9th Air Refueling Squadron

9th Air Refueling Squadron
Official crest of the 9th Air Refueling Squadron
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	"UNIVERSAL"
Equipment	(12x) KC-10A Extender
Commanders
Current Commander	Lieutenant Colonel Mark Robinson
Current Operations Officer	Major James LaFerriere
First Sergeant	MSgt Gary Dayton
Current Squadron Superintendent	CMSgt Robbie Wellbaum
Notable commanders	General Arthur J. Lichte Lieutenant General Paul Selva Major General Michelle D. Johnson
Aircraft flown
Tanker	KC-10 Extender

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.

Contents 1 History 1.1 Lineage 1.2 Assignments 1.3 Stations 1.4 Aircraft 1.5 Operations 2 Commanders 3 References 4 External links

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-51B) Mustangs.

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-51D) 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-29 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.

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 Jan 1942

Activated on 1 Feb 1942

Redesignated: 9th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron on 9 Jun 1942

Redesignated: 9th Photographic Squadron (Light) on 6 Feb 1943

Redesignated: 9th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron on 13 Nov 1943

Inactivated on 4 Dec 1945

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

Activated on 1 Aug 1951

Discontinued, and inactivated, on 15 Dec 1965

• Redesignated 9th Air Refueling Squadron, Heavy, on 12 Dec 1969

Activated on 1 Jan 1970

Inactivated on 27 Jan 1982

• Activated on 1 Aug 1982

Redesignated 9th Air Refueling Squadron on 1 Sep 1991

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

Assignments

• First Air Force, 1 Feb 1942
• Tenth Air Force, 29 Mar 1942

Flight attached to Fourteenth Air Force, 10 Mar – 12 Jul 1943

• Army Air Forces, India-Burma Sector, 30 Oct 1943

Attached to: 5306th Photographic and Reconnaissance Group [Provisional], 30 Oct 1943 – 17 Jan 1944

Attached to: Tenth Air Force, 17 Jan – 6 Mar 1944

• Tenth Air Force, 7 Mar 1944
• 8th Photographic (later, 8th Reconnaissance) Group, 25 Apr 1944
• Army Air Forces, India-Burma Theater, c. Oct-4 Dec 1945
• 9th Bombardment Group, 1 Aug 1951

Attached to: 43d Bombardment Wing, 1 Aug – 3 Sep 1951

Attached to: 36th Air Division, 4 Sep 1951 – 14 Jan 1952

Attached to: 303d Bombardment Wing, 15 Jan 1952–

• 9th Bombardment (later, 9th Strategic Aerospace) Wing, 16 Jun 1952 – 15 Dec 1965

Remained attached to 303d Bombardment Wing, to 30 Apr 1953

Attached to: 5th Air Division, 18 Apr – 16 Jul 1955

Attached to: SAC Liaison Team, 2 May – 1 Jul 1956

• 456th Strategic Aerospace (later, 456th Bombardment) Wing, 1 Jan 1970
• 17th Bombardment Wing, 30 Sep 1975
• 100th Air Refueling Wing, 30 Sep 1976 – 27 Jan 1982
• 22d Bombardment (later, 22d Air Refueling) Wing, 1 Aug 1982
• 22d Operations Group, 1 Sep 1991
• 722d Operations Group, 1 Jan 1994
• 60th Operations Group, 1 Sep 1994 – present
• Air Mobility Command (9 EARS) when deployed to combat areas after 11 Sep 2001

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

Stations

Mitchel Field, New York, 1 Feb 1942 Bradley Field, Connecticut, 10 Mar 1942 Felts Field, Washington, 16 Apr – 18 May 1942 Karachi Airport, India, 24 Jul 1942 Flight at Kunming Airport, China, Nov 1942-12 Jul 1943 Detachment thereof operating from Kweilin Airfield, China, c. Feb-12 Jul 1943 Chakulia Airfield, India, 30 Nov 1942 Detachment operated from Dinjan Airfield, India, 18 Mar–Jul 1943 Pandaveswar Airfield, India, 3 Jan 1943 Detachment operated from Dinjan Airfield, India, Sep 1943-20 May 1944 Barrackpore Airfield, India, 29 Oct 1943 Detachment operating from: Tingkawk Sakan Airfield, Burma, 16 Aug – 30 Nov 1944 Detachment operating from: Myitkyina Airfield, Burma, 27 Nov-c. 5 Dec 1944 Detachment operating from: Chittagong Airport, India, c. 9 Oct – 21 Dec 1944

Myitkyina Airfield, Burma, c. 5 Dec 1944 Piardoba Airfield, India, c. 1 May 1945 Malir, India, c. Oct-c. 14 Nov 1945 Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, 3–4 Dec 1945 Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona, 1 Aug 1951 Mountain Home AFB, Idaho, 1 May 1953 – 15 Dec 1965 Deployed at: Benguerir AB, French Morocco, 18 Apr – 16 Jul 1955 Deployed at:Elmendorf AFB, Alaska Territory, 2 May – 1 Jul 1956 Beale AFB, California, 1 Jan 1970 – 27 Jan 1982 March AFB, California, 1 Aug 1982 Travis AFB, California, 1 Sep 1994 – present Diego Garcia Air Base, British Indian Ocean Territory (9 EARS), 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:

Arid Farmer Operation El Dorado Canyon Giant Scale Just Cause Desert Shield Desert Storm Proud Return Southern Watch Deny Flight Restore Hope Desert Strike Phoenix Scorpion I Phoenix Scorpion II

Phoenix Scorpion III Phoenix Scorpion IV CentrazBat Phoenix Banner (presidential support) Allied Force Desert Fox Urgent Fury Operation Noble Eagle Operation Enduring Freedom Operation Iraqi Freedom Operation New Dawn Operation Odyssey Dawn Operation Tomadachi

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	Present

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

• Travis Air Force Base web site
• Air Force Link
• Air Force Historical Research Agency: 9th Air Refueling Squadron
• GlobalSecurity.org: 9th Air Refueling Squadron

United States Air Force Aerial Refueling Units Wings 6th 19th 22d 68th 92d 100th 101st 107th 108th 117th 121st 126th 128th 134th 141st 157th 155th 157th 161st 163d 168th 171st 184th 185th 186th 190th 301st 305th 319th 340th 380th 384th 434th 452d 459th 497th 499th 507th 916th 927th 939th 940th 4045th 4061st 4108th 4397th 4505th Groups 19th 43d 98th 307th 931st Squadrons 2d 6th 7th 9th 11th 19th 22d 26th 28th 32d 34th 40th 41st 42d 43d 44th 46th 54th 55th 63d 64th 68th 70th 71st 72d 74th 77th 90th 91st 92d 93d 96th 97th 98th 99th 100th 105th 106th 108th 116th 117th 126th 127th 132d 133d 136th 141st 146th 147th 150th 151st 154th 166th 168th 203d 301st 303d 305th 306th 307th 308th 310th 314th 320th 321st 336th 340th 341st 344th 349th 350th 351st 376th 380th 384th 407th 465th 509th 900th 901st 763d 902d 903d 904th 905th 906th 907th 908th 909th 911th 913th 915th 916th 917th 919th 920th 922d 924th

United States Air Force Leadership Secretary of the Air Force Under Secretary of the Air Force Chief of Staff Vice Chief of Staff Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force 4-star generals House Armed Services Committee House Subcommittee on Air and Land Forces Senate Committee on Armed Services Senate Subcommittee on Air and Land Forces Organization Commands Reserve Air National Guard Field Operating Agencies Installations Direct Reporting Units District of Washington Operational Test and Evaluation Center USAF Academy Major Commands Air Combat Air Education and Training Air Mobility Global Strike Materiel Reserve Space Special Operations Europe Pacific Numbered Air Forces First Second Third Fourth Fifth Seventh Eighth Ninth Tenth Eleventh Twelfth Thirteenth Fourteenth Seventeenth Eighteenth Nineteenth Twentieth Twenty-Second Twenty-Third Twenty-Fourth Wings (ANG) Groups (ANG) Squadrons (ANG) Civilian auxiliary: Civil Air Patrol Personnel and training Airmen Rank Officers Enlisted Specialty Code Aeronautical ratings Judge Advocate General's Corps RED HORSE Office of Special Investigations Security Forces Medical Service Pararescue Combat Control Chief of Chaplains Chief Scientist Training: USAF Academy Officer Training School Reserve Officer Training Corps Basic Training Airman Leadership School SERE Fitness Test Uniforms and equipment Awards and decorations Badges Equipment Uniforms History and traditions History Army Air Service / Corps / Forces "The U.S. Air Force" Air Force Band The Airmen of Note Tops In Blue Airman's Creed Core Values Flag Symbol Memorial National Museum Air Force One Honor Guard Thunderbirds Service numbers Category Portal

Strategic Air Command (SAC) Bases Active (MAJCOM) CONUS Altus (AETC) • Andersen (PACAF) • Andrews (AMC) • Barksdale (ACC) • Beale (ACC) • Bolling (AFDW) • Cannon (AFSOC) • Columbus (AETC) • Davis-Monthan (ACC) • Dyess (ACC) • Eielson (PACAF) • Ellsworth (ACC) • Eglin (AFMC) • F. E. Warren (AFSPC) • Fairchild (AMC) • Forbes (ANG) • Grand Forks (AMC) • Grissom (AFRC)  • Homestead (AFRC)  • Lincoln (ANG)  • Little Rock (AETC) • MacDill (AMC) • Malmstrom (AFSPC) • March (AFRC)  • McChord (AMC) • McConnell (AMC) • McGuire (AMC) • Minot (ACC) • Mountain Home (ACC) • Nellis (ACC)  • Offutt (ACC)  • Patrick (AFSPC) • Pease (ANG)  • Rickenbacker (ANG)  • Robins (AFMC) • Seymour Johnson (ACC)  • Sheppard (AETC) • Selfridge (ANG)  • Travis (AMC) • Vandenburg (AFSPC) • Westover (AFRC)  • Whiteman (ACC) • Wright-Patterson (AFMC) Overseas RAF Alconbury (USAFE) • Diego Garcia (RAF) • Kadena (PACAF) • RAF Fairford (USAFE) • RAF Lakenheath (USAFE) • RAF Mildenhall (USAFE) • Thule (AFSPC) Inactive CONUS Amarillo • Bergstrom • Biggs • Bong (unbuilt) • Calumet Air Force Base • Carswell • Castle • Chennault • Clinton-Sherman • Dow • Eaker • Glasgow • Grand Island (AAF) • Griffiss • Hunter • K. I. Sawyer • Kearney • Kincheloe • Larson • Loring • Lowry • Mather • McCoy • Plattsburgh • Presque Isle • Ramey • Shilling  • Stead  • Turner • Walker • Wurtsmith Overseas RAF Bassingbourn • Ben Guerir • Boulhaut • RAF Brize Norton • RAF Bruntingthorpe • RAF Burtonwood • RAF Chelveston • RAF Greenham Common • Goose Bay • Ernest Harmon • RAF High Wycombe • RAF Upper Heyford • Torrejón • RAF Manston • Morón • Nouasseur • RAF Scampton • RAF Sculthorpe • Sidi Slimane • RAF South Ruislip • U-Tapao • RAF Waddington • RAF Woodbridge • RAF Wyton • Zaragoza Units Air Forces Second Air Force • Eighth Air Force • Fifteenth Air Force • Sixteenth Air Force • Twentieth Air Force Divisions Air 3rd • 4th • 5th • 6th • 7th • 12th • 14th • 17th • 19th • 21st • 36th • 40th • 42d • 45th • 47th • 57th • 100th • 311th • 801st • 802d • 806th • 817th • 822d • 823d • 4310th Strategic Aerospace 1st • 18th • 22d • 810th • 813th • 816th • 818th • 819th • 820th • 821st • 825th Strategic Missile 13th Wings Bombardment 2d • 5th • 7th • 9th • 17th • 19th • 22nd • 28th • 39th • 42d • 43rd • 68th • 70th • 72d • 92nd • 93d • 96th • 97th • 99th • 303d • 319th • 320th • 340th • 379th • 380th • 397th • 410th • 416th • 449th • 450th • 454th • 456th • 461st • 465th • 484th • 494th • 509th Fighter 1st • 4th • 12th • 27th • 31st • 33d • 56th • 71st Strategic Reconnaissance (Fighter) • 82d • 407th • 506th • 508th Missile 44th • 90th • 91st • 308th • 321st • 341st • 351st • 381st • 389th • 390th • 392d • 451st • 455th • 526th • 702d • 703d • 704th • 705th Reconnaissance 6th Strategic Reconnaissance • 26th Strategic Reconnaissance • 55th Strategic Reconnaissance • 544th Aerospace Reconnaissance Technical Refueling 11th • 100th • 301st • 305th • 384th • 452d • 497th • 499th • 500th Strategic Aerospace 310th • 385th • 462d AFCON 95th • 98th • 306th • 307th • 376th MAJCOM 3918th • 3920th • 3960th • 3970th • 3973d • 4026th • 4038th • 4039th • 4042d • 4043d • 4047th • 4080th • 4081st • 4082d • 4083d • 4123d • 4126th • 4128th • 4130th • 4133d • 4134th • 4135th • 4136th • 4137th • 4138th • 4141st • 4157th • 4158th • 4170th • 4228th • 4238th • 4239th • 4241st • 4245th • 4252nd • 4258th • 4321st Support 40th USAAF Groups *=Initial Assigned Unit Upon SAC's Activation Bombardment 2d (7/47) • 7th (10/46) • 28th (8/46) • 40th (3/46*) • 43rd (10/46) • 44th (3/46*) • 92nd (10/46) • 93d (3/46*) • 97th (8/46) • 98th (7/47) • 301st (8/46) • 307th (8/46) • 444th (3/46*) • 448th (3/46*) • 449th (3/46*) • 467th (3/46*) • 485th (3/46*) • 498th (3/46*) • 509th Composite (3/46*) Fighter 27th (6/47) • 55th (2/47) Reconnaissance 91st Strategic Reconnaissance (1/47) Major weapon systems Bombers B-1B • B-2 • B-17 • B-26 • B-29 • B-36 • B-45 • B-47 • B-50 • B-52 • B-57 • B-58 • FB-111 Command & Control DC-130 • E-4 • EC-135 • RC-135 Fighters F-51 • F-82 • F-84 • F-86 • F-102 • F-111 Missiles ADM-20 • AGM-28 • AGM-69 • AGM-84 • AGM-86 • AGM-129 • HGM-16 • LGM-30A/B • LGM-30F • LGM-30G • LGM-118A • SM-62 • PGM-17A • PGM-19A Reconnaissance SR-71 • TR-1 • U-2 Tankers KB-29 • KB-50 • KC-10 • KC-97 • HC-130 • KC-130 • KC-135 Transport C-45 • C-47 • C-54 • C-82 • C-97 • C-118 • C-119 • C-124 • C-131 • C-135 Commanders Kenney • Lemay • Power • Ryan • Nazzaro • Holloway • Meyer • Dougherty • Ellis • Davis • Welch • Chain • Butler Emblems Strategic Air Command Emblem Gallery (On Wikimedia Commons)