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22nd Air Refueling Squadron
22nd Bombardment Wing
KC-97 (On Paper Only)
22nd Bombardment Group
March AFB, California
16 Jun 1950-16 Jun 1952
KC-97E/F/G
22nd Bombardment Wing
March AFB, California
16 Jun 1952-15 Jun 1960
KC-135A
McChord AFB, Washington
92nd Bombardment(later, 92d Strategic Aerospace) Wing
15 Jun 1960�1 Jul 1962
KC-135A/B 1963-1989
EC-135A 1963-1970
22nd Bombardment Wing (Heavy)
March AFB, California
1 Jul 1963�1 Dec 1989
The 22nd AREFS again became combat ready on 20 Feb 1964. They received their first KC-135B on 16 Sep 1964. On 4 Nov 1964, the 22nd AREFS assumed Post Attack Command and Control System (PACCS) duties with their EC-135s.
22nd AREFS Tail Numbers
...Seven months before conversion to the B-47 began, the 22nd Air Refueling Squadron (22nd AREFS) was activated and equipped with KC-97 Stratofreighters. The first KC-97 arrived at March AFB on June 22, 1952. Delivery of the tankers, manning of the squadron and training of the crews took almost a year, but was so phased that the 22nd AREFS was ready to support the B-47 program as it developed and refined itself, per se, as the B-47 crews finished their pilot proficiency phase, the tanker crews were ready to start on the in-flight refueling phase of the training program.
SQUADRON HISTORY
Lineage Constituted 22d Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), and activated, on 20 Oct 1939. Redesignated: 22d Bombardment Squadron (Medium) c. 15 Sep 1942; 22d Bombardment Squadron, Medium, on 28 Apr 1944. Inactivated on 2 Nov 1945. Consolidated (19 Sep 1985) with the 22d Air Refueling Squadron, Medium, which was constituted on 5 May 1950. Activated on 16 Jun 1950. Redesignated 22d Air Refueling Squadron, Heavy, on 15 Jun 1960. Discontinued, and inactivated, on 1 Jul 1962. Activated on 21 Feb 1963. Organized on 1 Jul 1963. Inactivated on 1 Dec 1989. Redesignated 22d Air Refueling Squadron on 29 Sep 1992. Activated on 1 Oct 1992.
Assignments 7th Bombardment Group, 20 Oct 1939 (attached to 17th Bombardment Group for training, 26 Apr�28 May 1942); 341st Bombardment Group, 15 Sep 1942�2 Nov 1945. 22d Bombardment Group, 16 Jun 1950 (attached to 22d Bombardment Wing, 10 Feb 1951�15 Jun 1952); 22d Bombardment Wing, 16 Jun 1952; 92d Bombardment (later, 92d Strategic Aerospace) Wing, 15 Jun 1960�1 Jul 1962. Strategic Air Command, 21 Feb 1963; 22d Bombardment (later, 22d Air Refueling) Wing, 1 Jul 1963�1 Dec 1989. 366th Operations Group, 1 Oct 1992�.
Stations Hamilton Field, CA, 20 Oct 1939; Ft Douglas, UT, 7 Sep 1940; Salt Lake City, UT, c. 21 Jun�13 Nov 1941; Brisbane, Australia, 22 Dec 1941�19 Jan 1942 (ground echelon); (air echelon at Muroc, CA, 8�c. 12 Dec 1941; Hickam Field, TH, 18 Dec 1941�5 Jan 1942; Singosari, Java, 13�19 Jan 1942); Jogjakarta, Java, 19 Jan 1942 (detachment operated from Nandi Airport, Fiji Islands, 14�c. 18 Feb 1942, and from Townsville, Australia, c.20 Feb�c. 14 Mar 1942), Melbourne, Australia, c. 4 Mar�6 Apr 1942; Columbia AAB, SC, 26 Apr�28 May 1942; Karachi, India, 23 Jul 1942; Chakulia, India, 3 Dec 1942; Yangkai, China, 8 Jan 1944 (detachments operated from Yunnani, China, 29 Apr�6 May 1944, and c. 5 Nov 1944�c. 20 Jan 1945; Peishiyi, China, 27 Feb�25 Mar 1945; and Chihkiang, China, 29 Mar�c. 1 Apr 1945); Calcutta, India, c. 15 Sep�4 Oct 1945; Camp Kilmer, NJ, 1�2 Nov 1945. March AFB, CA, 16 Jun 1950 (deployed at Mildenhall RAF, England, 7 Dec 1953�5 Mar 1954; Ernest Harmon AFB, Newfoundland, 3 Mar�19 Apr 1955; and Elmendorf AFB, AK, 3 Jan�2 May 1956); McChord AFB, WA, 15 Jun 1960�1 Jul 1962. March AFB, CA, 1 Jul 1963�1 Dec 1989. Mountain Home AFB, ID, 1 Oct 1992�.
Aircraft In addition to B�18, included A�17 during period 1939�1940; B�17, 1940�1942; B�25, 1942�1945; A�26, 1945. KC�97, 1952�1960; KC�135, 1960�1962. EC�135, 1963�1970; KC�135, 1963�1967, 1967�1989. KC�135, 1992�.
