907th Air Refueling Squadron

907th Air Refueling Squadron

Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker taking off using water injection to increase thrust
Active 1942–1945; 1963–1968
Country  United States
Branch  United States Air Force
Role Air Refueling
Nickname(s) Hump T Dumps (CBI Theater)
Engagements China Burma India Theater
Insignia
Patch showing 907th Air Refueling Squadron Emblem

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.

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.

History

World War II

27th Troop Carrier Squadron Emblem (approved 25 February 1943)[1]

The 27th Transport Squadron was activated in early 1942[1] as one of the original five squadrons of the 89th Transport Group.[2] The squadron acted as a replacement training unit[3] under I Troop Carrier Command, initially training transport and glider pilots, then replacement aircrews.[1] 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.[2] 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.[1]

C-47 as flown by the squadron during World War II

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[4]

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.[4] The squadron remained in China after the termination of hostilities in August 1945 and was inactivated there in December.[1]

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.[5][6] 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.[7] The squadron kept half its aircraft on fifteen-minute alert, fully fueled and ready for combat to reduce vulnerability to a Soviet missile strike[8] 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.[9] It also deployed to Southeast Asia to support Operation Young Tiger, refueling tactical aircraft on strike missions.[10]

The squadron became non-operational in May 1968[9] and was inactivated in June when Glasgow closed.

The 27th Troop Carrier Squadron and the 907th Air Refueling Squadron were consolidated in 1985,[11] but the consolidated unit has not been active.

Lineage

27th Troop Carrier Squadron

  • Constituted as the 27th Transport Squadron on 19 January 1942
Activated on 1 February 1942
Redesignated 27th Troop Carrier Squadron on 4 July 1942
Inactivated on 27 December 1945[12]
Consolidated on 19 September 1985 with the 907th Air Refueling Squadron as the 907th Air Refueling Squadron[11]

907th Air Refueling Squadron

  • Constituted as the 907th Air Refueling Squadron, Heavy on 20 March 1963
Activated on 1 July 1963
Discontinued and inactivated on 25 June 1968
Consolidated on 19 September 1985 with the 27th Troop Carrier Squadron[11] (remained inactive)

Assignments

Stations
  • Dunnellon Army Air Field, Florida, 14 February 1943 – 13 December 1943
  • Sylhet, India, 12 January 1944
  • Yunnani, China, 21 May 1944 (detachments operated from Chanyi, Chengtu, and Kunming at various times)
  • Chengkung, China, 15 February 1945
  • Liangshan, China, 13 August 1945 – 27 December 1945[12]
  • Glasgow Air Force Base, Montana, 1 July 1963 – 25 June 1968

Aircraft

  • Douglas C-47 Skytrain, 1942–1945.
  • Douglas C-48, 1942
  • Douglas C-49, 1942
  • Douglas C-53 Skytrooper, 1942–1943
  • Boeing KC-135A Stratotanker, 1963–1968

Campaigns

Campaign/Service Streamer Campaign Dates Notes
American Theater1 February 1942 – 13 December 194327th Transport Squadron (later Troop Carrier Squadron)[1]
India-Burma12 January 1944 – 28 January 194527th Troop Carrier Squadron[1]
China Defensive12 January 1944 – 4 May 194527th Troop Carrier Squadron[1]
China Offensive5 May 1945 – 2 September 194527th Troop Carrier Squadron[1]

See also

References

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 140-141
  2. 1 2 Maurer, Combat Units, pp. 154-155
  3. ↑ Replacement Training Units were oversized units that trained individual pilots or aircrews Craven, & Cate, (eds.) Vol. VI, p. xxxvi
  4. 1 2 14 USAAF 27 Troop Carrier Squadron website (retrieved 14 October 2013)
  5. ↑ Abstract, History 91 Bombardment Wing Sep 1963 (retrieved 14 October 2013)
  6. ↑ Abstract, History 91 Bombardment Wing Dec 1963 (retrieved 14 October 2013)
  7. ↑ Abstract, History 91 Bombardment Wing Oct-Dec 1965 (retrieved 14 October 2013)
  8. ↑ "Abstract (Unclassified), History of the Strategic Bomber since 1945 (Top Secret, downgraded to Secret)". Air Force History Index. 1 April 1975. Retrieved 4 March 2014.
  9. 1 2 3 Ravenstein, pp. 125-127
  10. ↑ Abstract, 91 Bombardment Wing Fact and Figures Booklet, Jan and Feb 1966 (retrieved 14 October 2013)
  11. 1 2 3 Department of the Air Force/MPM Letter 662q, 19 September 85, Subject: Reconstitution, Redesignation, and Consolidation of Selected Air Force Tactical Squadrons
  12. 1 2 3 Lineage, including assignments and stations through 1945 in Maurer, Combat Sqyuadrons, pp. 140-141

Bibliography

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.

Further reading

External links

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