91st Air Refueling Squadron - History

History

Established in 1940 as a long-range reconnaissance squadron, equipped with a mixture of B-17C/D Flying Fortresses and B-18 Bolos. Assigned to the GHQAF Northeast Air District at Langley Field, Virginia Reassigned to Westover Field, Massachusetts in the spring of 1941. Flew antisubmarine patrols over the Northeast coastline after the Pearl Harbor attack; reassigned to II Bomber Command and became a B-17 Operational Training Unit (OTU) at Geiger Field, Washington in January 1942, and was redesignated as a heavy bombardment squadron in April. Reassigned to Davis-Monthan Field in May 1942 and continued its mission as an OTU in May 1942, continuing this assignment, later being assigned to the Desert Training Center in Southern California in late 1942, remaining as a training squadron at the DTC until April 1944 with the closure of the facility.

Deployed to the European Theater of Operations (ETO) in late April 1944, being assigned to VIII Bomber Command in England. Engaged in long-ranger strategic bombardment operations over Occupied Europe and Nazi Germany, attacking enemy military and industrial targets as part of the United States' air offensive against Nazi Germany. Returned to the United States after the German Capitulation in May 1945, being programmed as a B-29 Superfortress squadron for deployment to the Pacific Theater. Inactivated in late August 1945 after the Japanese Capitulation and the end of World War II.

Reactivated as a Strategic Air Command B-29 Air Refueling squadron in April 1950. Over the past 60 years, the 91st has flown worldwide air refueling operations. Crews and aircraft from the 91st deployed to Southeast Asia to refuel tactical aircraft and B-52 Stratofortresses involved in combat in Vietnam from, January 1965-December 1975. It refueled aircraft participating in the Grenada rescue mission between October and November 1983. The squadron also supported U.S. operations during the 1991 Gulf War. It performed aerial refuelings for bombers, airlift, and fighter aircraft as part of Tanker Task Force (TTF) around the world from, 1992-1995. On 1 October 1996 the 91st relocated with aerial refueling aircraft from Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana to MacDill Air Force Base, Florida. Since 2002 the squadron has refueled fighter aircraft providing security for the southeastern United States.