908th EXPEDITIONARY AIR REFUELING SQUADRON – CREW 21 – OPERATION INHERENT RESOLVE 2017

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SKU: ARS-908-1301-2017-1001-A Categories: , ,

Description

Theater made in United Arab Emirates/mounted on velcro   3.75 inch-95mm

 

908th EXPEDITIONARY AIR REFUELING SQUADRON

Lineage. Organized as the 18th Aero Squadron on 20 Aug 1917. Redesignated 18th Aero Squadron (Training) on c. 30 Sep 1917; Squadron B, Rockwell Field on 23 Jul 1918. Demobilized on 23 Nov 1918. Reconstituted and consolidated (17 Mar 1925) with 18th Observation Squadron which was authorized on 30 Aug 1918, organized on 1 Oct 1921, Inactivated on 23 Jul 1922, redesignated 18th Observation Squadron on 25 Jan 1923 (remained inactive), disbanded on 18 Feb 1925, reconstituted on 17 Mar 1925 and consolidated with Squadron B, Rockwell Field and Headquarters Squadron, Bolling Field as the 18th Headquarters Squadron which was organized as Headquarters Detachment, Bolling Field on 11 Jul 1922, redesignated Headquarters Squadron, Bolling Field on 6 Oct 1924, inactivated on 31 Mar 1928. Disbanded on 1 Oct 1933. Reconstituted and consolidated (1964) with 408th Bombardment Squadron which was constituted as the 18th Observation Squadron (Long Range, Light Bombardment) on 1 Mar 1935, redesignated: 18th Reconnaissance Squadron on 1 Sep 1936; 18th Reconnaissance Squadron (Medium Range) on 6 Dec 1939; 18th Reconnaissance Squadron (Medium) on 20 Nov 1940; 408th Bombardment Squadron (Medium) on 22 Apr 1942; 408th Bombardment Squadron, Heavy on 3 Feb 1944, Inactivated on 29 Apr 1946, reconstituted as 408th Bombardment Squadron, Medium on 6 Oct 1958, Inactivated on 1 Jan 1962. Consolidated on 19 Sep 1985 with the 908th Air Refueling Squadron which was constituted as 908th Air Refueling Squadron, Heavy on 20 Mar 1963, Inactivated on 30 Sep 1977. Converted to provisional status and redesignated 908th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron in Jan 2002-.

Assignments. 18th Aero: Unknown, 20 Aug 1917-23 Nov 1918. 18th Observation: Unknown, 30 Aug 1918; Ninth Corps Area, 1 Oct 1921-23 Jul 1922. 18th Headquarters: District of Washington, 11 Jul 1922-18 Feb 1925; Consolidated Squadron. District of Washington, 17 Mar 1925; Third Corps Area, Oct 1927-31 Mar 1928. 2nd Wing, 1 Sep 1936-29 Apr 1946. 22nd Bombardment Wing, 1 Jan 1959-1 Jan 1962. 449th Bombardment Wing, 1 Jul 1963-30 Sep 1977. 380th Expeditionary Operations Group, c. 2002-. (attached to 9th Bombardment Group, 1 Feb 1940; 22nd Bombardment Group, 24 Apr 1942-29 Apr 1946; 4239th Strategic Wing, 1959-1963).

Stations. 18th Aero: Rockwell Field, CA, 20 Aug 1917-23 Nov 1918. 18th Observation: Rockwell Field, CA, 1 Oct 1921-23 Jul 1922. 18th Headquarters:  Bolling Field, DC, 11 Jul 1922-17 Mar 1925. Consolidated Squadron. Bolling Field, DC, 17 Mar 1925-31 Mar 1928; Mitchel Field, NY, 1 Sep 1936; Langley Field, VA, 15 Nov 1940; Muroc Army Air Field, CA, 9 Dec 1941-29 Jan 1942; Archerfield Airport (Brisbane), Australia, 25 Feb 1942; RAAF Base Townsville, Australia, 7 Apr 1942; Reid River Airfield, Australia, 12 Apr 1942; Dobodura Airfield, New Guinea, 15 Oct 1943; Nadzab Airfield, New Guinea, 22 Dec 1943; Owi Airfield, Schouten Islands, Netherlands East Indies, 26 Jul 1944; Dulag, Leyte, Philippines, c. 9 Nov 1944; Angaur Airfield, Palau, c. 1 Dec 1944; Guiuan Airfield, Samar, Philippines, 14 Jan 1945; Clark Field, Luzon, Philippines, 13 Mar 1945; Motobu Airfield, Okinawa, c. 21 Aug 1945; Fort William McKinley, Luzon, Philippines, 23 Nov1945-29 Apr 1946. March AFB, CA, 1 Jan 1959-1 Jan 1962; Kincheloe AFB, MI, 1 Jul 1963-30 Sep 1977. Al Dhafra AB, UAE, 2002-.

