Lineage. Constituted as 9 Photographic Squadron on 19 Jan 1942. Activated on 1 Feb 1942. Redesignated as: 9 Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron on 9 Jun 1942; 9 Photographic Squadron (Light) on 6 Feb 1943; 9 Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron on 13 Nov 1943. Inactivated on 4 Dec 1945. Consolidated (19 Sep 1985) with the 9 Air Refueling Squadron, Medium, which was constituted on 24 Jul 1951. Activated on 1 Aug 1951. Discontinued, and inactivated, on 15 Dec 1965. Redesignated as 9 Air Refueling Squadron, Heavy, on 12 Dec 1969. Activated on 1 Jan 1970. Inactivated on 27 Jan 1982. Activated on 1 Aug 1982. Redesignated as 9 Air Refueling Squadron on 1 Sep 1991.
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 5306 Photographic and Reconnaissance Group [Provisional], 30 Oct 1943–17 Jan 1944, and to Tenth Air Force, 17 Jan–6 Mar 1944); Tenth Air Force, 7 Mar 1944; 8th Photographic (later, 8 Reconnaissance) Group, 25 Apr 1944; Army Air Forces, India-Burma Theater, c. Oct–4 Dec 1945. 9 Bombardment Group, 1 Aug 1951 (attached to 43 Bombardment Wing, 1 Aug–3 Sep 1951; 36th Air Division, 4 Sep 1951–14 Jan 1952; 303 Bombardment Wing, 15 Jan 1952–); 9 Bombardment (later, 9 Strategic Aerospace) Wing, 16 Jun 1952–15 Dec 1965 (remained attached to 303 Bombardment Wing, to 30 Apr 1953; attached to 5 Air Division, 18 Apr–16 Jul 1955; SAC Liaison Team, 2 May–1 Jul 1956). 456 Strategic Aerospace (later, 456 Bombardment) Wing, 1 Jan 1970; 17 Bombardment Wing, 30 Sep 1975; 100 Air Refueling Wing, 30 Sep 1976–27 Jan 1982. 22 Bombardment (later, 22 Air Refueling) Wing, 1 Aug 1982; 22 Operations Group, 1 Sep 1991; 722 Operations Group, 1 Jan 1994; 60 Operations Group, 1 Sep 1994–.
Stations. Mitchel Field, NY, 1 Feb 1942; Bradley Field, CT, 10 Mar 1942; Felts Field, WA, 16 Apr–18 May 1942; Karachi, India, 24 Jul 1942 (flight at Kunming, China, Nov 1942–12 Jul 1943, with detachment thereof operating from Kweilin, China, c. Feb–12 Jul 1943); Chakulia, India, 30 Nov 1942 (detachment operated from Dinjan, India, 18 Mar–Jul 1943); Pandaveswar, India, 3 Jan 1943 (detachment operated from Dinjan, India, c. Sep 1943–20 May 1944); Barrackpore, India, 29 Oct 1943 (detachment operated from Tingkawk Sakan, Burma, 16 Aug–30 Nov 1944, and from Myitkyina, Burma, 27 Nov–c. 5 Dec 1944; another detachment operated from Chittagong, India, c. 9 Oct–21 Dec 1944); Myitkyina, Burma, c. 5 Dec 1944; Piardoba, India, c. 1 May 1945; Malir, India, c. Oct–c. 14 Nov 1945; Camp Kilmer, NJ, 3–4 Dec 1945. Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ, 1 Aug 1951; Mountain Home AFB, ID, 1 May 1953–15 Dec 1965 (deployed at Benguerir AB, French Morocco, 18 Apr–16 Jul 1955; Elmendorf AFB, AK, 2 May–1 Jul 1956). Beale AFB, CA, 1 Jan 1970–27 Jan 1982. March AFB, CA, 1 Aug 1982; Travis AFB, CA, 1 Sep 1994–.
Service Streamers. Global War on Terrorism - Service (GWOT-S).
Campaign Streamers. World War II: New Guinea; Central Pacific; India-Burma; Central Burma; China Defensive. Kosovo: Kosovo Air. Global War on Terrorism- Expeditionary (GWOT-E).
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
Decorations. Meritorious Unit Award: 1 Jul 2005-30 Jun 2007. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Jan 1957-31 Jan 1958; 1 Aug 1982-30 Jun 1983; 1 Jul 1987–30 Jun 1989; 1 Jul 1989–30 Jun 1991; 1 Jul 1993-30 Jun 1995; 1 Aug 1995-30 Jul 1997; 24 Mar-10 Jun 1999; 1 Jul 1997-30 Jun 1999; 1 Jul 1999-30 Jun 2000; 1 Jul 2000-30 Jun 2001; 1 Jul 2001-30 Jun 2003; 1 Jul 2003-30 Jun 2004; 1 Jul 2004-30 Jul 2005; 1 Jul 2007-30 Jun 2009; 1 Jul 2009-30 Jun 2010; 1 Jul 2010-30 Jun 2012; 1 Jul 2012-30 Jun 2013; 1 Jul 2013-30 Jun 2014; 1 Jul 2014-30 Jun 2015; 1 Jul 2015-30 Jun 2016; 1 Jul 2017-30 Jun 2018; 1 Jul 2018-30 Jun 2020.
Lineage, Assignments, Stations, and Honors through 24 Jul 2023.
Supersedes statement prepared on 25 May 2010.
Emblem. Approved on 19 Jul 1971; latest rendering, 14 Feb 2013.
Prepared by Melissa Lahue.
Review by Margaret Ream.