904th Air Refueling Squadron
Encyclopedia
The 904th Air Refueling Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force
unit. It was last assigned to the 320th Bombardment Wing, stationed at Mather AFB, California
. It was inactivated on 30 September 1986.
Established as the 14th Reconnaissance Squadron (Heavy), in the Southeast Air District, flying B-24 Liberator
s in 1941. The 404 BS engaged in antisubmarine patrols in the Gulf of Mexico
in early 1942. Reassigned to Alaska
in July 1942 in response to the Japanese invasion of the Aleutian Islands. Flew long-range bombardment missions of enemy targets in the Aleutians during 1942 and 1943; attacked the Kuril Islands
in 1944. Remained in Alaska after Japanese forces driven from Aleutians; flying long-range reconnaissance operations from Shemya Army Air Base; inactivated in 1947.
The 904th Air Refueling Squadron, Heavy, was established on 1 March 1959 by Strategic Air Command
at Mather AFB as a refueling component of its parent 4134th Strategic Wing. Operated KC-135 Stratotanker
s; provided air refueling support to the B-52 Stratofortress
strategic bombers of its parent wing and other USAF units as directed. Transferred to 320th Bombardment Wing in 1963 when SAC redesignated its parent wing to an AFCON organization.
Deployed to Western Pacific region to support combat operations of deployed SAC units and tactical aircraft over Indochina
during the Vietnam War
, 1966-1969. Inactivated with parent 320th BMW in 1989 with the retirement of the B-52G; equipment and personnel reassigned to other units.
The two squadrons were merged on 1985 as the 904th Air Refueling Squadron, Heavy.
404th Bombardment Squadron World War Two emblem
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
unit. It was last assigned to the 320th Bombardment Wing, stationed at Mather AFB, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. It was inactivated on 30 September 1986.
Established as the 14th Reconnaissance Squadron (Heavy), in the Southeast Air District, flying B-24 Liberator
B-24 Liberator
The Consolidated B-24 Liberator was an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and a small number of early models were sold under the name LB-30, for Land Bomber...
s in 1941. The 404 BS engaged in antisubmarine patrols in the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
in early 1942. Reassigned to Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
in July 1942 in response to the Japanese invasion of the Aleutian Islands. Flew long-range bombardment missions of enemy targets in the Aleutians during 1942 and 1943; attacked the Kuril Islands
Kuril Islands
The Kuril Islands , in Russia's Sakhalin Oblast region, form a volcanic archipelago that stretches approximately northeast from Hokkaidō, Japan, to Kamchatka, Russia, separating the Sea of Okhotsk from the North Pacific Ocean. There are 56 islands and many more minor rocks. It consists of Greater...
in 1944. Remained in Alaska after Japanese forces driven from Aleutians; flying long-range reconnaissance operations from Shemya Army Air Base; inactivated in 1947.
The 904th Air Refueling Squadron, Heavy, was established on 1 March 1959 by Strategic Air Command
Strategic Air Command
The Strategic Air Command was both a Major Command of the United States Air Force and a "specified command" of the United States Department of Defense. SAC was the operational establishment in charge of America's land-based strategic bomber aircraft and land-based intercontinental ballistic...
at Mather AFB as a refueling component of its parent 4134th Strategic Wing. Operated KC-135 Stratotanker
KC-135 Stratotanker
The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is an aerial refueling military aircraft. It and the Boeing 707 airliner were developed from the Boeing 367-80 prototype. The KC-135 was the US Air Force's first jet-powered refueling tanker and replaced the KC-97 Stratotanker...
s; provided air refueling support to the B-52 Stratofortress
B-52 Stratofortress
The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is a long-range, subsonic, jet-powered strategic bomber operated by the United States Air Force since the 1950s. The B-52 was designed and built by Boeing, who have continued to provide maintainence and upgrades to the aircraft in service...
strategic bombers of its parent wing and other USAF units as directed. Transferred to 320th Bombardment Wing in 1963 when SAC redesignated its parent wing to an AFCON organization.
Deployed to Western Pacific region to support combat operations of deployed SAC units and tactical aircraft over Indochina
Indochina
The Indochinese peninsula, is a region in Southeast Asia. It lies roughly southwest of China, and east of India. The name has its origins in the French, Indochine, as a combination of the names of "China" and "India", and was adopted when French colonizers in Vietnam began expanding their territory...
during the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
, 1966-1969. Inactivated with parent 320th BMW in 1989 with the retirement of the B-52G; equipment and personnel reassigned to other units.
The two squadrons were merged on 1985 as the 904th Air Refueling Squadron, Heavy.
