100th Air Refueling Squadron
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KB-29P
Pease AFB, New Hampshire
1952-54
KC-97E/F/G (moslty E's and F's)
Robbins AFB, Georgia
Sep 1954-15 Aug 1956
KC-97E/F/G
Pease AFB, New Hampshire
15 Aug 1956-25 Jun 1966
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The 100th Air Refueling Squadron (ARS), which operated 18 Boeing KC-97 tankers, was assigned to the 100th BW on August 15, 1956. The 100th ARS retired its last tanker on December 21, 1965, when aircraft 53-0282, a KC-97G, flew to the boneyard in Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona. The following day the 100th ARS inactivated.
The above patch was worn on the flight suit of Mark "Waterdog" Brummett when he flew as a Boom Operator on KC-97s at Pease AFB. The patch looks like it could tell a thousand stories. I could almost hear those radial engines rumbling to life. The white thread is not for velcro, but white cloth on the back on which he wrote, "100th KC97 called Brand X".
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The 100th AREFS traces its origins to the 100th Fighter Squadron, one of the famous all-black squadrons of the 332nd Fighter Group, activated on 19 February 1942 at Tuskegee AAB, AL, but which remained largely unmanned until it arrived at Selfridge Field, MI, late in March 1943. There it received sufficient personnel and the squadron began operational training with the P-39 and P-40 aircraft. The 100th completed training in December 1943 and prepared to move overseas.
The squadron sailed in early January 1944 aboard the USS William Few and arrived in Italy in early February 1944, becoming part of the Twelfth Air Force. The 100th flew its first combat mission on 19 February 1944. The squadron became engaged in various missions�harbor protection, point-to-point patrol, convoy escort, and armed reconnaissance. It also performed air rescue and strafing missions. In May 1944, the 100th was reassigned to the Fifteenth Air Force and thereafter the squadron�s primary duty was providing escort for bombers striking enemy oil and industrial targets in central Europe and the Balkans. While initially equipped with P-39 and P-47 aircraft, in June 1944 the squadron received P-51 aircraft which they retained throughout the remainder of the war.
In August 1944, the unit attacked enemy positions on the French coast in preparation for the invasion of southern France. They escorted bombers of the Fifteenth Air Force in attacks on the assault beaches on 15 August 1944. After this they returned to escorting heavy bombers to targets in Germany, Austria, Czechoslovakia, and Romania. They also attacked targets of opportunity�enemy airdromes, troop concentrations, communications lines, and enemy aircraft�when the opportunity arose. The unit received a Distinguished Unit Citation for its performance during an escort to Berlin on 23 March 1945. The squadron, along with other squadrons of the 332nd Group, fought off a large enemy force, including jets, allowing the bomber formation to complete their mission. The 100th flew its last mission in Europe on 30 April 1945.
On 30 September 1945, the 100th sailed for the United States aboard the Levi Woodbury and arrived at Camp Kilmer, NJ, on 17 October 1945. The squadron was inactivated on 19 October 1945.
The squadron again activated as part of the 332nd Fighter Group on 1 July 1947, stationed at Lockbourne AFB, OH. The 100th trained with P-47 aircraft until the squadron was inactivated on 1 July 1949.
In January 1953, the 100th was activated again, but this time as an air refueling squadron. It remained unmanned until after its transfer to Lockbourne AFB, OH. The squadron received KB-29 aircraft and personnel from the 91st Strategic Reconnaissance Wing (SRW) in July 1953. The 100th trained under the control of the 91st and provided air refueling for Strategic Air Command (SAC) needs until November 1954. In November 1954 the squadron moved to Turner AFB, GA, and inactivated. Another squadron absorbed the personnel and equipment of the 100th.
The 100th Air Refueling Squadron was reactivated on 8 September 1954 at Robins AFB, GA, but was not manned until the following month. It received its first KC-97 aircraft on 17 December 1954 and performed its first operational mission on 27 January 1955. The 100th trained and performed air refueling missions under the control of the 19th Bomb Wing. The squadron periodically deployed aircrews and aircraft to provide air refueling from other bases beginning in September 1955: Goose AB, Labrador in September-October 1955; Ernest Harmon AB, Newfoundland in February 1956; and Lajes AB, Azores in March 1956.
The squadron relocated to Portsmouth AFB (later Pease), NH, in August 1956 and was reassigned to the 100th Bomb Wing. It continued its air refueling mission from its home base as well as deploying to Greenham Common, England in January-April 1957 and Thule AB, Greenland in December 1957-April 1958. In addition, from August 1960 until 1 July 1964 it provided a continuous air refueling commitment from Goose AB, Labrador and from April-June 1964 provided a smaller commitment from Sondrestrom, Greenland. The 100th began phasing out in October 1965 and performed its last air refueling mission on 8 December 1965. The last KC-97 aircraft left for the Davis-Monthan boneyard on 21 December 1965 and thereafter the squadron was not operational and was inactivated on 25 June 1966.
