Lineage. Constituted 1 Reconnaissance Squadron (Heavy) on 20 Nov 1940. Activated on 15 Jan 1941. Redesignated: 391 Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 22 Apr 1942; 391 Bombardment Squadron, Heavy, on 20 Aug 1943. Inactivated on 28 Aug 1945. Consolidated (19 Sep 1985) with the 91 Air Refueling Squadron, Medium, which was constituted on 1 Mar 1950. Activated on 16 Apr 1950. Redesignated 91 Air Refueling Squadron, Heavy, on 1 Jan 1963. Inactivated on 1 Oct 1987. Activated on 5 Jan 1988. Redesignated 91 Air Refueling Squadron on 1 Sep 1991.
Assignments. General Headquarters Air Force (later, Air Force Combat Command), 15 Jan 1941 (attached to 34 Bombardment Group, 15 Jan 1941-); 1 Bomber Command, 5 Sep 1941 (remained attached to 34 Bombardment Group); II Bomber Command, c. 25 Jan 1942 (attached to 34 Bombardment Group through 24 Feb 1942); 34 Bombardment Group, 25 Feb 1942-28 Aug 1945. 91 Strategic Reconnaissance Group, 16 Apr 1950 (attached to 91 Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, 10 Feb 1951-27 May 1952); 91 Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, 28 May 1952 (attached to 5 Air Division, 12 Jan-
26 Feb 1954; Northeast Air Command, 6 Oct-12 Nov 1954 and 10 Jul-Oct 1955); 801 Air Division, 8 Nov 1957; 376 Bombardment Wing, 1 Dec 1957 (attached to 301 Air Refueling Wing, 4 May-14 Jun 1964); 301 Air Refueling Wing, 15 Jun 1964; 47 Air Division, 1 Jul 1971; 14 Air Division, 1 Apr 1972; 12 Strategic Missile Division, 1 Aug 1972; 384 Air Refueling (later, 384 Bombardment) Wing, 1 Dec 1972-1 Oct 1987. 301 Air Refueling Wing, 5 Jan 1988; 301 Operations Group, 1 Sep 1991; 43 Operations Group, 1 Jun 1992; 43 Air Refueling Group, 1 Jul 1994; 6 Operations Group, 1 Oct 1996-.
Stations. Langley Field, VA, 15 Jan 1941; Westover Field, MA, 29 May 1941; Pendleton, OR, c. 25 Jan 1942; Davis-Monthan Field, AZ, c. 13 May 1942; Geiger Field (later, AAB), WA, 1 Jul 1942; Ephrata AAB, WA, 1 Dec 1942; Blythe AAB, CA, 11 Dec 1942-3 Apr 1944 (deployed at Salinas AAB, CA, 29 May-13 Jul 1943); Mendelsham, England, 23 Apr 1944-24 Jul 1945; Sioux Falls AAFld, SD, 13-28 Aug 1945. Barksdale AFB, LA, 16 Apr 1950; Lockbourne AFB, OH, 11 Sep 1951 (deployed at French Morocco, 12 Jan-26 Feb 1954; Goose AB, Labrador, 6 Oct-12 Nov 1954; and Ernest Harmon AFB, Newfoundland, 10 Jul-Oct 1955); McConnell AFB, KS, 30 Jun 1971-1 Oct 1987. Malmstrom AFB, MT, 5 Jan 1988; MacDill AFB, FL, 1 Oct 1996-.