Operations Activated at Hamilton Field, Calif, on 20 Oct 1939. Squadron�s ground echelon sailed from San Francisco on 21 Nov 1941, bound for the Philippines. After the Japanese attacks on Hawaii and the Philippines, the convoy changed course to Australia, arriving at Brisbane on 23 Dec 1941. The air echelon performed antisubmarine patrols off the California coast, 8-c. 10 Dec 1941, before flying to Java in January 1942. Took part in the unsuccessful attempt to defend the Netherlands Indies, c. 13 Jan-c. 1 Mar 1942. A detachment operated under the control of the USN in combat from the Fiji Islands and Australia, 14 Feb-c. 14 Mar 1942. After the evacuation of Java, the remaining squadron personnel transferred to the 19th Bombardment Group on 6 Apr 1942, and the squadron moved without personnel or equipment to South Carolina.
Remanned at Columbia AAB, SC, on 26 Apr 1942, and trained with B-25 aircraft. The air echelon left the US on 1 May 1942 and, traveling via the southern route, arrived in Karachi, India, on 16 May 1942. Upon arrival, lost several crews to the 11th Bombardment Squadron to bring that unit to combat strength. Remaining crews did reconnaissance, coastal patrol work, and bombing missions in Burma. The ground echelon left the US in late May and arrived in India in late July.
Redesignated as a medium bombardment squadron, the 22nd was reassigned to the 341st Bombardment Group on 15 Sep 1942. Struck bridges, railroad yards, tracks, and locomotives in central Burma. Moved to China in January-February 1944. Engaged primarily in sea sweeps and attacks against Japanese inland shipping in French Indo-China and the Canton-Hong Kong area of China. Also provided air support to Chinese ground troops. Began receiving A-26 aircraft at the end of July 1945, but they not used in combat.
Returned to the US, arriving at Camp Kilmer, NJ, on 1 Nov 1945, and inactivated the following day.
The 22nd Air Refueling Squadron, Medium, activated at March AFB, Calif, on 16 Jun 1950, but remained unmanned until June 1952. Began training with the KC-97 tanker aircraft in late 1952. Supported SAC bombardment with air-to-air refueling and occasionally deployed segments of its tanker force overseas to support unit movements and special operations. Squadron supported the 22nd Bombardment Wing deployment to England, December 1953-March 1954. Deployed to Newfoundland in March-April 1955 to gain experience in cold weather operations. In January 1956, the Squadron deployed to Elmendorf AFB, Alaska, and from there it flew numerous training missions until 2 May when it returned to March AFB. Such global exercises, many of which involved mass refuelings at night, continued until 1960.
Redesignated a heavy refueling squadron and reassigned to the 92nd Bombardment Wing, at McChord AFB, Wash, on 15 Jun 1960. Aircrews trained at Castle AFB, Calif, in the KC-135A aircraft, while the wing provided guidelines for the orderly integration of the unit into the 92nd as its second tanker squadron. Flew training missions and exercises until early 1962. Began phasing out in March and inactivated on 1 Jul 1962.
Organized on 1 Jul 1963, again assigned to the 22nd Bombardment Wing. Not tactically operational, July-October 1963, while preparing for receipt of KC-135A aircraft. Supported SAC global air refueling missions and other USAF needs as required. All aircraft and crews were deployed at Anderson AFB, Guam, 10 Mar-c. 1 Oct 1967, integrated into the 4133rd Wing to support combat operations in the Pacific area. KC-135s and crews were also on loan from 10 Apr-Sep 1972 for combat support with another unit. Continued to support combat operations in the western Pacific until mid-August 1973. Received the Carl A. Spaatz Memorial Refueling Trophy for the period 1 Jul-31 Dec 1975.
Provided air refueling for the invasion of Grenada, 23 Oct�21 Nov 1983.
Honors
Service Streamers. None.
Campaign Streamers. World War II: Antisubmarine, American Theater; Philippine Islands; East Indies; New Guinea; India-Burma; Central Burma; China Defensive; China Offensive; Air Combat, Asiatic-Pacific Theater.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. Grenada, 1983.
Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citations: Netherlands Indies, 14 Jan�1 Mar 1942; French Indo�China, 11 Dec 1944�12 Mar 1945. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Apr�1 Oct 1967; 25 Mar�1 May 1968; 1 Jul 1969�30 Jun 1970; 1 Sep 1970�30 Jun 1972; 1 Jul 1975�30 Jun 1977; 1 Jul 1977�30 Jun 1979; 1 Jul 1981�30 Jun 1983; 1 Jul 1987�30 Jun 1989.
Previous Emblem. On a sphere with water areas white, land areas light green, and grid lines black, two stylized silhouetted black aircraft in a refueling operation palewise, flying to base. Significance. The emblem is symbolic of the squadron and its mission of supporting the Air Force deterrent strike force and of participating in global refueling operations. Approved on 13 Dec 1960 (slight revision of earlier emblem approved 27 Sep 1955). Photographic Negative Numbers: K-12199, Color; 164594 A.C., B&W.
Current Emblem. Azure, a flight symbol fesswise throughout Vert fimbriated Or surmounted by a mule Proper; all within a diminished inner bordure of the second and a diminished outer bordure of the third. Approved on 15 Nov 1994; replaced emblems approved on 13 Dec 1960 (K 12199), 27 Sep 1955 (153488 A. C.), and 19 Mar 1945 (29205 A.C.).
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