9th Air Refueling Squadron

History

Established under First Air Force as a photo-reconnaissance squadron at Mitchell Field, New York. Operated over the Northeast United States flying reconnaissance missions over the Atlantic coast and Newfoundland shipping lanes, primarily operating early-model F-4 (P-38) Lightning.

Deployed to the China-Burma-India Theater of Operations (CBI) during the summer of 1943; being assigned to Headquarters, Tenth Air Force. Flights of F-5 (P-38) photo-reconnaissance aircraft operated over a wide area of Burma; Thailand and China until the Japanese Capitulation in August 1945 obtaining aerial photos and reconnaissance of enemy positions and targets for heavy bomber attacks. Flew tactical reconnaissance missions to support United States and British ground forces in Burma.

Returned to the United States during the fall of 1945, inactivated in December.

Unit transferred their mission to worldwide air refueling, and with a name change to the 9th Air Refueling Squadron, Medium, received KB-29M tanker aircraft. They then began refueling operations from August 1951 to December 1965, January 1970 to January 1982, and from August 1982 through today, including support during the rescue of US nationals from Grenada in 1983, support for deployments to Southwest Asia from 1990 to 1991, and humanitarian airlift missions to Somalia in support of Operation Restore Hope during 1992–1993.

On 19 September 1985 the 9th Air Refueling Squadron was consolidated with the 9th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, a unit that was last active 4 September 1945. This action was directed by Department of the Air Force Letter DAF/MPM 662q Attachment 1 (Active Units), 19 September 1985. The Consolidated Unit will retain the Designation of 9th Air Refueling Squadron, Heavy".

Following the events of 9/11 supported Operation Noble Eagle. Starting in October 2001 and continuing present day deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Starting in March 2003 and continuing present day deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Lineage

Constituted 9th Photographic Squadron on 19 January 1942

Activated on 1 February 1942 Redesignated: 9th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron on 9 June 1942 Redesignated: 9th Photographic Squadron (Light) on 6 February 1943 Redesignated: 9th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron on 13 November 1943 Inactivated on 4 December 1945

Consolidated (19 September 1985) with the 9th Air Refueling Squadron, Medium, which was constituted on 24 July 1951

Activated on 1 August 1951 Discontinued, and inactivated, on 15 December 1965

Redesignated 9th Air Refueling Squadron, Heavy, on 12 December 1969

Activated on 1 January 1970 Inactivated on 27 January 1982

Activated on 1 August 1982

Redesignated 9th Air Refueling Squadron on 1 September 1991

Personnel designated as: 9th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron with unit in provisional status when deployed after 11 September 2001

Assignments

First Air Force, 1 February 1942

Tenth Air Force, 29 March 1942

Flight attached to Fourteenth Air Force, 10 March – 12 July 1943

Army Air Forces, India-Burma Sector, 30 October 1943

Attached to: 5306th Photographic and Reconnaissance Group [Provisional], 30 October 1943 – 17 January 1944 Attached to: Tenth Air Force, 17 January – 6 March 1944

Tenth Air Force, 7 March 1944

8th Photographic (later, 8th Reconnaissance) Group, 25 April 1944

Army Air Forces, India-Burma Theater, c. Oct-4 December 1945

9th Bombardment Group, 1 August 1951

Attached to: 43d Bombardment Wing, 1 August – 3 September 1951 Attached to: 36th Air Division, 4 September 1951 – 14 January 1952 Attached to: 303d Bombardment Wing, 15 January 1952–

9th Bombardment (later, 9th Strategic Aerospace) Wing, 16 June 1952 – 15 December 1965

Remained attached to 303d Bombardment Wing, to 30 April 1953 Attached to: 5th Air Division, 18 April – 16 July 1955 Attached to: SAC Liaison Team, 2 May – 1 July 1956

456th Strategic Aerospace (later, 456th Bombardment) Wing, 1 January 1970

17th Bombardment Wing, 30 September 1975

100th Air Refueling Wing, 30 September 1976 – 27 January 1982

22d Bombardment (later, 22d Air Refueling) Wing, 1 August 1982

22d Operations Group, 1 September 1991

722d Operations Group, 1 January 1994

60th Operations Group, 1 September 1994 – present

Air Mobility Command (9 EARS) when deployed to combat areas after 11 September 2001

Attached to: 40th Air Expeditionary Wing, Oct 2001 – Aug 2006

Aircraft

F-4 Lightning, 1942–1944

F-5 Lightning, 1943–1945

B-25 Mitchell, 1943–1945

KB-29 Superfortress (Tanker), 1951–1954

KC-97 Stratotanker, 1954–1965

KC-135 Stratotanker, 1970–1982

KC-10 Extender, 1982 – present

Operations

The 9th ARS has a proud legacy of participation in Air Force Operations such as: