9th Air Refueling Squadron

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= 9th Air Refueling Squadron


caption= Official crest of the 9th Air Refueling Squadron
dates= 19 January 1942–4 December 1945
1 August 1951–15 December 1965
12 December 1969–27 January 1982
1 August 1982–
country= United States
allegiance=
branch= United States Air Force
type=
role=
size= over 140 combat-ready personnel
command_structure= Air Mobility Command
Eighteenth Air Force
60th Air Mobility Wing
60th Operations Group
garrison= Travis Air Force Base
garrison_label=
nickname=
patron=
motto= "UNIVERSAL"
colors=
colors_label=
march=
mascot=
equipment= (12x) KC-10A Extender
equipment_label=
battles=
anniversaries=
decorations=
battle_honours=
commander1= Lieutenant Colonel Matt Lloyd
commander1_label= Current commander
commander2= Lieutenant Colonel Glen Goss
commander2_label= Current Operations Officer
commander3= position vacant
commander3_label= Current First Sergeant
commander4= SMSgt Tim Nelson
commander4_label= Current Squadron Superintendent
notable_commanders= Gen Arthur J. Lichte--Commander, Air Mobility Command; Lt Gen Paul Selva; Brig Gen Michelle Johnson

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.

History

The 9th Photographic Squadron performed combat photo reconnaissance in the China-Burma-India Theater from 1 December 1942 through 14 April 1945. Then the 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 smallcaps|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.

Operations

The 9th ARS has a proud legacy of participation in Air Force Operations such as:
* Arid Farmer
* 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

Lineage and honors

Constituted as 9th Photographic Squadron on 19 January 1942.Activated on 1 February 1942.Redesignated as 9th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron on 9 June 1942; 9th Photographic Squadron (Light) on 6 February 1943; 9th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron on 13 November 1943.Inactivated on 4 December 1945.

Consolidated with the 9th Air Refueling Squadron, Medium (which was constituted on 24 July 1951), and activated on 1 August 1951.Discontinued, and inactivated, on 15 December 1965.

Redesignated 9th Air Refueling Squadron, Heavy, on 12 December 1969.Activated on 1 January 1970.Inactivated on 27 January 1982.

Activated on 1 August 1982.Redesignated 9th Air Refueling Squadron on 1 September 1991.

Campaign streamers

This unit earned the following organizational campaign streamers:

* World War II: New Guinea; Central Pacific; India-Burma; Central Burma; China Defensive.

Decorations

This unit earned the following organizational decorations:

* Air Force Outstanding Unit Award (4): 1 January 1957–31 January 1958; 1 August 1982–30 June 1983; 1 July 1987–30 June 1989; 1 July 1989–30 June 1991.

Awards

* General Carl A. Spaatz Trophy 2002
* SMSgt Al Evans Trophy 2003, 2006

Emblem

:"On a Blue disc edged with a narrow Blue border fimbriated Red, a Red elliptical globe, rimmed and grid lined White. Issuing from the rim in sinister and arced to form the figure 9, a spiralling White contrail terminating below a Red and White ascending flight symbol. MOTTO: UNIVERSAL. (Approved on 19 July 1971)"New replacement emblem approved on 2 December 1954.

Assignments

*First Air Force, 1 February 1942
*Tenth Air Force, 29 March 1942 (flight attached to Fourteenth Air Force, 10 March 1943–12 July 1943)
*Army Air Forces, India-Burma Sector, 30 October 1943 (attached to 5306th Photographic and Reconnaissance Group [Provisional] , 30 October 1943–17 January 1944, and to Tenth Air Force, 17 January 1944–6 March 1944)
*Tenth Air Force, 7 March 1944
*8th Photographic (later, 8th Reconnaissance) Group, 25 April 1944
*Army Air Forces, India-Burma Theater, c. October 1945–4 December 1945.

*9th Bombardment Group, 1 August 1951 (attached to 43d Bombardment Wing, 1 August 1951–3 September 1951
*36th Air Division, 4 September 1951–14 January 1952
*303d Bombardment Wing, 15 January 1952–)
*9th Bombardment (later, 9th Strategic Aerospace) Wing, 16 June 1952–15 December 1965 (remained attached to 303d Bombardment Wing, to 30 April 1953; attached to 5th Air Division, 18 April 1955–16 July 1955; SAC Liaison Team, 2 May 1956–1 July 1956).

*456th Strategic Aerospace (later, 456th Bombardment) Wing, 1 January 1970
*17th Bombardment Wing, 30 September 1975
*100th Air Refueling Wing, 30 September 1976–27 January 1982.

*22d Bombardment (later, 22d Air Refueling) Wing, 1 August 1982
*22d Operations Group, 1 September 1991
*722d Operations Group, 1 January 1994
*60th Operations Group, 1 September 1994–.

Stations

*Mitchel Field (later, Mitchel Air Force Base), New York, 1 February 1942
*Bradley Field (later, Bradley International Airport), Connecticut, 10 March 1942
*Felts Field (later, Felts Field Airport), Washington, 16 April 1942–18 May 1942
*Karachi, India, 24 July 1942 (flight at Kunming, Yunnan province, China, November 1942–12 July 1943, with detachment thereof operating from Kweilin, China, c. February 1943–2 July 1943)
*Chakulia, India, 30 November 1942 (detachment operated from Dinjan, India, 18 March 1943–July 1943)
*Pandaveswar, India, 3 January 1943 (detachment operated from Dinjan, India, c. September 1943–20 May 1944)
*Barrackpore, India, 29 October 1943 (detachment operated from Tingkawk Sakan, Burma (later, Myanmar), 16 August 1944–30 November 1944, and from Myitkyina, Burma, 27 November 1944–c.5 December 1944; another detachment operated from Chittagong, India, c.9 October 1944–21 December 1944)
*Myitkyina, Burma, c.5 December 1944
*Piardoba, India, c.1 May 1945
*Malir, India, c. October 1945–c.14 November 1945
*Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, 3 December 1945–4 December 1945

*Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, 1 August 1951
*Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, 1 May 1953–15 December 1965 (deployed at Benguerir AB, French Morocco, 18 April 1955–16 July 1955; Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, 2 May 1956–1 July 1956)

*Beale Air Force Base, California, 1 January 1970–27 January 1982

*March Air Force Base (later, March Air Reserve Base), California, 1 August 1982
*Travis Air Force Base, California, 1 September 1994–

Aerospace vehicles

In addition to F-4 Lightning, 1942–1944;and F–5 Lightning, 1943–1945;included B-25 Mitchell, 1943–1945.

KB-29 Superfortress, 1951–1954;
KC-97G Stratotanker, 15 September 1954–1965.

KC-135Q Stratotanker, 1970–1982.

KC-10A Extender, 1982–.

Commanders

* 1. Lt Col Russell F. Ireland..................1 Aug 51 - 11 Oct 51
* 2. Maj Jack N. Fancher.......................11 Oct 51 - 2 Nov 51
* 3. Lt Col John B. Stokes......................2 Nov 51 - 1 May 53
* 4. Maj C.C. Gifford..............................1 May 53 - 1 Sep 63
* 5. Maj Edward H. Dvorak.....................1 Sep 53 - 19 Mar 54
* 6. Lt Col Max W. Rogers...................19 Mar 54 - 1 Sep 58
* 7. Lt Col William B. Becklund.............1 Sep 58 - 27 Apr 59
* 8. Lt Col Donald S. Seeley................27 Apr 59 - 30 Sep 60
* 9. Lt Col William B. Becklund...........30 Sep 60 - 31 Jul 62
* 10. Lt Col Roy J. Sousley Jr...............31 Jul 62 - 30 Sep 64
* 11. Lt Col Carl E. Rice.....................30 Sep 64 - 15 Dec 65
* INACTIVE........................................15 Dec 65 - 12 Dec 69
* 12. Lt Col Clarence W. Thomas..........12 Dec 69 - 4 Jan 71
* 13. Lt Col Richard D. Jenkins..............4 Jan 71 - 1 Apr 71
* 14. Lt Col Allan J. Surridge.................1 Apr 71 - 15 Aug 71
* 15. Lt Col William C. Walker............15 Aug 71 - 9 Oct 71
* 16. Lt Col Louis C. Wagner................9 Oct 71 - 6 Jun 72
* 17. Lt Col James G. Dunham..............6 Jun 72 - 3 Mar 73
* 18. Lt Col Joe H. Snow......................3 Mar 73 - 1 Feb 74
* 19. Lt Col Douglas A. Jewett..............1 Feb 74 - 1 Sep 76
* 20. Lt Col William R. Borkowski.........1 Sep 76 - 20 Sep 77
* 21. Lt Col Melvin U. Edens............ ..20 Sep 77 - 6 Oct 78
* 22. Lt Col Curtis R. Archer Jr..............6 Oct 78 - 30 Nov 79
* 23. Lt Col Larry D. Sykes.................30 Nov 79 - 13 Mar 81
* 24. Lt Col Charles P. Rushforth III.....13 Mar 81 - 27 Jan 82
* INACTIVE.........................................27 Jan 82 - 1 Aug 82
* 25. Lt Col Donald E. Brice.................1 Aug 82 - 19 Nov 82
* 26. Lt Col Joseph M. Hudson............19 Nov 82 - 12 Aug 84
* 27. Lt Col Stephen L. Toles..............12 Aug 84 - 26 Jun 86
* 28. Lt Col Arthur J. Lichte.................26 Jun 86 - 1 Jul 88
* 29. Lt Col Thomas Dooley...................1 Jul 88 - 23 Mar 90
* 30. Lt Col James N. Christian...........23 Mar 90 - 28 Mar 91
* 31. Lt Col Leo A. Brownyard.............28 Mar 91 - 27 May 92
* 32. Lt Col Bernard H. Fullenkamp.....27 May 92 - 2 Jun 93
* 33. Lt Col Ronald D. Jones.................2 Jun 93 - 1 Sep 94
* 34. Lt Col Paul J. Selva......................1 Sep 94 - 25 Apr 95
* 35. Lt Col Daniel A. Hale...................25 Jun 95 - 18 Jun 96
* 36. Lt Col Michelle D. Johnson..........18 Jun 96 - 10 Jul 98
* 37. Lt Col Richard Traster...................10 Jul 98 - 11 Jul 99
* 38. Lt Col Martin J. Wojtysiak............11 Jun 99 - 21 Jun 00
* 39. Lt Col Mark Simon......................21 Jun 00 - 21 Jun 01
* 40. Lt Col Bruce A. VanSkiver...........21 Jun 01 - 30 Jun 03
* 41. Lt Col Marshall T. Morrison..........30 Jun 03 - 16 Jun 05
* 42. Lt Col Kurt W. Meidel.................16 Jun 05 - 7 Jun 07
* 43. Lt Col Matthew J. Lloyd................7 Jun 07 - Present

External links

* [http://public.travis.amc.af.mil/ Travis Air Force Base web site]
* [http://www.af.mil Air Force Link]
* [http://www.maxwell.af.mil/au/afhra/rso/squadrons_flights_pages/0009ars.html Air Force Historical Research Agency: 9th Air Refueling Squadron]
* [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/usaf/9ars.htm GlobalSecurity.org: 9th Air Refueling Squadron]