Aircraft. 18th Aero: N-4, 1917-1918; JN-6, 1917-1918; S-4, 1917-1918. 18th Observation: Unknown, 1921-1922; DH-4, 1922-1925; M-1, 1922-1925; O-2, 1922-1925;  PW-9, 1922-1925; P-1, 1922-1925; O-1, 1922-1925. Consolidated Squadron. During the period 1925-1928; DH-4, 1925-1928; M-1, 1925-1928; O-2, 1925-1928; PW-9, 1925-1928; P-1, 1925-1928; O-1, 1925-1928; B-10, 1936–1937; B-18, 1937-1941; A-17, 1936-1940; C-8, 1936-1940; OA-4, 1936-1940; OA-8, 1936-1940; B-25, 1941; B-26, 1941-1943; B-24, 1944-1945. B-47, 1959-1962; KC-135, 1963-1977. KC-10, 2002-.

Operations. 18th Aero: Trained aviation students during World War I. 18th Observation: Flew aerial photographic missions to act as an airborne observation post during maneuvers. 18th Headquarters:   Replaced the 99th Squadron (Observation) as the Air Service host unit at Bolling responsible for station administration. In 1924 the detachment was expanded to a squadron.  Consolidated Squadron. Operated various aircraft at Bolling.Inactivated in 1928 and replaced as the Air Corps host by the Air Corps Detachment, Bolling Field. Flew reconnaissance and coastal patrol flights over Long Island Sound and southern New England, 1936-1941. Flew antisubmarine patrols from Muroc Army Air Field, CA, 1941-1942. Flew missions during the Battle of Midway between 29 May 1942-4 Jun 1942. Which operated under the control of the USN, whose Patrol Wing Two controlled both Army and Navy aircraft operating from Midway. Attacked Japanese targets on Papua New Guinea and New Britain. Performed long range bombing missions on Borneo, Ceram and Halmahera, Dutch East Indies, Philippines, Leyte, Luzon, China. Moved to Okinawa in Aug 1945, from where it flew a number of armed reconnaissance missions over southern Japan. Operated B-47 under  Strategic Air Command. Provided air refueling to the Boeing B-52 strategic bombers of its parent 449th BW and other USAF units as directed, includeding taskings to provide air refueling for F-4 and RB-66 aircraft deploying to Southeast Asia. Deployed aircraft and crews to the Western Pacific region between 1966-1975 to support combat operations of deployed SAC units and tactical aircraft over Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War, including participation in Operation Young Tiger, Torrejon, Eielson and Hickam Tanker Task Forces. Reactivated as a provisional squadron in 2002. Participated in Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. Conducting combat air refueling with either a boom or with a drogue, which makes it capable of refueling USAF or USN aircraft, as well as aircraft from other coalition air forces. Flew the first combat mission with an all-female KC-10 crew in 2010.

Service Streamers. None.

Campaign Streamers. World War II: East Indies; Air Offensive, Japan; China Defensive; Papua; New Guinea; Bismarck Archipelago; Western Pacific; Leyte; Luzon; Southern Philippines; China Offensive; Air Combat, Asiatic-Pacific Theate.

Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.

Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citation: Papua, 23 Jul 1942-Jan 1943; New Guinea, 5 Nov 1943. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Jul 1974-30 Jun 1976; 1 Jun 2002-31 May 2003; 1 Jun 2003-31 May 2004; 20 Jun 2011-19 Jun 2012. Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation: Nov 1944-4 Jul 1945.