The 340th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron is a provisional

United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Air force, air service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is one of the six United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Tracing its ori ...

unit. It is assigned to the

379th Expeditionary Operations Group The 379th Expeditionary Operations Group is a provisional United States Air Force unit assigned to the United States Air Forces Central. It is the flying component of the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, stationed at Al Udeid AB, Qatar. The Gro ...

Al Udeid Air Base Al Udeid Air Base () is one of two military bases southwest of Doha, Qatar, also known as Abu Nakhlah Airport (). It houses the Qatar Emiri Air Force, United States Air Force, Royal Air Force, and other foreign forces. It is host to a forward h ...

Qatar Qatar, officially the State of Qatar, is a country in West Asia. It occupies the Geography of Qatar, Qatar Peninsula on the northeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in the Middle East; it shares Qatar–Saudi Arabia border, its sole land b ...

. It has supported combat operations in

Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. It is bordered by Pakistan to the Durand Line, east and south, Iran to the Afghanistan–Iran borde ...

Iraq Iraq, officially the Republic of Iraq, is a country in West Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to Iraq–Saudi Arabia border, the south, Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq border, the east, the Persian Gulf and ...

, and

Syria Syria, officially the Syrian Arab Republic, is a country in West Asia located in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Levant. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to Syria–Turkey border, the north, Iraq to Iraq–Syria border, t ...

from this location. The squadron was first activated during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

as the 340th Fighter Squadron, a

Republic P-47 Thunderbolt The Republic P-47 Thunderbolt is a World War II-era fighter aircraft produced by the American company Republic Aviation from 1941 through 1945. It was a successful high-altitude fighter, and it also served as the foremost American fighter-bombe ...

unit that engaged in combat in the

Southwest Pacific Theater The South West Pacific theatre, during World War II, was a major theatre of the war between the Allies and the Axis. It included the Philippines, the Dutch East Indies (except for Sumatra), Borneo, Australia, its mandate Territory of New Guin ...

, where it earned two

Distinguished Unit Citation The Presidential Unit Citation (PUC), originally called the Distinguished Unit Citation, is awarded to units of the uniformed services of the United States, and those of allied countries, for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed e ...

s for action in the Philippines. Following

V-J Day Victory over Japan Day (also known as V-J Day, Victory in the Pacific Day, or V-P Day) is the day on which Imperial Japan surrendered in World War II, in effect bringing the war to an end. The term has been applied to both of the days on wh ...

, it served in the occupation forces in Japan until inactivating in 1946. The 340th Air Refueling Squadron was formed in 1952 at

Castle Air Force Base Castle Air Force Base (Castle AFB, 1941–1995) is a former United States Air Force Strategic Air Command base in California, northeast of Atwater, northwest of Merced, and about south of Sacramento. The Central Valley base in unincorpor ...

, California, where it trained with the 93d Bombardment Wing. After becoming combat ready, it moved to

Whiteman Air Force Base Whiteman Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located just south of Knob Noster, Missouri, Knob Noster, Missouri, United States. The base is the current home of the Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit, B-2 Spirit bomber. It is named for Geor ...

, Missouri, where it served with the 340th Bombardment Wing, a

Strategic Air Command Strategic Air Command (SAC) was a United States Department of Defense Specified Command and a United States Air Force (USAF) Major Command responsible for command and control of the strategic bomber and intercontinental ballistic missile compon ...

Boeing B-47 Stratojet The Boeing B-47 Stratojet (Boeing company designation Model 450) is a retired American long- range, six-engined, turbojet-powered strategic bomber designed to fly at high subsonic speed and at high altitude to avoid enemy interceptor aircraft ...

wing, until inactivating in 1962. The squadron was consolidated with the 340th Fighter Squadron in 1985, but the combined squadron was not activated until being converted to provisional status as the 340th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron.

History

World War II

The 340th Fighter Squadron was first activated at

Mitchel Field Mitchell may refer to: People and fictional characters *Mitchell (surname), including lists of both people and fictional characters *Mitchell (given name), lists of people and fictional characters Places Australia * Mitchell, Australian Ca ...

, New York at the end of September 1942 as one of the original three squadrons of the 348th Fighter Group. Mitchel was only an activation base for the squadron, which moved on paper the same day to Bradley Field, Connecticut. The squadron trained at various bases in the Northeastern United States with

s until ready for overseas shipment in May 1943.Maurer, ''Combat Units'', pp. 226–228 Upon arrival in New Guinea, the squadron flew patrol and

reconnaissance In military operations, military reconnaissance () or scouting is the exploration of an area by military forces to obtain information about enemy forces, the terrain, and civil activities in the area of operations. In military jargon, reconnai ...

missions and escorted

bomber A bomber is a military combat aircraft that utilizes air-to-ground weaponry to drop bombs, launch aerial torpedo, torpedoes, or deploy air-launched cruise missiles. There are two major classifications of bomber: strategic and tactical. Strateg ...

s attacking Japanese targets in New Guinea and

New Britain New Britain () is the largest island in the Bismarck Archipelago, part of the Islands Region of Papua New Guinea. It is separated from New Guinea by a northwest corner of the Solomon Sea (or with an island hop of Umboi Island, Umboi the Dampie ...

. Between 16 and 31 December 1943, the squadron flew missions covering Allied landings and supporting the advance of ground forces in New Britain, for which it was awarded a

. In 1944 the unit began attacks on

airfield An aerodrome, airfield, or airstrip is a location from which aircraft flight operations take place, regardless of whether they involve air cargo, passengers, or neither, and regardless of whether it is for public or private use. Aerodromes in ...

s, military installations and shipping in western New Guinea,

Seram Island Seram (formerly spelled Ceram; also Seran or Serang) is the largest and main island of Maluku province of Indonesia, despite Ambon Island's historical importance. It is located just north of the smaller Ambon Island and a few other adjacent i ...

and

Halmahera Halmahera, formerly known as Jilolo, Gilolo, or Jailolo, is the largest island in the Maluku Islands. It is part of the North Maluku Provinces of Indonesia, province of Indonesia, and Sofifi, the capital of the province, is located on the west coa ...

with the aim of neutralizing enemy forces in that area to prepare for the Allied assault on the Philippines. As the attack progressed, the squadron moved to the Philippines in November 1944, providing

convoy A convoy is a group of vehicles, typically motor vehicles or ships, traveling together for mutual support and protection. Often, a convoy is organized with armed defensive support and can help maintain cohesion within a unit. It may also be used ...

cover and

ground support Close air support (CAS) is defined as aerial warfare actions—often air-to-ground actions such as Strafing, strafes or airstrikes—by military aircraft against hostile targets in close proximity to friendly forces. A form of fire support, CAS r ...

for invading forces, in addition to continuing its other missions. On 24 December 1944, the squadron was part of a group formation covering bombers attacking

Clark Field Clark is an English language surname with historical links to England, Scotland, and Ireland, ultimately derived from the Latin ''clericus'' meaning "scribe", "secretary" or a scholar within a religious order, referring to someone who was educated ...

. The unit defended the bombers against enemy

interceptors An interceptor aircraft, or simply interceptor, is a type of fighter aircraft designed specifically for the defensive interception role against an attacking enemy aircraft, particularly bombers and reconnaissance aircraft. Aircraft that are cap ...

, earning a second Distinguished Unit Citation. The squadron was also cited by the Philippine government for its support for the liberation of the Philippines. The forward move of the squadron enabled it to begin attacks on shipping along the coast of China and to escort bombers flying missions to Taiwan. The squadron began transitioning into

North American P-51 Mustang The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang is an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II and the Korean War, among other conflicts. The Mustang was designed in 1940 by a team headed by James H. Kin ...

fighters in February 1945. It moved to the Ryuku Islands shortly before the end of the war, and conducted escort and attack missions to Japan before the war ended. In October 1945, it moved to

Itami Airfield , often referred to as , is the primary domestic airport for the Kansai region of Japan, including its major cities of Osaka, Kyoto, and Kobe. It is the airport closest to Osaka, being 11 km (7 mi) north of Osaka Station, as well as K ...

as part of the occupation forces and was inactivated there in May 1946.

Strategic Air Command

The 340th Air Refueling Squadron was activated on 20 October 1952 as part of the 340th Bombardment Wing, which was activated the same day. However the squadron was activated at

, California where it drew its cadre from, and trained under the supervision of the 93d Bombardment Wing after receiving its initial manning in January 1953.Ravenstein, p. 130 It was not until January 1954 that it joined its parent wing at

, Missouri. The move to Whiteman was without personnel or equipment, with its planes and manpower being transferred to the

90th Air Refueling Squadron The 90th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron is a provisional United States Air Force unit. Until March 2013, it was assigned to the 385th Air Expeditionary Group at Incirlik Air Base, Turkey. It then departed for an undisclosed location in S ...

