2d Air Refueling Squadron
Encyclopedia
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...
. It is part of the 305th Air Mobility Wing
305th Air Mobility Wing
The 305th Air Mobility Wing is a United States Air Force strategic airlift and air refueling wing under the operational control of the Air Mobility Command...
at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst
McGuire Air Force Base
JB MDL McGuire is a United States Air Force base located approximately south-southeast of Trenton, New Jersey. McGuire is under the jurisdiction of the USAF Air Mobility Command...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. It operates the KC-10 Extender
KC-10 Extender
The McDonnell Douglas KC-10 Extender is the military adaptation of the three-engined DC-10 airliner for the United States Air Force . The KC-10 incorporates military-specific equipment for its primary roles of transport and aerial refueling. It was developed to supplement the KC-135 Stratotanker...
aircraft conducting aerial refueling
Aerial refueling
Aerial refueling, also called air refueling, in-flight refueling , air-to-air refueling or tanking, is the process of transferring fuel from one aircraft to another during flight....
missions.
History
The squadron was activated on 12 May 1915 by the Aviation Section, U.S. Signal CorpsAviation Section, U.S. Signal Corps
The Aviation Section, Signal Corps, was the military aviation service of the United States Army from 1914 to 1918, and a direct ancestor of the United States Air Force. It replaced and absorbed the Aeronautical Division, Signal Corps, and was succeeded briefly by the Division of Military...
at Rockwell Field
Rockwell Field
Rockwell Field was an Army air base located in Coronado, California, near San Diego. It shared the area known as North Island with Naval Air Station North Island from 1912 to 1935. Its functions were eventually moved to March Field so that the naval air station could take over the whole area...
, San Diego, California, but not organized or manned until December, pending allotment of funds for construction of facilities in the Philippines. It organized as a single company of 6 officers and 37 men and sailed from San Francisco for Manila on 5 January 1916. After two weeks of quarantine, the unit reached its station on Corregidor
Corregidor
Corregidor Island, locally called Isla ng Corregidor, is a lofty island located at the entrance of Manila Bay in southwestern part of Luzon Island in the Philippines. Due to this location, Corregidor was fortified with several coastal artillery and ammunition magazines to defend the entrance of...
on 14 February without aircraft. It received four Martin S-Hydro seaplanes (Signal Corps numbers 56-59) on 13 March and 15 April, and began flying on 8 May 1916. A radio transmitter was set up on one aircraft, giving the aircraft a broadcast range of 29 miles. On 28 June, the company provided artillery spotting and adjustment for target practice with the Fort Mills
Fort Mills
Fort Mills was the location of US Major General George F. Moore's headquarters for the Philippine Department's Harbor Defenses of Manila and Subic Bays. This was one of the locations at which, under the National Defense Act of 1935, coastal artillery training was conducted.-References:*McGovern,...
batteries. Personnel for a second company were assembled and the unit was redesignated the 2d Aero Squadron on 20 July 1917.
Served as a flying training unit from, 1917–18 November 1918. Served in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
during World War I and gradually discontinued operations. Redesignated without movement of personnel or equipment as Squadron A at Kelly Field, Texas, in July 1918 and demobilized 18 November 1918. A new 2d Aero Squadron was organized on 5 June 1919 at Rockwell Field
Rockwell Field
Rockwell Field was an Army air base located in Coronado, California, near San Diego. It shared the area known as North Island with Naval Air Station North Island from 1912 to 1935. Its functions were eventually moved to March Field so that the naval air station could take over the whole area...
, California, and stationed at Fort Mills, Corregidor, Philippine Department, on 24 December 1919. The new squadron was assigned to the 1st Observation Group (later the 4th Composite Group) on 20 March 1920, and consolidated with the original 2d Aero Squadron in 1924 as a light observation squadron.
Most of the squadron's aircraft were destroyed early in the Battle of the Philippines after the Japanese attack on the Islands in December 1941. Remains of the squadron were scattered among remaining Air Corps
United States Army Air Corps
The United States Army Air Corps was a forerunner of the United States Air Force. Renamed from the Air Service on 2 July 1926, it was part of the United States Army and the predecessor of the United States Army Air Forces , established in 1941...
resistance forces during the ensuing battle in the early spring of 1942, likely many being assigned to Army ground forces under V Interceptor Command. Carried as an active unit by Fifth Air Force
Fifth Air Force
The Fifth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Pacific Air Forces . It is headquartered at Yokota Air Base, Japan....
after 5 May 1942 until 2 April 1946 when the squadron was inactivated.
Reactivated in 1949 as a 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...
air refueling squadron, equipped with KB-29M Superfortress tankers at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
. Moved to Georgia in 1950 along with the 2d Bombardment Group (later Wing), upgrading to the KC-97 in the fall of 1953. Performed refueling missions supporting the B-47E Stratojets of the 2d Bombardment Wing until inactivated in Apr 1963 with the move of SAC out of Hunter AFB.
Reactivated in 1989 with KC-10 Extender
KC-10 Extender
The McDonnell Douglas KC-10 Extender is the military adaptation of the three-engined DC-10 airliner for the United States Air Force . The KC-10 incorporates military-specific equipment for its primary roles of transport and aerial refueling. It was developed to supplement the KC-135 Stratotanker...
tankers at Barksdale AFB, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana 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...
. Since 1989 performed global aerial refueling, including aerial refueling support in Southwest Asia from, August 1990–April 1991.
Lineage
- Organized as 1st Company, 2d Aero Squadron, on 1 Dec 1915
- Redesignated: 2d Aero Squadron on 20 Jul 1917
- Redesignated: Squadron A, Kelly Field, TX, on 23 Jul 1918
- Demobilized on 18 Nov 1918
- Reconstituted, and consolidated (8 Apr 1924) with 2d Observation Squadron, which was organized as 2d Aero Squadron (Observation) on 5 Jun 1919
- Redesignated: 2d Squadron on 14 Mar 1921
- Redesignated: 2d Observation Squadron on 25 Jan 1923
- Redesignated: 2d Observation Squadron (Medium) on 26 Feb 1942
- Inactivated on 2 Apr 1946
- Consolidated (19 Sep 1985) with 2d Air Refueling Squadron, Medium, which was constituted on 27 Oct 1948
- Activated on 1 Jan 1949
- Discontinued, and inactivated, on 1 Apr 1963
- Redesignated 2d Air Refueling Squadron, Heavy, on 19 Sep 1985
- Activated on 3 Jan 1989
- Redesignated 2d Air Refueling Squadron on 1 Sep 1991.
Assignments
- Unknown, 1 Dec 1915-Feb 1916
- Philippine Department, Feb 1916-Oct 1917
- Unknown, Oct 1917-18 Nov 1918
- Unknown, 5 Jun-24 Dec 1919
- Philippine Department, 24 Dec 1919
- 1st Observation (later, 4th Observation; 4th Composite) Group, 10 Mar 1920
- Far East (later, Fifth) Air ForceFifth Air ForceThe Fifth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Pacific Air Forces . It is headquartered at Yokota Air Base, Japan....
, 28 Oct 1941-2 Apr 1946 - 2d Bombardment Group, 1 Jan 1949
- Attached to 2d Bombardment Wing, 10 Feb 1951-15 Jun 1952
- 2d Bombardment Wing, 16 Jun 1952-1 Apr 1963; 3 Jan 1989
- 2d Operations Group2d Operations GroupThe 2d Operations Group is the flying component of the United States Air Force 2d Bomb Wing, assigned to the Air Combat Command Eighth Air Force. The group is stationed at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana....
