344th Air Refueling Squadron

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= 344th Air Refueling Squadron


caption= 344th Air Refueling Squadron Patch
dates= 3 February 1942 - 27 March 1946
1 July 1947 - 25 June 1966
1 October 1986 - Present
country= United States
allegiance=
branch=United States Air Force
type= Aerial refueling
role=
size=
command_structure= Air Mobility Command
18th Air Force
22d Air Refueling Wing
22d Operations Group
current_commander=
garrison= McConnell Air Force Base
ceremonial_chief=
colonel_of_the_regiment=
nickname=
patron=
motto= Anytime-Anywhere
colors=
march=
mascot=
battles=
notable_commanders=
anniversaries=
decorations=
battle_honours=

The 344th Air Refueling Squadron (344 ARS) is part of the 22d Air Refueling Wing at McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas. It operates the KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft conducting aerial refueling missions.

Mission

History

The 344th flew combat in the European Theater of Operations and Mediterranean Theater of Operations from, August 1942–April 1945 and combat in Korea from, August 1950–July 1953. It has flown air refueling sorties in support of operations in Panama in December 1989 and air refueling and airlift in support to and in Southwest Asia Theater from, August 1990–March 1991. [http://afhra.maxwell.af.mil/rso/squadrons_flights_pages/0344ars.html AFHRA 344 ARS Page] ]

=Operations=

*World War II
*Korean War
*Operation Just Cause
*Operation Desert Storm

=Lineage=

*344th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) (1942 - 1943)
*344th Bombardment Squadron, Heavy (1943 - 1945)
*344th Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy (1945 - 1948)
*344th Bombardment Squadron, Medium (1948 - 1986)
*344th Air Refueling Squadron, Heavy (1986 - 1992)
*344th Air Refueling Squadron (1992 - Present)

=Assignments=

*98th Bombardment Group (1942 - 1945)
*444th Bombardment Group (1945 - 1946)
*98th Strategic Aerospace Wing (1947 - 1966)
*68th Air Refueling Wing (1986 - 1991)
*4th Wing (1991 - 1994)
*22d Air Refueling Wing (1994 - Present)

=Bases stationed=

*MacDill Field, Florida (1942)
*Barksdale Field, Louisiana (1942)
*Fort Myers, Florida (1942)
*Drane Field, Florida (1942)
*RAF Ramat David, Palestine (1942)
*Saint Jean, Palestine (1942)
*RAF Kabrit, Egypt (1942 - 1943)
*Lete, Libya (1943)
*Hergla, Tunisia (1943)
*Brindisi, Italy (1943)
*Manduria, Italy (1943 - 1944)
*Lecce, Italy (1944 - 1945)
*Fairmont Army Air Field, Nebraska (1945)
*McCook Army Airfield, Nebraska (1945)
*Merced Army Air Field, California (1945 - 1946)
*Andrews Field, Maryland (1947)
*Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington (1947 - 1953)
**Deployed: Kadena Air Base, Japan (22 August - 7 December 1948)
**Deployed: RAF Sculthorpe, England (25 May - 29 August 1949)
**Deployed: Yokota Air Base, Japan (c. 5 August 1950 - 14 August 1953)
*Yokota Air Base, Japan (1953 - 1954)
*Lincoln Air Force Base, Nebraska (1954 - 1966)
**Deployed: RAF Lakenheath, England (12 November 1955 - 28 January 1956)
*Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina (1986 - 1994)
*McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas (1995 - Present)

=Aircraft Operated=

*B-24 Liberator (1942 - 1945)
*B-29 Superfortress (1945, 1947 - 1954)
*B-47 Stratojet (1954 - 1966)
*KC-10 Extender (1986 - 1994)
*KC-135 Stratotanker (1994 - Present)

References

Notes

Bibliography

* [http://afhra.maxwell.af.mil/rso/squadrons_flights_pages/0344ars.html AFHRA 344th Air Refueling Squadron History]

Also See