9th Air Refueling Squadron

9th Air Refueling Squadron

9th Air Refueling Squadron emblem
Active 19 January 1942 – 4 December 1945
1 August 1951 – 15 December 1965
12 December 1969 – 27 January 1982
1 August 1982 –
Country United States
Branch United States Air Force
Size over 120 combat-ready personnel
Part of Air Mobility Command
Eighteenth Air Force
60th Air Mobility Wing
60th Operations Group
Garrison/HQ Travis Air Force Base
Motto(s) "UNIVERSAL"
Equipment (12x) KC-10A Extender
Commanders
Current Commander Lieutenant Colonel Thad Middleton
Current Operations Officer Major Jarrod Paine
First Sergeant MSgt Gary Dayton
Current Squadron Superintendent CMSgt Robbie Wellbaum
Notable
commanders
General Arthur J. Lichte
General Paul Selva
Lieutenant General Michelle D. Johnson
Aircraft flown
Tanker KC-10 Extender
9 EARS OEF, OIF unit patch
9 EARS Morale Patch
World War II 9th Reconnaissance Squadron emblem
9th Photographic Squadron emblem

The 9th Air Refueling Squadron (9th ARS) was initially activated in 1951, although its history can be traced back to the 9th Photographic Squadron of World War II. The 9th ARS has had many deployments to worldwide locations, and is still performing a global mission (some to remote forward operating location), during wartime, humanitarian operations, and exercises.

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

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
Activated on 1 August 1951
Discontinued, and inactivated, on 15 December 1965
Activated on 1 January 1970
Inactivated on 27 January 1982
Redesignated 9th Air Refueling Squadron on 1 September 1991

Assignments

Flight attached to Fourteenth Air Force, 10 March – 12 July 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
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–
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
Attached to: 40th Air Expeditionary Wing, Oct 2001 – Aug 2006

Stations

Flight at Kunming Airport, China, Nov 1942-12 July 1943
Detachment thereof operating from Kweilin Airfield, China, c. Feb-12 July 1943
Detachment operated from Dinjan Airfield, India, 18 March–Jul 1943
Detachment operated from Dinjan Airfield, India, Sep 1943-20 May 1944
Detachment operating from: Tingkawk Sakan Airfield, Burma, 16 August – 30 November 1944
Detachment operating from: Myitkyina Airfield, Burma, 27 November-c. 5 December 1944
Detachment operating from: Chittagong Airport, India, c. 9 October – 21 December 1944

Deployed at: Benguerir AB, French Morocco, 18 April – 16 July 1955
Deployed at:Elmendorf AFB, Alaska Territory, 2 May – 1 July 1956

Aircraft

Operations

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

Commanders

  Name From To
1. Lt Col Russell F. Ireland 1 August 1951 11 October 1951
2. Maj Jack N. Fancher 11 October 1951 2 November 1951
3. Lt Col John B. Stokes 2 November 1951 1 May 1953
4. Maj C.C. Gifford 1 May 1953 1 September 1963
5. Maj Edward H. Dvorak 1 September 1953 19 March 1954
6. Lt Col Max W. Rogers 19 March 1954 1 September 1958
7. Lt Col William B. Becklund 1 September 1958 27 April 1959
8. Lt Col Donald S. Seeley 27 April 1959 30 September 1960
9. Lt Col William B. Becklund   30 September 1960 31 July 1962
10. Lt Col Roy J. Sousley Jr 31 July 1962   30 September 1964
11. Lt Col Carl E. Rice 30 September 1964 15 December 1965
INACTIVE 15 December 1965 12 December 1969
12. Lt Col Clarence W. Thomas 12 December 1969 4 January 1971
13. Lt Col Richard D. Jenkins 4 January 1971 1 April 1971
14. Lt Col Allan J. Surridge 1 April 1971 15 August 1971
15. Lt Col William C. Walker 15 August 1971 9 October 1971
16. Lt Col Louis C. Wagner 9 October 1971 6 June 1972
17. Lt Col James G. Dunham 6 June 1972 3 March 1973
18. Lt Col Joe H. Snow 3 March 1973 1 February 1974
19. Lt Col Douglas A. Jewett 1 February 1974 1 September 1976
20. Lt Col William R. Borkowski 1 September 1976 20 September 1977
21. Lt Col Melvin U. Edens 20 September 1977 6 October 1978
22. Lt Col Curtis R. Archer Jr 6 October 1978 30 November 1979
23. Lt Col Larry D. Sykes 30 November 1979 13 March 1981
24. Lt Col Charles P. Rushforth III   13 March 1981 27 January 1982
INACTIVE 27 January 1982 1 August 1982
25. Lt Col Donald E. Brice 1 August 1982 19 November 1982
26. Lt Col Joseph M. Hudson 19 November 1982 12 August 1984
27. Lt Col Stephen L. Toles 12 August 1984 26 June 1986
28. Lt Col Arthur J. Lichte 26 June 1986 1 July 1988
29. Lt Col Thomas Dooley 1 July 1988 23 March 1990
30. Lt Col James N. Christian 23 March 1990 28 March 1991
31. Lt Col Leo A. Brownyard 28 March 1991 27 May 1992
32. Lt Col Bernard H. Fullenkamp 27 May 1992 2 June 1993
33. Lt Col Ronald D. Jones 2 June 1993 1 September 1994
34. Lt Col Paul J. Selva 1 September 1994 25 June 1995
35. Lt Col Daniel A. Hale 25 June 1995 18 June 1996
36. Lt Col Michelle D. Johnson 18 June 1996 10 July 1998
37. Lt Col Richard Traster 10 July 1998 11 July 1999
38. Lt Col Martin J. Wojtysiak 11 July 1999 21 June 2000
39. Lt Col Mark Simon 21 June 2000 21 June 2001
40. Lt Col Bruce A. VanSkiver 21 June 2001 30 June 2003
41. Lt Col Marshall T. Morrison 30 June 2003 16 June 2005
42. Lt Col Kurt W. Meidel 16 June 2005 7 June 2007
43. Lt Col Matthew J. Lloyd 7 June 2007 10 April 2009
44. Lt Col Johnny L. Barnes II 10 April 2009 20 May 2011
45. Lt Col Mark S. Robinson 20 May 2011 17 May 2013
46. Lt Col Thad Middleton 17 May 2013 Present

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.

    External links

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