, 1 Sep 1991 - 458th Operations Group, 1 Jun 1992
- 305th Operations Group305th Operations GroupThe 305th Operations Group is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the 305th Air Mobility Wing. It is stationed at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey....
, 1 Jul 1995–present)
Stations
- San Diego, California (1915–1916) Rockwell FieldRockwell FieldRockwell Field was an Army air base located in Coronado, California, near San Diego. It shared the area known as North Island with Naval Air Station North Island from 1912 to 1935. Its functions were eventually moved to March Field so that the naval air station could take over the whole area...
- Fort William McKinleyFort William McKinleyFort William McKinley, was established in the Philippines during the Philippine–American War in 1901 when the whole land south of Pasig River down to Alabang was declared a U.S. Military Reservation. During the World War II era, it was where USAFFE had its headquarters for the Philippine Department...
, LuzonLuzonLuzon is the largest island in the Philippines. It is located in the northernmost region of the archipelago, and is also the name for one of the three primary island groups in the country centered on the Island of Luzon...
(1916) - Fort MillsFort MillsFort Mills was the location of US Major General George F. Moore's headquarters for the Philippine Department's Harbor Defenses of Manila and Subic Bays. This was one of the locations at which, under the National Defense Act of 1935, coastal artillery training was conducted.-References:*McGovern,...
, CorregidorCorregidorCorregidor Island, locally called Isla ng Corregidor, is a lofty island located at the entrance of Manila Bay in southwestern part of Luzon Island in the Philippines. Due to this location, Corregidor was fortified with several coastal artillery and ammunition magazines to defend the entrance of...
(1916–1917) - Camp Kelly, Texas (1917–1918)
- Rockwell FieldRockwell FieldRockwell Field was an Army air base located in Coronado, California, near San Diego. It shared the area known as North Island with Naval Air Station North Island from 1912 to 1935. Its functions were eventually moved to March Field so that the naval air station could take over the whole area...
, California (1919) - Fort MillsFort MillsFort Mills was the location of US Major General George F. Moore's headquarters for the Philippine Department's Harbor Defenses of Manila and Subic Bays. This was one of the locations at which, under the National Defense Act of 1935, coastal artillery training was conducted.-References:*McGovern,...
, Corregidor (1919–1920) - Kindley Field, Corregidor (1920–1929)
- Nichols FieldNichols FieldNichols Field was a U.S. military airfield located south of Manila in Pasay City and Parañaque City, Metro Manila, Luzon, the Philippines. During the World War II era, it was the location of the Far East Air Force's U.S. 20th Air Base Group. Also, based here was Troop F of the U.S. 26th Cavalry...
, Luzon (1929–1940) - Clark Field, Luzon (1940–1941)
- Nichols FieldNichols FieldNichols Field was a U.S. military airfield located south of Manila in Pasay City and Parañaque City, Metro Manila, Luzon, the Philippines. During the World War II era, it was the location of the Far East Air Force's U.S. 20th Air Base Group. Also, based here was Troop F of the U.S. 26th Cavalry...
, Luzon (1941)
- Davis-Monthan Air Force BaseDavis-Monthan Air Force BaseDavis–Monthan Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located within the city limits, and approximately south-southeast of downtown, Tucson, Arizona....
, ArizonaArizonaArizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
(1949–1950) - Chatham Air Force Base, GeorgiaGeorgia (U.S. state)Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
(1950) - Hunter Air Force Base, Georgia (1950–1963)
- Deployed: RAF LakenheathRAF LakenheathRAF Lakenheath, is a Royal Air Force military airbase near Lakenheath in Suffolk, England. Although an RAF station, it hosts United States Air Force units and personnel...
, England (4 May - 30 August 1951) - Deployed: RAF Lakenheath, England (4 September - 3 December 1952)
- Deployed: Benguerir Air Base, French MoroccoFrench MoroccoFrench Protectorate of Morocco was a French protectorate in Morocco, established by the Treaty of Fez. French Morocco did not include the north of the country, which was a Spanish protectorate...
(12 August - 20 September 1954) - Deployed: Sidi Slimane Air Base, MoroccoMoroccoMorocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
(6 July - 24 August 1956)
- Deployed: RAF Lakenheath
- Barksdale Air Force BaseBarksdale Air Force BaseBarksdale Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located approximately east-southeast of Bossier City, Louisiana.The host unit at Barksdale is the 2d Bomb Wing , the oldest Bomb Wing in the Air Force. It is assigned to the Air Force Global Strike Command's Eighth Air Force...
, 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...
(1989–1994) - McGuire Air Force BaseMcGuire Air Force BaseJB MDL McGuire is a United States Air Force base located approximately south-southeast of Trenton, New Jersey. McGuire is under the jurisdiction of the USAF Air Mobility Command...
, New JerseyNew JerseyNew Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
(1994–present))
Aircraft
- Martin S-Hydro (1916–1917)
- JN-4 (1917–1918)
- HS2LCurtiss HSThe Curtiss HS was a single-engined patrol flying boat built for the United States Navy during World War I. Large numbers were built from 1917 to 1919, with the type being used to carry out anti-submarine patrols from bases in France from June 1918...
(1919–1925) - N-9 (1919–1925)
- S-1Loening Model 23-References:...
(1919–1925, 1925–1931) - DH-4 (1919–1925, 1925–1931)
- O-2Douglas O-2The Douglas O-2 is a 1920s American observation aircraft built by the Douglas Aircraft Company.-Development:The important family of Douglas observation aircraft sprang from two XO-2 prototypes, the first of which was powered by the 420 hp Liberty V-1650-1 V-engine and test-flown in the autumn...
(1925–1931) - O-5Douglas World Cruiser-References:NotesBibliography* Francillon, René J. McDonnell Douglas Aircraft Since 1920: Volume I. London: Putnam, 1979. ISBN 0-87021-428-4.* Swanborough, F.G. and Peter M. Bowers. United States Military Aircraft since 1909. London: Putnam, 1963....
(1925–1931) - OA-1Loening OL|-See also:-References:* John Andrade, U.S.Military Aircraft Designations and Serials since 1909, Midland Counties Publications, 1979, ISBN 0-904597-22-9...
(1925–1931) - COA-1Loening OL|-See also:-References:* John Andrade, U.S.Military Aircraft Designations and Serials since 1909, Midland Counties Publications, 1979, ISBN 0-904597-22-9...
(1925–1931)
- O-19Thomas-Morse O-19|-See also:-References:* John Andrade, U.S.Military Aircraft Designations and Serials since 1909, Midland Counties Publications, 1979, ISBN 0-904597-22-9...
(1931–1938) - C-6Sikorsky S-38-See also:...
(1931–1938) - OA-3 (1931–1938)
- O-46 (1938–1941)
- OA-4 (1938–1941)
- OA-9Grumman GooseThe Grumman G-21 Goose amphibious aircraft was designed as an eight-seat "commuter" plane for businessmen in the Long Island area. The Goose was Grumman’s first monoplane to fly, its first twin-engined aircraft, and its first aircraft to enter commercial airline service...
(1938–1941) - O-52 Owl (1941)
- KB-29 Superfortress (1950–1953)
- KC-97 StratotankerKC-97 StratotankerThe Boeing KC-97 Stratotanker was a United States strategic tanker aircraft based on the Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter. It was succeeded by the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker.-Design and development:...
(1953–1963) - KC-10 ExtenderKC-10 ExtenderThe McDonnell Douglas KC-10 Extender is the military adaptation of the three-engined DC-10 airliner for the United States Air Force . The KC-10 incorporates military-specific equipment for its primary roles of transport and aerial refueling. It was developed to supplement the KC-135 Stratotanker...
(1989–present))
External links
- Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst (Official Web site)
- Air Mobility Command (Official Web site)