. When it arrived at Whiteman, the 340th Wing was just beginning to receive its aircraft and the squadron did not become operational again until August 1954.Ravenstein, pp. 179–180 The squadron flew the

Boeing KC-97 Stratofreighter The Boeing KC-97 Stratofreighter is a four-engined, piston-powered United States strategic tanker aircraft based on the Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter. It replaced the KB-29 and was succeeded by the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker. Design and developme ...

, providing air refueling to USAF units until it was inactivated in October 1962. In 1961, the squadron was selected to represent

Second Air Force The Second Air Force (2 AF; ''2d Air Force'' in 1942) is a USAF numbered air force responsible for conducting basic military and technical training for Air Force enlisted members and non-flying officers. In World War II the CONUS unit defended ...

's annual bombing competition. It was inactivated in 1962. The two squadrons were merged as the 340th Air Refueling Squadron in September 1985,Department of the Air Force/MPM Letter 662q, 19 September 1985, Subject: Reconstitution, Redesignation, and Consolidation of Selected Air Force Tactical Squadrons but the consolidated squadron was not active before conversion to provisional status.

Expeditionary operations

Reactivated as a provisional squadron about 2002 as a part of the Global War on Terror. It is equipped with

Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is an American military aerial refueling tanker aircraft that was developed from the Boeing 367-80 prototype, alongside the Boeing 707 airliner. It has a narrower fuselage and is shorter than the 707. Boeing gave ...

s and conducts combat air refueling as one of the largest squadrons in the Air Force, doubling in size in 2014 due to increased operations in Syria. The squadron was active as part of

Operation Iraqi Freedom The Iraq War (), also referred to as the Second Gulf War, was a prolonged conflict in Iraq lasting from 2003 to 2011. It began with the invasion by a United States-led coalition, which resulted in the overthrow of the Ba'athist governm ...

and

Operation Enduring Freedom Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) was the official name used by the U.S. government for both the first stage (2001–2014) of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) and the larger-scale Global War on Terrorism. On 7 October 2001, in response ...

. It is currently supporting the

Military intervention against ISIL A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. Militaries are typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with their members identifiable by a d ...

in Iraq and Syria. As a provisional unit, the squadron is manned and equipped by deployed airmen from the regular air force,

Air Force Reserve The Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) is a major command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force, with its headquarters at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia. It is the federal Air Reserve Component (ARC) of the U.S. Air Force, consisting of commis ...

and

Air National Guard The Air National Guard (ANG), also known as the Air Guard, is a Reserve components of the United States Armed Forces, federal military reserve force of the United States Air Force, as well as the air militia (United States), militia of each U.S. ...

. Elements of the 155th Air Refueling Wing were deployed to the squadron during March 2016, and elements of the 117th Air Refueling Wing during April–June 2016.

Lineage

; 340th Fighter Squadron * Constituted as the 340th Fighter Squadron, Single Engine on 24 September 1942 : Activated on 30 September 1942 : Inactivated on 10 May 1946 * Consolidated with the 340th Air Refueling Squadron, Medium as the 340th Air Refueling Squadron, Heavy on 19 September 1985 ; 340th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron * Constituted as the 340th Air Refueling Squadron, Medium on 3 October 1952 : Activated on 20 October 1952 : Discontinued and inactivated 15 October 1962 * Consolidated with the 340th Fighter Squadron as the 340th Air Refueling Squadron, Heavy on 19 September 1985 * Converted to provisional status and redesignated 340th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron on 12 December 2001 * Activated in 2003

Assignments

* 348th Fighter Group, 30 September 1942 – 10 May 1946 * 340th Bombardment Wing 3 October 1952 (attached to 93d Bombardment Wing) *

Fifteenth Air Force The Fifteenth Air Force (15 AF) is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force's Air Combat Command (ACC). It is headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base. It was reactivated on 20 August 2020, merging the previous units of the Ninth Air Forc ...

, 1 July 1953 (remained attached to 93d Bombardment Wing) * 340th Bombardment Wing 18 January 1954 – 15 October 1962 (detached October–December 1956, September–December 1957, January–April 1959, January–April 1961) *

376th Air Expeditionary Wing The 376th Air Expeditionary Wing (376 AEW) is an inactive wing of the United States Air Force. It was last stationed at the Transit Center at Manas, Transit Center at Manas International Airport, Kyrgyz Republic, supporting U.S. and ISAF operati ...

