History
Formed in 1939 as a prewar bomb squadron, equipped with B-18 Bolos, later early model B-17 Flying Fortresses. Flew antisubmarine patrols off California coast, 8 December – c. 10 December 1941. Deployed to Southwest Pacific Theater and assigned to Fifth Air Force in Australia, engaging in combat, c. 13 January – c. 1 March 1942; detachment under control of United States Navy in combat from the Fiji Islands and Australia, 14 February – c. 14 March 1942. Surviving B-17 aircraft and personnel reassigned to other units in Australia, March 1942 and unit reassigned without personnel or equipment to the United States for re-equipping and remanning as medium bomber squadron.
Re-equipped as a B-25 Mitchell bomb squadron and deployed to Tenth Air Force for combat in the China-Burma-India theater, 14 December 1942 – 25 July 1945. Deployed to Karachi, India; Chakulia, India; and Yangkai, China. While in Calcutta, India, the unit converted to the A-26 Invader Attack Bomber. During World War II, the unit earned two Distinguished Unit Citations and participated in nine separate campaigns. Personnel demobilized in India after the war, and the 22d was inactivated as a paper unit in the United States in November 1945.
On 16 June 1950, the 22d Air Refueling Squadron was re-activated at March AFB CA, flying the KC-97 Aircraft. The squadron relocated to McChord AFB, WA on 15 June 1960 where it later upgraded to the KC-135. The squadron was deactivated on 1 July 1962. The Squadron was reactivated at March AFB, CA on 1 July 1963, flying the KC-135 and EC-135 aircraft. It was deployed to Andersen AB, Guam whereupon it supported the Vietnam War until mid-1973. The squadron was inactivated on 1 December 1989.
On 19 Sep 1985 the 22d Air Refueling Squadron was consolidated with the 22d Bombardment Squadron (Medium), a unit that was last active 2 Nov 1945. This action was directed by Department of the Air Force Letter DAF/MPM 662q Attachment 1 (Active Units), 19 Sep 1985. The Consolidated Unit retained the Designation of 22d Air Refueling Squadron, Heavy.
Reactivated on 1 October 1992 at Mountain Home AFB, ID, it was assigned seven KC-135R model aircraft as part of the Air Force’s first Composite Air Intervention Wing. The squadron was consecutively awarded the 366th Wing's Silver Bolt Award for foreign object damage prevention during fiscal year 1997-1 and 1997-2, as well ACC’s Best Tanker Award for 1993. The squadrong garnered the 366th Wing’s only "Outstanding" rating during the July 1995 ORI and its deployed maintenance won the ACC IG Superior Performance Team Award during the 366th Wing's 1997 AEF and first ever combat zone ORI. The 22d ARS was the only squadron in the 366th Wing to display nose art on the entire fleet. It was also awarded the Outstanding Unit Award, 1 June 1998 through 31 May 1999.
Inactivated in 2002. Reactivated as an AFCENT provisional air refueling squadron in 2003 and deployed to combat areas as part of the Global War on Terrorism.
Read more about this topic: 22d Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron
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