Lineage
- Constituted 14th Reconnaissance Squadron (Heavy) on 20 November 1940
- Activated on 15 January 1941
- Redesignated 404th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 22 April 1942
- Inactivated on 5 January 1947
- Consolidated (19 Sep 1985) with the 904th Air Refueling Squadron, Heavy which was
- Constituted on 9 Feb 1959
- Activated on 1 Mar 1959
- Inactivated on 1 Oct 1986
- Redesignated 904th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron and converted to Provisional Status on 12 Jun 2002
404th Bombardment Squadron World War Two emblem
Assignments
- 44th Bombardment Group, attached on 15 January 1941, and assigned on 25 February 1942
- Associated with: 1st Photographic Group1st Photographic GroupThe 1st Photographic Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 311th Photographic Wing, stationed at Buckley Field, Colorado. It was inactivated on 5 October 1944.-History:...
, 10 Jun 1941 – 22 Apr 1942 (training)- 28th Composite (later Bombardment) Group
- Air echelon attached c. 12 July 1942
- Squadron assigned c. 21 September 1942
- Eleventh Air Force (later Alaskan Air Command)Eleventh Air ForceThe Eleventh Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Pacific Air Forces . It is headquartered at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska....
, 20 October 1945 – 5 January 1947 - 4134th Strategic Wing, 1 Mar 1959
- 320th Bombardment Wing, Heavy, 1 Feb 1963 - 1 Oct 1986
- Air Mobility CommandAir Mobility CommandAir Mobility Command is a Major Command of the U.S. Air Force. AMC is headquartered at Scott AFB, Illinois, east of St. Louis....
may Activate or Inactivate anytime after 12 Jun 2002
- Eleventh Air Force (later Alaskan Air Command)
Stations
- Miami Municipal AirportMiami International AirportMiami International Airport , also known as MIA and historically Wilcox Field, is the primary airport serving the South Florida area...
, FloridaFloridaFlorida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, 15 January 1941 - MacDill Field, FloridaFloridaFlorida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, 11 June 1941 - Barksdale Field, LouisianaLouisianaLouisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, 7 February 1942
- Operated from Ladd FieldLadd FieldLadd Army Airfield is the military airfield located at Fort Jonathan Wainwright, located in Fairbanks, Alaska. It was originally called Fairbanks Air Base, but was renamed Ladd Field on 1 December 1939, in honor of Major Arthur K. Ladd, a pilot in the U.S. Army Air Corps who died in a plane crash...
, Alaska TerritoryAlaska TerritoryThe Territory of Alaska was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from August 24, 1912, until January 3, 1959, when it was admitted to the Union as the State of Alaska...
, beginning 12 July 1942 - Operated from Marks Army Airfield, Alaska TerritoryAlaska TerritoryThe Territory of Alaska was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from August 24, 1912, until January 3, 1959, when it was admitted to the Union as the State of Alaska...
, beginning c. 18 Ju1 1942- Will Rogers Field, OklahomaOklahomaOklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
, 25 Ju1y 1942
- Will Rogers Field, Oklahoma
- Operated from Fort Glenn Army Airfield, Alaska TerritoryAlaska TerritoryThe Territory of Alaska was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from August 24, 1912, until January 3, 1959, when it was admitted to the Union as the State of Alaska...
, beginning 24 August 1942
- Fort LewisFort LewisJoint Base Lewis-McChord is a United States military facility located south-southwest of Tacoma, Washington. The facility is under the jurisdiction of the United States Army Joint Base Garrison, Joint Base Lewis-McChord....
, Washington, 30 August-10 September 1942
- Operated from Adak Army Airfield, Alaska TerritoryAlaska TerritoryThe Territory of Alaska was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from August 24, 1912, until January 3, 1959, when it was admitted to the Union as the State of Alaska...
, beginning 13 September 1942- Elmendorf Field, Alaska TerritoryAlaska TerritoryThe Territory of Alaska was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from August 24, 1912, until January 3, 1959, when it was admitted to the Union as the State of Alaska...
, 21 September 1942 - Adak Army Airfield, Alaska TerritoryAlaska TerritoryThe Territory of Alaska was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from August 24, 1912, until January 3, 1959, when it was admitted to the Union as the State of Alaska...
, 22 March 1943
- Elmendorf Field, Alaska Territory
- Operated from Amchitka Army AirfieldAmchitka Army AirfieldAmchitka Army Airfield is an abandoned airfield located near Amchitka, in the Rat Islands group of the Aleutian Islands in southwest Alaska.-History:The airfield was used as a transit base by USAAF/RCAF for the defense of Dutch Harbor....
, Alaska TerritoryAlaska TerritoryThe Territory of Alaska was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from August 24, 1912, until January 3, 1959, when it was admitted to the Union as the State of Alaska...
beginning 4 June 1943 - Operated from Shemya Army Air Base, Alaska TerritoryAlaska TerritoryThe Territory of Alaska was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from August 24, 1912, until January 3, 1959, when it was admitted to the Union as the State of Alaska...
c. 26 February 1944 – 5 January 1947- Mather Air Force BaseMather Air Force BaseMather Air Force Base is a closed United States Air Force Base located east of Sacramento at Rancho Cordova, California on the south side of U.S. Route 50....
, CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, 1 Mar 1959 - 1 Oct 1986
- Mather Air Force Base