Country United States Role Aerial Refueling | Type Air Refueling | |
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Active 1939–1945; 1950–1962; 1963–1989; 1992–2002; 2003–Present Branch United States Air Force Garrison/HQ Transit Center at Manas, Kyrgyz Republic | ||
The 22d Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron is a provisional United States Air Force unit, assigned to United States Air Forces Central. It is engaged in combat operations as part of the Global War on Terrorism in Afghanistan. Its current status and location are undetermined.
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The squadron was previously designated as the 22d Air Refueling Squadron, and was an Air Mobility Command, Strategic Air Command, and Air Combat Command air refueling squadron, established in 1950.
During World War II, the 22d Bombardment Squadron was a heavy B-17 Flying Fortress and later, a medium B-25 Mitchell bomb squadron which fought in the Southwest Pacific and China-Burma-India theaters.
World War II
Formed in 1939 as a prewar bomb squadron, equipped with B-18 Bolos, later early model B-17 Flying Fortresses. Flew antisubmarine patrols off California coast, 8 December – c. 10 December 1941. Deployed to Southwest Pacific Theater and assigned to Fifth Air Force in Australia, engaging in combat, c. 13 January – c. 1 March 1942; detachment under control of United States Navy in combat from the Fiji Islands and Australia, 14 February – c. 14 March 1942. Surviving B-17 aircraft and personnel reassigned to other units in Australia, March 1942 and unit reassigned without personnel or equipment to the United States for re-equipping and remanning as medium bomber squadron.
Re-equipped as a B-25 Mitchell bomb squadron and deployed to Tenth Air Force for combat in the China-Burma-India theater, 14 December 1942 – 25 July 1945. Deployed to Karachi, India; Chakulia, India; and Yangkai, China. While in Calcutta, India, the unit converted to the A-26 Invader Attack Bomber. During World War II, the unit earned two Distinguished Unit Citations and participated in nine separate campaigns. Personnel demobilized in India after the war, and the 22d was inactivated as a paper unit in the United States in November 1945.
Strategic Air Command
On 16 June 1950, the 22d Air Refueling Squadron was activated at March AFB CA, flying the KC-97 Aircraft. The squadron relocated to McChord AFB, WA on 15 June 1960 where it later upgraded to the KC-135. The squadron was inactivated on 1 July 1962. The Squadron was reactivated at March AFB, CA on 1 July 1963, flying the KC-135 and EC-135 aircraft.
Upon inactivation of the EB-47 units supporting SAC's Post-Attack Command and Control System (PACCS) in 1964 and 1965, the 22d received EC-135C aircraft to operate SAC's Western Auxiliary Command Post's airborne element. The 22d continued to operate PACCS aircraft until 1 April 1970, when SAC reorganized its airborne command post aircraft and withdrew them from more vulnerable bases near the coasts to bases closer to the heartland of North America.
It was deployed to Andersen AB, Guam whereupon it supported the Vietnam War until mid-1973. The squadron was inactivated on 1 December 1989.
On 19 Sep 1985 the 22d Air Refueling Squadron was consolidated with the 22d Bombardment Squadron (Medium), a unit that was last active 2 Nov 1945. This action was directed by Department of the Air Force Letter DAF/MPM 662q Attachment 1 (Active Units), 19 Sep 1985. The Consolidated Unit retained the Designation of 22d Air Refueling Squadron, Heavy.
Mobility unit
Reactivated on 1 October 1992 at Mountain Home AFB, ID, it was assigned seven KC-135R model aircraft as part of the Air Force’s first Composite Air Intervention Wing. The squadron was consecutively awarded the 366th Wing's Silver Bolt Award for foreign object damage prevention during fiscal year 1997-1 and 1997-2, as well ACC’s Best Tanker Award for 1993. The squadrong garnered the 366th Wing’s only "Outstanding" rating during the July 1995 ORI and its deployed maintenance won the ACC IG Superior Performance Team Award during the 366th Wing's 1997 AEF and first ever combat zone ORI. The 22d ARS was the only squadron in the 366th Wing to display nose art on the entire fleet. It was also awarded the Outstanding Unit Award, 1 June 1998 through 31 May 1999. The squadron was inactivated in 2002.
The unit was reactivated as the 22nd Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron in 2003 as an AFCENT provisional squadron deployed to combat areas as part of the Global War on Terrorism in Afghanistan.
Lineage
22d Bombardment Squadron
22d Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron'