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907th Air Refueling Squadron Shield Strategic Air Command
Boeing KC-135 J57 takeoff
Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker taking off using water injection to increase thrust
Active 1942-1945; 1963-1968
Country Flag of the United States United States
Branch Flag of the United States Air Force 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 907th Air Refueling Squadron - SAC - Patch

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[]

27 Troop Carrier Squadron Official

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 initially used militarized versions of the Douglas DC-3 (C-48s and C-49s), then 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]

The air echelon of the squadron gathered at Baer Field, Indiana, where it received new aircraft. It ferried the aiplanes 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 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.[8] It also deployed to Southeast Asia to support Operation Young Tiger, refueling tactical aircraft on strike missions.[9]

The squadron became non-operational in May 1968[8] and was inactivated in June when Glasgow closed.

The 27th Troop Carrier Squadron and the 907th Air Refueling Squadron were consolidated in 1985,[10] 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[11]
Consolidated on 19 September 1985 with the 907th Air Refueling Squadron as the 907th Air Refueling Squadron[10]

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[10] (remained inactive)

Assignments[]

Stations[]

  • Daniel Field, Georgia, 1 February 1942
  • Harding Field, Louisiana, 10 March 1942
  • Kellogg Field, Michigan, 21 June 1942
  • Bowman Field, Kentucky, 5 August 1942
  • Pope Field, North Carolina, 4 October 1942
  • Lawson Field, Georgia, 2 December 1942

  • 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[11]
  • 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
Streamer AC American Theater 1 February 1942 – 13 December 1943 27th Transport Squadron (later Troop Carrier Squadron)[1]
Streamer APC India-Burma 12 January 1944 – 28 January 1945 27th Troop Carrier Squadron[1]
Streamer APC China Defensive 12 January 1944 – 4 May 1945 27th Troop Carrier Squadron[1]
Streamer APC China Offensive 5 May 1945 – 2 September 1945 27th Troop Carrier Squadron[1]

References[]

Notes[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 Maurer, Maurer, ed (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. pp. 140–141. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556. http://www.airforcehistory.hq.af.mil/Publications/fulltext/combat_sq_of_the_af_wwii.pdf. 
  2. 2.0 2.1 Maurer, Maurer, ed (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. pp. 154–155. ISBN 0-912799-02-1. LCCN 61060979. http://www.airforcehistory.hq.af.mil/Publications/fulltext/af_combat_units_wwii.pdf. 
  3. Replacement Training Units were oversized units that trained individual pilots or aircrews Craven, Wesley F & Cate, James L, ed (1955). "Introduction". The Army Air Forces in World War II. Vol. VI, Men & Planes. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press. p. xxxvi. LCCN 48-3657. 
  4. 4.0 4.1 14 USAAF 27 Troop Carrier Squadron website (retrieved October 14, 2013)
  5. Abstract, History 91 Bombardment Wing Sep 1963 (retrieved October 14, 2103)
  6. Abstract, History 91 Bombardment Wing Dec 1963 (retrieved October 14, 2103)
  7. Abstract, History 91 Bombardment Wing Oct-Dec 1965 (retrieved October 14, 2013)
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947-1977. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. pp. 125–127. ISBN 0-912799-12-9. http://www.airforcehistory.hq.af.mil/Publications/fulltext/combat_wings.pdf. 
  9. Abstract, 91 Bombardment Wing Fact and Figures Booklet, Jan and Feb 1966 (retrieved October 14, 2013)
  10. 10.0 10.1 10.2 Department of the Air Force/MPM Letter 662q, 19 September 85, Subject: Reconstitution, Redesignation, and Consolidation of Selected Air Force Tactical Squadrons
  11. 11.0 11.1 11.2 Lineage, including assignments and stations through 1945 in Maurer, Combat Sqyuadrons, pp. 140-141

Bibliography[]

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

External links[]


PD-icon This article incorporates public domain material from the United States Air Force website http://www.af.mil.

All or a portion of this article consists of text from Wikipedia, and is therefore Creative Commons Licensed under GFDL.
The original article can be found at 907th Air Refueling Squadron and the edit history here.
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