted on 24 July 1951

Activated on 1 August 1951

Discontinued, and inactivated, on 15 December 1965

• Redesignated 9th Air Refueling Squadron, Heavy, on 12 December 1969

Activated on 1 January 1970

Inactivated on 27 January 1982

• Activated on 1 August 1982

Redesignated 9th Air Refueling Squadron on 1 September 1991

• Personnel designated as: 9th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron with unit in provisional status when deployed after 11 September 2001

Assignments

• First Air Force, 1 February 1942
• Tenth Air Force, 29 March 1942

Flight attached to Fourteenth Air Force, 10 March – 12 July 1943

• Army Air Forces, India-Burma Sector, 30 October 1943

Attached to: 5306th Photographic and Reconnaissance Group [Provisional], 30 October 1943 – 17 January 1944

Attached to: Tenth Air Force, 17 January – 6 March 1944

• Tenth Air Force, 7 March 1944
• 8th Photographic (later, 8th Reconnaissance) Group, 25 April 1944
• Army Air Forces, India-Burma Theater, c. Oct-4 December 1945
• 9th Bombardment Group, 1 August 1951

Attached to: 43d Bombardment Wing, 1 August – 3 September 1951

Attached to: 36th Air Division, 4 September 1951 – 14 January 1952

Attached to: 303d Bombardment Wing, 15 January 1952–

• 9th Bombardment (later, 9th Strategic Aerospace) Wing, 16 June 1952 – 15 December 1965

Remained attached to 303d Bombardment Wing, to 30 April 1953

Attached to: 5th Air Division, 18 April – 16 July 1955

Attached to: SAC Liaison Team, 2 May – 1 July 1956

• 456th Strategic Aerospace (later, 456th Bombardment) Wing, 1 January 1970
• 17th Bombardment Wing, 30 September 1975
• 100th Air Refueling Wing, 30 September 1976 – 27 January 1982
• 22d Bombardment (later, 22d Air Refueling) Wing, 1 August 1982
• 22d Operations Group, 1 September 1991
• 722d Operations Group, 1 January 1994
• 60th Operations Group, 1 September 1994 – present
• Air Mobility Command (9 EARS) when deployed to combat areas after 11 September 2001

Attached to: 40th Air Expeditionary Wing, Oct 2001 – Aug 2006

Stations

• Mitchel Field, New York, 1 February 1942
• Bradley Field, Connecticut, 10 March 1942
• Felts Field, Washington, 16 April – 18 May 1942
• Karachi Airport, India, 24 July 1942

Flight at Kunming Airport, China, Nov 1942-12 July 1943

Detachment thereof operating from Kweilin Airfield, China, c. Feb-12 July 1943

• Chakulia Airfield, India, 30 November 1942

Detachment operated from Dinjan Airfield, India, 18 March–Jul 1943

• Pandaveswar Airfield, India, 3 January 1943

Detachment operated from Dinjan Airfield, India, Sep 1943-20 May 1944

• Barrackpore Airfield, India, 29 October 1943

Detachment operating from: Tingkawk Sakan Airfield, Burma, 16 August – 30 November 1944

Detachment operating from: Myitkyina Airfield, Burma, 27 November-c. 5 December 1944

Detachment operating from: Chittagong Airport, India, c. 9 October – 21 December 1944

• Myitkyina Airfield, Burma, c. 5 December 1944
• Piardoba Airfield, India, c. 1 May 1945
• Malir, India, c. Oct-c. 14 November 1945
• Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, 3–4 December 1945
• Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona, 1 August 1951
• Mountain Home AFB, Idaho, 1 May 1953 – 15 December 1965

Deployed at: Benguerir AB, French Morocco, 18 April – 16 July 1955

Deployed at:Elmendorf AFB, Alaska Territory, 2 May – 1 July 1956

• Beale AFB, California, 1 January 1970 – 27 January 1982
• March AFB, California, 1 August 1982
• Travis AFB, California, 1 September 1994 – present
• Diego Garcia Air Base, British Indian Ocean Territory (9 EARS), Oct 2001 – Aug 2006

Aircraft

• F-4 Lightning, 1942–1944
• F-5 Lightning, 1943–1945
• B-25 Mitchell, 1943–1945
• KB-29 Superfortress (Tanker), 1951–1954
• KC-97 Stratotanker, 1954–1965
• KC-135 Stratotanker, 1970–1982
• KC-10 Extender, 1982 – present

Operations

The 9th ARS has a proud legacy of participation in Air Force Operations such as:

• Arid Farmer
• Operation El Dorado Canyon
• Giant Scale
• Just Cause
• Desert Shield
• Desert Storm
• Proud Return
• Southern Watch
• Deny Flight
• Restore Hope
• Desert Strike
• Phoenix Scorpion I
• Phoenix Scorpion II