, 2001 – present

Stations

* Mitchel Field, New York, 30 September 1942 * Bradley Field, Connecticut, 30 September 1942 *

Westover Field Westover may refer to: People *Al Westover (born 1954), American professional basketball player in Australia * Arthur Westover (1864–1935), Canadian sport shooter and 1908 Olympian *Charles Westover (1934–1990), better known as Del Shannon, Ame ...

, Massachusetts, 30 October 1942 * Hillsgrove Army Air Field, Rhode Island, 23 January 1943 * Westover Field, Massachusetts, 29 April – 9 May 1943 * Jackson Airfield (7 Mile Drome),

Port Moresby (; Tok Pisin: ''Pot Mosbi''), also referred to as Pom City or simply Moresby, is the capital and largest city of Papua New Guinea. It is one of the largest cities in the southwestern Pacific (along with Jayapura) outside of Australia and New ...

, (Papua) New Guinea, 23 June 1943 – 13 December 1943 * Finschhafen Airfield (Dreger Field), New Guinea (Irian Jaya), 17 December 1943 * Saidor Airfield, (Papua) New Guinea, 27 March 1944 *

Wakde Airfield Wakde Airfield is a World War II airfield located on Wakde Island, off the northern coast of New Guinea in Papua, Indonesia. The airfield was abandoned after the war and today is almost totally returned to its natural state. History The airfield ...

Wakde Wakde is an island group in Sarmi Regency, Papua, Indonesia, between the districts of Pantai Timur and Tor Atas. It comprises two islands, Insumuar (the larger) and Insumanai (much smaller). History Occupied by Japanese forces in April 1942, th ...

, Netherlands East Indies, 22 May 1944 * Kornasoren Airfield Noemfoor, Netherlands East Indies, 24 August 1944 * Tacloban Airfield,

Leyte Leyte ( ) is an island in the Visayas group of islands in the Philippines. It is eighth-largest and sixth-most populous island in the Philippines, with a total population of 2,626,970 as of 2020 census. Since the accessibility of land has been ...

, Philippines, 30 November 1944 *

Tanauan Airfield Tanauan Airfield is a World War II airfield located near Tanauan in the province of Leyte, Philippines. It was closed after the war. History The airfield was built by the Americans shortly after landing on Leyte in November 1944. It was used b ...

, Leyte, Philippines, 14 December 1944 *

San Marcelino Airfield San Marcelino Airfield is a World War II airfield located in Zambales province of the Philippines located in the Central Luzon region. It was closed after the war. History San Marcelino Airfield was built before the war by the Americans. On ...

, Leyte, Philippines, 6 February 1945 *

Floridablanca Airfield Cesar Basa Air Base, or simply Basa Air Base (formerly known as Floridablanca Airfield) , is an airbase currently operated by the Philippine Air Force. It is located at Floridablanca, Pampanga about northwest of Metro Manila in the Philippines. ...

Luzon Luzon ( , ) is the largest and most populous List of islands in the Philippines, island in the Philippines. Located in the northern portion of the List of islands of the Philippines, Philippine archipelago, it is the economic and political ce ...

, Philippines, 15 May 1945 *

Ie Shima Airfield is a training facility, managed by the United States Marine Corps and a former World War II airfield complex on Ie Shima, an island located off the northwest coast of Okinawa Island in the East China Sea. The airfield as such was inactivated ...

Okinawa most commonly refers to: * Okinawa Prefecture, Japan's southernmost prefecture * Okinawa Island, the largest island of Okinawa Prefecture * Okinawa Islands, an island group including Okinawa itself * Okinawa (city), the second largest city in th ...

, 9 July 1945 *

Kanoya Airfield is a military aerodrome of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force . It is located southwest of the city of Kanoya in Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan. Runway 08R/26L is equipped with ILS. History The Kanoya Air Group was formed on 1 April 1936 and ...

, Japan, 9 September 1945 * Itami Airfield, Japan, 20 October 1945 – 10 May 1946 *

, California, 3 October 1952 *

, Missouri, 18 January 1954 – 15 October 1962 * Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar 2001 – present

Aircraft

* Republic P-47 Thunderbolt, 1942–1945 * North American P-51 Mustang, 1945 * Boeing KC-97 Stratotanker, 1953–1962 * Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker 2001 – present

References

; Notes

Bibliography

* * * * *

External links

* * {{USAAF 5th Air Force World War II Air refueling squadrons of the United States Air Force