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6th Air Refueling Squadron
Paper Only
2nd Air Force
Bergstrom AFB, Texas
1 Nov 57-3 Jan 58
EMBLEM. Description. On a light blue disc a compass rose of four points per cross throughout, white, surmounted by a taeguk (wheel of life) white and Air Force blue, charged with an armored hand grasping a funnel-shaped refueling receptacle, Air Force yellow, outlines and shaping golden brown, surmounted in base by an olive wreath, white, outlines Air Force blue; on the light blue disc in chief six Air Force blue stars arched, three on either side of the compass point; over all above the armored hand, two stylized silhouetted aircraft in flight, one in dexter (right), Air Force blue, one in sinister (left), white. Below the disc a white scroll, edged and inscribed blue, VIS EXTENSA�Strength Extended.
Significance. The emblem is symbolic of the squadron and its mission. Against a light blue background with stars, to represent the sky, and a compass rose, to represent the four cardinal headings and world refueling capability; a wheel of life, divided white and deep blue to indicate day and night, bears an armored hand grasping a refueling receptacle to indicate the squadron�s primary mission. The two aircraft flying above the hand indicate the aircraft that the squadron supports, and the olive wreath symbolizes SAC�s mission of maintaining peace. The six stars represents the unit�s numerical designation. Approved on 12 Oct 1960.
Lineage Constituted 6th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 22 Dec 1939. Activated on 1 Feb 1940. Redesignated 6th Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy, on 28 Mar 1944. Inactivated on 1 Apr 1944. Activated on 1 Apr 1944. Inactivated on 20 May 1946. Activated in the Reserve on 15 Jun 1947. Inactivated on 27 Jun 1949. Consolidated (19 Sep 1985) with the 6th Air Refueling Squadron, Medium, which was constituted on 6 Apr 1951. Activated on 10 Apr 1951. Inactivated on 1 Aug 1951. Redesignated 6th Air Refueling Squadron, Heavy, on 1 Apr 1957. Activated on 1 Nov 1957. Discontinued, and inactivated, on 25 Jan 1967. Activated on 3 Jan 1989. Redesignated 6th Air Refueling Squadron on 1 Sep 1991.
ASSIGNMENTS 29th Bombardment Group, 1 Feb 1940�1 Apr 1944. 29th Bombardment Group, 1 Apr 1944�20 May 1946. Tenth Air Force, 15 Jun 1947; 482d Bombardment Group, 30 Sep 1947�27 Jun 1949. 6th Bombardment Group, 10 Apr�1 Aug 1951. Fifteenth Air Force, 1 Nov 1957; 6th Bombardment (later, 6th Strategic Aerospace) Wing, 3 Jan 1958�25 Jan 1967. 22d Air Refueling Wing, 3 Jan 1989; 22d Operations Group, 1 Sep 1991; 722d Operations Group, 1 Jan 1994; 60th Operations Group, 1 Aug 1995�.
STATIONS Langley Field, VA, 1 Feb 1940; MacDill Field, FL, 21 May 1940; Gowen Field, ID, 25 Jun 1942�1 Apr 1944. Pratt AAFld, KS, 1 Apr 1944; Dalhart AAFld, TX, 25 May 1944; Pratt AAFld, KS, 17 Jul�6 Dec 1944; North Field, Guam, 17 Jan 1945�20 May 1946. Barksdale Field (later, AFB), LA, 15 Jun 1947�27 Jun 1949. Walker AFB, NM, 10 Apr�1 Aug 1951. Bergstrom AFB, TX, 1 Nov 1957; Walker AFB, NM, 3 Jan 1958�25 Jan 1967. March AFB, CA, 3 Jan 1989; Travis AFB, CA, 1 Aug 1995�.
AIRCRAFTt YB�17, 1940; B�17, 1940�1943; B�18, 1940�1941; B�24, 1943�1944. B�17, 1944; B�29, 1944�1946. AT�6, 1947�1949; AT�11, 1947�1949. KC�135A, 1958�1967. KC�10A, 1989�.
OPERATIONS. Antisubmarine patrol missions in the Caribbean, Jan�Jun 1942. Operational and later replacement training, 1942�1944. Combat in the Western Pacific, c. 16 Feb�15 Aug 1945. Air refueling training, 1959�1962. Worldwide air refueling, 1963�1967, including support of tactical aircraft flying in Southeast Asia. Worldwide air refueling, 1989�, including support of deployments to Southwest Asia, 1990�1991. Humanitarian airlift to Somalia, 1992�1993.
The 6th Air Refueling Squadron (AREFS), heavy, activated on 1 Nov 1957 at Bergstrom AFB, TX, then moved in Jan 1958 to Walker AFB, NM. The squadron received its first KC-135A on 3 Apr and by the end of the year had reached combat ready status. Most of the 6th�s missions were flown over the western United States. The 6th AREFS made its first overseas flight, a flight to Guam, in Jan 1959. In Aug 1959 Strategic Air Command (SAC) made the 6th AREFS a training unit for SAC refueling crews. The squadron occasionally flew overseas to Spain, Japan, Alaska, or Hawaii. The first TAC fighter aircraft refueled by the 6th took place on Dec 1959. The Cuban Missile Crisis temporarily suspended training Oct-Nov 1962, and the 6th AREFS stood operational alert. SAC changed the 6th�s mission from training to operational status in 1963. In Jan 1964 the squadron began to stand operational alerts in support of SAC exercises. In mid-1964 6th AREFS tankers and aircrews deployed to the Philippines to conduct refueling operations in support of tactical aircraft flying in Southeast Asia. The unit regularly deployed KC-135As and crews to support tanker task forces in Alaska and Spain. With the closing of Walker AFB, the 6th AREFS inactivated on 25 Jan 1967.
HONORS.
SERVICE STREAMERS. None.
CAMPAIGN STREAMERS. World War II: Antisubmarine, American Theater; Air Offensive, Japan; Western Pacific.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
DECORATIONS. Distinguished Unit Citations: Japan, 31 Mar 1945; Japan, 19�26 Jun 1945. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 May 1960�31 May 1962; 1 Feb�30 Jun 1989; 1 Jul 1989�30 Jun 1991.
CURRENT EMBLEM
Celeste, a Taeguk Or and Azure charged with a pegasus soaring Argent garnished Sable, all within a diminished bordure of the third. Approved on 9 Dec 1994; replaced emblems approved on 12 Oct 1960 (K 12078) and on 6 Apr 1942 (K 2661). MOTTO: VIS EXTENSA�Strength Extended. Approved on 12 Oct 1960.
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