106th Air Refueling Squadron

The United States Air Force's 106th Air Refueling Squadron (106 ARS) is an Air National Guard aerial refueling unit flying the KC-135R Stratotanker, out of Birmingham International Airport, Alabama.

History

The squadron was raised as the 106 Aero Squadron on 27 August 1917 at Kelly Field in San Antonio, Texas, and assigned to the Second Artillery Aerial Observation School. In December 1917, the squadron set sail for France, where they repaired and maintained aircraft. On 1 February 1918, the squadron was redesignated the 800 Aero Squadron. Returning home after the war ended, the squadron was demobilized by mid 1919.

In 1936, the 106 Aero Squadron was consolidated with the 106th Observation Squadron of the Alabama National Guard. The Observation Squadron had been founded as the 135th Observation Squadron by former WWI ace, James Armand Meissner on 21 January 1922.

On 25 November 1940, the 106 Observation Squadron was ordered to active duty. A week after the Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor, the squadron was ordered to Miami, Florida to begin flying anti-submarine patrols. The anti-submarine mission continued until September 1942, when the 106th began preparing for its new mission as a bombardment squadron flying the B-25 Mitchell. This new mission was reflected in a name change when the 106 Observation Squadron was redesignated 106 Reconnaissance Squadron (Bombardment) on 2 April 1943. Arriving at Guadalcanal on 15 November 1943, the 106th immediately began performing its new bombing mission. The squadron was once again redesignated on 9 May 1944, when it became known as the 100 Bombardment Squadron (Medium). The 100th was inactivated at Camp Stoneman, California on 11 December 1945.

On 24 May 1946, the newly designated 106 Bombardment Squadron (Light) was once again assigned to the Alabama National Guard. The squadron returned to its observation mission in 1951 when, on 1 February, it was redesignated the 106 Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron (Night Photo). In 1957 traded their RB-26s for the RF-84 Thunderflash jet. A change in aircraft came once again in 1971 when the 106th received its first RF-4C Phantom, a mission that continued until 1994 when the squadron took delivery of its first KC-135R aircraft and was redesignated the 106 Air Refueling Squadron.

Operation Desert Shield

In August 1990 the 117th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing deployed to the United Arab Emirates in support of Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm. After Iraq invaded Kuwait under Saddam Hussein on 2 August 1990, members of the 106th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron of the 117th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing were activated to participate in contingencies in Operation Desert Shield. On 24 August 1990, then Colonel James F. Brown, 117th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing Commander led a formation of six RF-4C Phantoms on what was believed to be the longest non-stop flight of six Phantoms in history. The take-off from Birmingham Municipal Airport was at 1630 CDT on 24 August 1990. After each Phantom refueled in the air 16 (sixteen) times and after traveling more than 8,000 nautical miles (15,000 km) without landing, the flight terminated in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates at 1600 local time on 25 August 1990. The flight lasted 15.5 hours and included aerial refuelings from four different KC-10's and four different KC-135's. The 106th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron then operated out of the desert air base until December 1990 flying reconnaissance missions in preparation for the eventual Operation Desert Storm. During those four months in 1990, one RF-4C Phantom was lost, claiming the lives of two of the 106th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron's aircrew members.

The 106th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron/117th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing was the first Air National Guard or USAF Reserve Squadron to get the \Phantoms in 1971. They operated the RF-4C until May 1995, ending a twenty-four year chapter in the colorful history of the unit by flying one of the jets (Tail # 64-1047) to the USAF Museum in Dayton, Ohio. It was the last operational RF-4C squadron flight and was piloted by the future 117th Air Refueling Wing Commander, Lt Col Evans Whaley. Aircraft "047" is still on display at the USAF Museum, painted in the Birmingham Air National Guard colors of the 1990 Operation Desert Shield deployment of the 106th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron.

Lineage

• Organized as 106th Aero Squadron on 27 August 1917

Redesignated 800th Aero Repair Squadron on 1 February 1918.

Demobilized: A and B flights on 8 May 1919, C flight on 2 July 1919

• Reconstituted and consolidated (1936) with 135th Squadron which, having been allotted to NG, was organized on 21 January 1922

Redesignated: 135th Observation Squadron on 25 January 1923

Redesignated: 114th Observation Squadron on 1 May 1923

Redesignated: 106th Observation Squadron on 16 January 1924

Ordered to active service on 25 November 1940

Redesignated: 106th Observation Squadron (Medium) on 13 January 1942;

Redesignated: 106th Observation Squadron on 4 July 1942

Redesignated: 106th Reconnaissance Squadron (Bombardment) on 2 April 1943

Redesignated: 100th Bombardment Squadron (Medium) on 9 May 1944

Inactivated on 11 December 1945

• Redesignated: 106th Bombardment Squadron (Light), and allotted to Alabama Air National Guard, on 24 May 1946.

Redesignated: 106th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron (Night Photo), 1951

Redesignated: 106th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron (Photo Jet), 1957

Redesignated: 106th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, 1961

Redesignated: 106th Reconnaissance Squadron, 1992

Redesignated: 106th Air Refueling Squadron, 1994

• Personnel designated 106th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron when supporting Operation Allied Force effective 24 March 1999

Assignments

• Unknown, 27 August 1917 – February 1918
• Second Artillery Aerial Observation School, February 1918 – April 1919

B flight with First Artillery Aerial Observation School, 1918, and detachment thereof with Fourth Artillery Aerial Observation School, 1918

C flight with Fifth Artillery Aerial Observation School, 1918–1919

• Alabama National Guard, 21 January 1922

Originally intended as corps air service, served from 1923 as divisional aviation, with 39th Division to 1924 and thereafter with 31st Division

• Fourth Corps Area, 25 November 1940
• IV Army Corps, c. December 1940
• 66th Observation (later Reconnaissance) Group 1 September 1941
• 76th Reconnaissance Group, 20 June 1943
• Third Air Force, 13 Ju1 1943
• III Reconnaissance Command, 23 August 1943
• Thirteenth Air Force, 19 November 1943
• 42d Bombardment Group, attached in January 1944 and assigned 1 February-11 December 1945
• Alabama Air National Guard, 24 May 1946–present

Stations

Aircraft^[1]

See also

• List of American Aero Squadrons

References

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

• Mauer, Mauer (1969), Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II, Air Force Historical Studies Office, Maxwell AFB, Alabama. ISBN 0-89201-097-5

External links