Active 1942–1945; 1963–1968 Role Air Refueling | Country United States | |
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Branch United States Air Force Nickname(s) Hump T Dumps (CBI Theater) Engagements China Burma India Theater | ||
The 907th Air Refueling Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 91st Bombardment Wing at Glasgow AFB, Montana, where it was inactivated on 25 June 1968. From 1963 to 1968 the squadron served as the air refueling element of its parent wing.
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The first predecessor of the squadron was the 27th Troop Carrier Squadron, a World War II troop carrier squadron that served in the China Burma India Theater as an airlift unit. Its last assignment was with the 443d Troop Carrier Group at Liangshan, China, where it was inactivated on 27 December 1945.
The two squadrons were consolidated into a single unit in 1985, but the consolidated unit has not been active since.
World War II
The 27th Transport Squadron was activated in early 1942 as one of the original five squadrons of the 89th Transport Group. The squadron acted as a replacement training unit under I Troop Carrier Command, initially training transport and glider pilots, then replacement aircrews. The unit used militarized versions of the Douglas DC-3 (C-48s and C-49s) at first, then it flew Douglas C-47 Skytrains and Douglas C-53 Skytroopers. From June to August 1942 the squadron moved to Kellogg Field, Michigan, where it was attached to the 62d Troop Carrier Group. In July 1942 the squadron and its parent group were redesignated as Troop Carrier units. In November 1943 the replacement training mission terminated and the 27th prepared for transfer overseas to the China Burma India Theater.
The air echelon of the squadron gathered at Baer Field, Indiana, where it received new aircraft. It ferried the airplanes to India via the South Atlantic ferry route, leaving Morrison Field, Florida in December and arriving in India in January. The ground echelon did not arrive in theater until late March
The squadron flew airlift missions and evacuated wounded personnel, sometimes landing on unimproved airstrips. It participated in Operation Thursday, the transport of troops behind enemy lines in Burma, along with aircraft of the 1st Air Commando Group. After moving to China, the squadron supported Office of Strategic Services missions in China and Southeast Asia. The squadron remained in China after the termination of hostilities in August 1945 and was inactivated there in December.
Cold War
The 907th Air Refueling Squadron was established in July 1963 by Strategic Air Command at Glasgow Air Force Base, however its first Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker did not arrive until October and it was December before the squadron became combat ready. The squadron mission was to provide air refueling support to the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress strategic bombers of its parent 91st Bombardment Wing and other USAF units as directed, including supporting Operation Chrome Dome airborne alert sorties. The squadron kept half its aircraft on fifteen-minute alert, fully fueled and ready for combat to reduce vulnerability to a Soviet missile strike until it became nonoperational in 1968, except for periods when it deployed its aircraft and aircrews to support operations in the Pacific.
The 907th deployed to the Western Pacific region to support Operation Arc Light from September 1966 to March 1967 and to Okinawa from February to March 1968 during the Pueblo Crisis. It also deployed to Southeast Asia to support Operation Young Tiger, refueling tactical aircraft on strike missions.
The squadron became non-operational in May 1968 and was inactivated in June when Glasgow closed.
The 27th Troop Carrier Squadron and the 907th Air Refueling Squadron were consolidated in 1985, but the consolidated unit has not been active.