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64th Air Refueling Squadron

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64th Air Refueling Squadron
157th Air Refueling Wing KC-135R Stratotanker deployed to Andersen AFB
Active1942–1946; 1947–1953; 1953–1997; 2003-2008; 2009–present
Country United States
Branch United States Air Force
RoleAir refueling
Part ofAir Mobility Command
EngagementsWorld War II
Battle of New Georgia
Battle of Vella Lavella
Battle of Bougainville
Southwest Pacific Theater
Korean War[1]
Vietnam War
DecorationsDistinguished Unit Citation
Navy Unit Commendation
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
Philippine Presidential Unit Citation
Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation
Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm[1]
Commanders
Current
commander		Lt. Col. Kevin Eley[2]
Insignia
64th Air Refueling Squadron emblem (approved 28 June 1994)[1]
64th Troop Carrier Squadron emblem (approved 16 June 1943)[3]

The 64th Air Refueling Squadron is a United States Air Force air-refueling squadron assigned to the 22d Operations Group at McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas. As part of the Air Force's Total Force Initiative, the 64th is stationed at Pease Air National Guard Base, New Hampshire, where it is operationally controlled by the 157th Air Refueling Wing of the New Hampshire Air National Guard. The 64th is equipped with the KC-46 Pegasus.

The 64th was first constituted during World War II, providing transportation and evacuation in the Pacific Theater. From 1953 through 1997, the 64th provided airlift services, including during the Vietnam War.[4] Repurposed as a refueling squadron in 2002, the 64th was active in the Air Force Reserve from 2003 until 2007, and then reactivated in October 2009.

Mission

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The squadron is part of the Total Force Initiative:[5]

The aim of the Total Force Integration effort is to integrate regular U.S. Air Force airlift and tanker flying units with existing Air National Guard and U.S. Air Force Reserve wings, with the intention of sharing operations and maintenance functions, increasing active duty access to aircraft to meet steady state operational requirements, and taking advantage of the opportunity to season Air Force personnel with the operational experience located in Air Reserve Components.

History

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World War II

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The 64th flew aerial transportation and evacuation in the South and Southwest Pacific from 7 August 1943 until c. 14 August 1945. The squadron received a Navy Unit Commendation for its service at part of the South Pacific Combat Air Transport Command (SCAT) from August 1943 to July 1944.[6]

Reserves and Korean mobilisation

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The 64th flew aerial transportation and evacuation between Japan and Korea from 19 May through 31 December 1952.

Reserve airlift operations

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In 1957, the squadron moved on paper from Portland International Airport to Niagara Falls Municipal Airport, where is assumed the mission, personnel, and equipment of the 700th Troop Carrier Squadron.[7] The squadron trained and provided airlift services from, January 1953 to March 1997, including airlift to Vietnam during the late 1960s and to Southwest Asia in 1990–1991. It participated in various training exercises and airlift missions worldwide until inactivation on 31 March 1997.[1]

Reserve air refueling operations

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Redesignated as the 64th Air Refueling Squadron on 22 November 2002, the 64th was active in the Air Force Reserve from 1 April 2003 until 23 June 2007. During this time, it was part of the 939th Operations Group based at Portland Air Reserve Station in Oregon.

Associate status

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64 ARS and 157 ARW personnel working at Pease Air National Guard Base in September 2013

The 64th Air Refueling Squadron was activated at Pease Air National Guard Base, New Hampshire, on 2 October 2009 as part of the 22d Air Refueling Wing. It is part of the Total Force Initiative and works with the 157th Air Refueling Wing, New Hampshire Air National Guard. This was the first time that an active duty Air Force unit returned to Pease since the base was closed in 1991. On 9 January 2013, the Air Force announced that Pease would be in the running to host the first Boeing KC-46 Pegasus tankers as they entered service. In August 2014, Air Force leaders announced that the 157th would become the first Air National Guard unit to equip with the KC-46A. The Pegasus was scheduled to enter the Air Force inventory during fiscal year 2019;[8] the first KC-46A arrived at Pease on 8 August 2019.[9] The 12th and final KC-46A was delivered on 5 February 2021.[10]

Lineage

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  • Constituted as the 64th Troop Carrier Squadron on 7 December 1942
Activated on 12 December 1942
Inactivated on 15 May 1946
  • Activated in the reserve on 5 April 1947
  • Redesignated 64th Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium on 27 June 1949
Ordered to active service on 1 April 1951
Inactivated on 1 January 1953
  • Activated in the reserve on 1 January 1953
Ordered to active service on 28 October 1962
Relieved from active service on 28 November 1962
Redesignated 64th Tactical Airlift Squadron on 1 July 1967
Redesignated 64th Airlift Squadron on 1 February 1992
Inactivated on 31 March 1997
  • Redesignated 64th Air Refueling Squadron on 22 November 2002
Activated in the reserve on 1 April 2003
Inactivated on 23 June 2007
  • Activated on 1 October 2009[1]

Assignments

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Stations

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Aircraft

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The first KC-46A arriving at Pease on 8 August 2019

Sources

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Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

  • Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556.
  • Armstrong, William. (2017). Marine Air Group 25 and SCAT (Images of Aviation). Arcadia. ISBN 1467127434.
  • See also thirsty13th.com, the official website of a sister squadron of the 64th TCS in 1943–1945. The site offers a book with much information about the 64th Troop Carrier Squadron.
  • AFHRA 64th Air Refueling Squadron History (accessed 24 December 2009)

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Robertson, Patsy (20 February 2015). "Factsheet 64 Air Refueling Squadron (ACC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Archived from the original on 29 September 2015. Retrieved 10 October 2017.
  2. ^ Johnson, Thomas (25 September 2018). "64th ARS has new commander". 157arw.ang.af.mil. Retrieved 26 March 2019.
  3. ^ Mayrer, Combat Squadrons, p. 245
  4. ^ Mcdermott, Deborah (18 September 2013). "Meet the 64th USAF Air Refueling Squadron". seacoastonline.com. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  5. ^ "64th Air Refueling Squadron". ang.af.mil. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
  6. ^ Armstrong, William. (2017). Marine Air Group 25 and SCAT (Images of Aviation). Arcadia. ISBN 1467127434.
  7. ^ Maurer, pp. 245, 706
  8. ^ "McConnell, Pease and Altus chosen to host KC-46A tanker". Air Force Times. 22 May 2013. Archived from the original on 30 April 2014. Retrieved 3 February 2019.
  9. ^ a b McMenemy, Jeff (8 August 2019). "First KC-46A tanker arrives at Pease". seacoastonline.com. Retrieved 8 August 2019.
  10. ^ Lenahan, Ian (5 February 2021). "Final KC-46A tanker delivered to 157th Air Refueling Wing at Pease". Foster's Daily Democrat. Dover, New Hampshire. Retrieved 5 February 2021.
  11. ^ "Last KC-135 to leave Pease Air National Guard Base Sunday". Foster's Daily Democrat. Dover, New Hampshire. 19 March 2019. Retrieved 23 March 2019.

Further reading

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