Commanders. Lt Col William B. Matheny, 15 Jan 1941; Maj Arthur Y. Snell, 8 Apr 1942; Maj Thomas J. Jeffrey, Nov 1942; Maj John W. Norvell, 2 Apr 1943; Capt Allen W. Schroeder, 1 May 1943; Maj J. J. Easton, 1 Jun 1943; Maj William A. Heath, 1 Jul 1943; Maj Robert W. Zant, Sep 1943; None (unmanned), 30 Nov 1943-Jan 1944; Maj William H. Fandel, 22 Jan 1944; Lt Col Edmund F. Freeman, 9 Oct 1944-Aug 1945. Capt Elmer J. Erwin, Apr 1950; Maj Richard M. Ragland, c. Apr 1950; Lt Col Kent J. Prim, 8 Jan 1951; Lt Col Clifford S. Hovik, 3 Jan 1952; Maj William O. Ross, Feb 1953; Lt Col Laurence R. Gordon, Apr 1953; Lt Col Clifford S. Hovik, May 1953; Maj Ivon F. Klohe, Feb 1956; Lt Col William V. Strait Jr., 1 Jan 1957; Maj Kenneth D. Webster, 10 Aug 1957; Lt Col Robert L. Bennett, 1 Sep 1957; Lt Col Howard P. McClain, 11 Aug 1958; Lt Col Ira H. Schick, 4 Nov 1960; Lt Col Arnold W. Vincent, c. 1 Nov 1962; Lt Col Donovan Kimbrough, 17 Nov 1966; Lt Col Homer B. Wells, 7 Aug 1967; Lt Col Donald Deafenbaugh, 20 Oct 1967; Lt Col Robert B. Parker, 25 Jul 1969; Col Harold R. Austin, 1 Jul 1971; Lt Col George G. Prendergast, 1 Dec 1972; Lt Col Charles H. Gibson, 1 Jul 1974; Lt Col Gary G. Durkee, 1 Jul 1975; Lt Col Edgar W. Winkelmann, 15 May 1976; Lt Col Michael G. Dakes, 3 Jan 1978; Lt Col Francis J. Ludwig, 27 Feb 1978; Lt Col Dennis K. Bush, 7 Jul 1980; Lt Col Robert S. Gaines, 21 Aug 1981; Lt Col Mack L. Oldham, 3 Jan 1983; Lt Col Leonard Sumpter Jr., 14 Mar 1984; Lt Col Keith R. Wise, 21 Feb 1986-1 Oct 1987. Lt Col James R. Pugh, 4 Jan 1990; Lt Col Dane R. Martin, by Jan 1992; Maj Daniel R. Simmons, 30 Jun 1993; Lt Col Silvanus T. Gilbert, by Dec 1993-unkn; Lt Col Steve King, 1 Oct 1996; Lt Col Timothy J. Feeley, 27 Oct 1998; Lt Col John J. Shelpman, 27 May 1999; Lt Col Donald J. Halpin, 16 Jun 2000; Lt Col Roger Watkins, 15 Jun 2001; Lt Col John Kafer, 16 Jun 2003-.
Aircraft. PT-17, 1941; B-17, 1941-1943, 1944-1945; B-18, 1941-1942; B-24, 1942-1943, 1944. KB-29, 1950-1953; KC-97, 1953-1963; KC-135, 1963-1987; UH-1, 1971-1972. KC-135, 1988-.
Operations. Antisubmarine patrols, Dec 1941-Oct 1942; combat in ETO, 24 May 1944-20 Apr 1945. Worldwide air refueling operations, 1950-1987, and 1988-. Crews and aircraft deployed to Southeast Asia to refuel tactical aircraft and B-52s involved in combat in Vietnam, Jan 1965-Dec 1975. Refueled aircraft participating in the Grenada rescue mission, Oct-Nov 1983. Aerial refueling by squadron played a significant role in successful Operation Desert Storm's air war in 1991. Performed aerial refuelings for bombers, airlift and fighter aircraft as part of Tanker Task Force (TTF) around the world, 1992-1995. On 1 Oct 1996, relocated with aerial refueling aircraft from Malmstrom AFB, MT to MacDill AFB, FL. Since 2002, air refueled fighter aircraft providing security for southeastern United States.
Service Streamers. None.
Campaign Streamers. World War II: Antisubmarine, American Theater; Air Offensive, Europe; Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Central Europe; Air Combat, EAME Theater.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
Decorations. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 8 Sep 1953-8 Nov 1957; 1 Oct 1966-1 Apr 1967; 1 Jul 1974-30 Jun 1976; 1 Jul 1976-30 Jun 1978; 1 Jul 1980-30 Jun 1981; 1 Jul 1988-30 Jun 1990; 1 Jul 1991-30 Jun 1993; 1 Jul 1994-30 Jun 1996; 1 Jul 1996-30 Jun 1998; 1 Jul 1998-30 Jun 2000.
Lineage, Assignments, Stations, and Honors through 11 Dec 2006.
Commanders, Aircraft, and Operations through 30 Jun 2003.
Supersedes published information contained in: Judy G. Endicott (ed.), Active Air Force Wings as of 1 October 1995 (Washington USPGO, 1999).
Emblem. Approved on 3 Jun 1952.
Prepared by Patsy Robertson.
Reviewed by Daniel Haulman.