• Phoenix Scorpion III
• Phoenix Scorpion IV
• CentrazBat
• Phoenix Banner (presidential support)
• Allied Force
• Desert Fox
• Urgent Fury
• Operation Noble Eagle
• Operation Enduring Freedom
• Operation Iraqi Freedom
• Operation New Dawn
• Operation Odyssey Dawn
• Operation Tomadachi

Commanders

	Name	From	To
1.	Lt Col Russell F. Ireland	1 August 1951	11 October 1951
2.	Maj Jack N. Fancher	11 October 1951	2 November 1951
3.	Lt Col John B. Stokes	2 November 1951	1 May 1953
4.	Maj C.C. Gifford	1 May 1953	1 September 1963
5.	Maj Edward H. Dvorak	1 September 1953	19 March 1954
6.	Lt Col Max W. Rogers	19 March 1954	1 September 1958
7.	Lt Col William B. Becklund	1 September 1958	27 April 1959
8.	Lt Col Donald S. Seeley	27 April 1959	30 September 1960
9.	Lt Col William B. Becklund	30 September 1960	31 July 1962
10.	Lt Col Roy J. Sousley Jr	31 July 1962	30 September 1964
11.	Lt Col Carl E. Rice	30 September 1964	15 December 1965
–	INACTIVE	15 December 1965	12 December 1969
12.	Lt Col Clarence W. Thomas	12 December 1969	4 January 1971
13.	Lt Col Richard D. Jenkins	4 January 1971	1 April 1971
14.	Lt Col Allan J. Surridge	1 April 1971	15 August 1971
15.	Lt Col William C. Walker	15 August 1971	9 October 1971
16.	Lt Col Louis C. Wagner	9 October 1971	6 June 1972
17.	Lt Col James G. Dunham	6 June 1972	3 March 1973
18.	Lt Col Joe H. Snow	3 March 1973	1 February 1974
19.	Lt Col Douglas A. Jewett	1 February 1974	1 September 1976
20.	Lt Col William R. Borkowski	1 September 1976	20 September 1977
21.	Lt Col Melvin U. Edens	20 September 1977	6 October 1978
22.	Lt Col Curtis R. Archer Jr	6 October 1978	30 November 1979
23.	Lt Col Larry D. Sykes	30 November 1979	13 March 1981
24.	Lt Col Charles P. Rushforth III	13 March 1981	27 January 1982
–	INACTIVE	27 January 1982	1 August 1982
25.	Lt Col Donald E. Brice	1 August 1982	19 November 1982
26.	Lt Col Joseph M. Hudson	19 November 1982	12 August 1984
27.	Lt Col Stephen L. Toles	12 August 1984	26 June 1986
28.	Lt Col Arthur J. Lichte	26 June 1986	1 July 1988
29.	Lt Col Thomas Dooley	1 July 1988	23 March 1990
30.	Lt Col James N. Christian	23 March 1990	28 March 1991
31.	Lt Col Leo A. Brownyard	28 March 1991	27 May 1992
32.	Lt Col Bernard H. Fullenkamp	27 May 1992	2 June 1993
33.	Lt Col Ronald D. Jones	2 June 1993	1 September 1994
34.	Lt Col Paul J. Selva	1 September 1994	25 June 1995
35.	Lt Col Daniel A. Hale	25 June 1995	18 June 1996
36.	Lt Col Michelle D. Johnson	18 June 1996	10 July 1998
37.	Lt Col Richard Traster	10 July 1998	11 July 1999
38.	Lt Col Martin J. Wojtysiak	11 July 1999	21 June 2000
39.	Lt Col Mark Simon	21 June 2000	21 June 2001
40.	Lt Col Bruce A. VanSkiver	21 June 2001	30 June 2003
41.	Lt Col Marshall T. Morrison	30 June 2003	16 June 2005
42.	Lt Col Kurt W. Meidel	16 June 2005	7 June 2007
43.	Lt Col Matthew J. Lloyd	7 June 2007	10 April 2009
44.	Lt Col Johnny L. Barnes II	10 April 2009	20 May 2011
45.	Lt Col Mark S. Robinson	20 May 2011	17 May 2013
46.	Lt Col Thad Middleton	17 May 2013	Present

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.

• Mauer, Mauer (1969), Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II, Air Force Historical Studies Office, Maxwell AFB, Alabama. ISBN 0-89201-097-5

External links

• Travis Air Force Base web site
• Air Force Link
• Air Force Historical Research Agency: 9th Air Refueling Squadron
• GlobalSecurity.org: 9th Air Refueling Squadron

 This article incorporates public domain material from the United States Air Force website http://www.af.mil.