The 919th Air Refueling Squadron is an inactive

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 was last assigned to the

306th Bombardment Wing The 306th Strategic Wing, previously the 306th Bombardment Wing, is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the Strategic Air Command at RAF Mildenhall, Suffolk and was inactivated on 1 February 1992. The wing's missio ...

, stationed at

McCoy Air Force Base McCoy AFB (1940–1947, 1951–1975) is a former U.S. Air Force installation located 10 miles (16 km) southeast of Orlando, Florida. It was a training base during World War II. From 1951 to 1975, it was a frontline Strategic Air Comma ...

, Florida. It was inactivated on 30 June 1971. The squadron was first activated as the 619th Bombardment Squadron in 1943. It was one of the four squadrons of the

477th Bombardment Group 477th may refer to: *477th Bombardment Squadron, inactive United States Air Force unit *477th Fighter Group, the Air Force Reserve Command's first F-22A Raptor unit *477th Tactical Fighter Squadron, inactive United States Air Force unit See also

, the first (and only) bombardment group in the

United States Army Air Forces The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...

to include black pilots. Members of the squadron participated in the

Freeman Field Mutiny The Freeman Field mutiny was a series of incidents at Freeman Army Airfield, a United States Army Air Forces base near Seymour, Indiana, in 1945 in which African American members of the 477th Fighter Group#Lineage, 477th Bombardment Group attempt ...

, protesting

racial segregation Racial segregation is the separation of people into race (human classification), racial or other Ethnicity, ethnic groups in daily life. Segregation can involve the spatial separation of the races, and mandatory use of different institutions, ...

in the military. The squadron was inactivated in 1945 when the 477th became a composite group that included one

bombardment A bombardment is an attack by artillery fire or by dropping bombs from aircraft on fortifications, combatants, or cities and buildings. Prior to World War I, the term was only applied to the bombardment of defenseless or undefended obje ...

and one fighter squadron. The 919th Air Refueling Squadron was activated as 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 ...

(SAC) tanker squadron in 1960 and moved to

Turner Air Force Base Turner may refer to: People and fictional characters * Turner (surname), a common surname, including a list of people and fictional characters with the name * Turner (given name), a list of people with the given name *One who uses a lathe for tur ...

, Georgia as part of SAC's program to disperse its

Boeing B-52 Stratofortress The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is an American long-range, subsonic aircraft, subsonic, jet-powered strategic bomber. The B-52 was designed and built by Boeing, which has continued to provide support and upgrades. It has been operated by the ...

as a defense against a first strike by the

Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

. The squadron served in this capacity for eleven years during which it deployed aircraft and

aircrew Aircrew are personnel who operate an aircraft while in flight. The composition of a flight's crew depends on the type of aircraft, plus the flight's duration and purpose. Commercial aviation Flight deck positions In commercial aviatio ...

s to Southeast Asia during the

Vietnam War The Vietnam War (1 November 1955 – 30 April 1975) was an armed conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia fought between North Vietnam (Democratic Republic of Vietnam) and South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam) and their allies. North Vietnam w ...

. The two squadrons were consolidated into a single unit in 1985, but the consolidated squadron has never been active.

History

World War II

The 619th Bombardment Squadron was activated in June 1943 at

MacDill Field MacDill Air Force Base (MacDill AFB) is an active United States Air Force installation located 4 miles (6.4 km) south-southwest of downtown Tampa, Florida. The "host wing" for MacDill AFB is the 6th Air Refueling Wing (6 ARW), assi ...

, Florida. as one of the four original

squadrons Squadron(s) may refer to: Military * Squadron (army), a military unit of cavalry, tanks, or equivalent subdivided into troops or tank companies * Squadron (aviation), a military unit that consists of three or four flights with a total of 12 to 24 ...

of the

, but was inactivated in August.Maurer, ''Combat Units'', pp. 349–350 The 477th group was reactivated in January 1944 at

Selfridge Field Selfridge Air National Guard Base or Selfridge ANGB is an Air National Guard installation located in Harrison Township, Michigan, near Mount Clemens. Selfridge Field was one of thirty-two Air Service training camps established after the Un ...

, Michigan as the "first colored bombardment group in the

Army Air Forces The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...

" with personnel drawn from Selfridge and from

Tuskegee Army Air Field Sharpe Field is a closed private-use airport located northwest of the central business district of Tuskegee, a city in Macon County, Alabama, United States. This airport is privately owned by the Bradbury Family Partnership. Formerly known ...

, Alabama. It was the second combat group to be activated with African American personnel and would be the only African-American bombardment group. The group moved to

Godman Field Godman Army Airfield is a military airport located on the Fort Knox United States Army post in Hardin County, Kentucky, United States. It has four runways and is used entirely by the United States Army Aviation Branch The United States Ar ...

, Kentucky, where the 619th was activated in May. The unit encountered problems attributed to the lack of experienced personnel, which required even basic training in military occupational specialties to be conducted within the unit, rather than at technical training schools. Although designated a "colored" squadron, some officers, including the squadron leadership were white. The initial commander of the 477th Group enforced racial segregation on the posts where the squadron was stationed. The squadron's members were involved in the civil rights action referred to as the

; the "mutiny" came about when African-American aviators became outraged enough by

in the military that they resorted to mass insistence that military regulations prohibiting discrimination be enforced. The Freeman Field Mutiny was a crucial event in the African-American struggle for equal civil rights. The 619th was inactivated in June 1945 when the 477th became a composite group formed of the 99th Fighter Squadron, 617th Bombardment Squadron and 618th Bombardment Squadron and Colonel

Benjamin O. Davis, Jr. Benjamin Oliver Davis Jr. (December 18, 1912 – July 4, 2002) was a United States Air Force (USAF) general (United States), general and commander of the World War II Tuskegee Airmen. He was the first African-American brigadier general in the US ...

, a black officer, assumed command of the group.

Cold War

The 919th Air Refueling Squadron was activated on 15 April 1960 by

(SAC) at

Carswell Air Force Base Carswell Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force (USAF) base, located northwest of Fort Worth, Texas. For most of its operational lifetime, the base's mission was to train and support heavy strategic bombing groups and wings. Carswe ...

, TexasMueller, p. 69 and assigned to the

7th Bombardment Wing The 7th Bomb Wing (7 BW) is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Global Strike Command Eighth Air Force. It is stationed at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, where it is also the host unit. The 7 BW is one of only two B-1B Lancer strat ...

Ravenstein, p. 28 as one of two tanker squadrons activated that day for assignment to dispersed

wings. The squadron was 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. The squadron moved to

, Georgia in June and was assigned to the 4138th Strategic Wing, where half of the squadrons's aircraft were maintained on fifteen-minute alert, fully fueled and ready for combat.Abstract, History 4138 Strategic Wing July 1960
(retrieved 5 October 2013) The 919th maintained its alert commitment until it was inactivated, except for periods when the squadron was deployed. The squadron deployed aircraft and

to the Western Pacific, 1966–1967 to support SAC operations along with tactical aircraft flying combat missions over Indochina during the

(Operation Young Tiger). During September 1966, the squadron was non-operational when all its crews and aircraft were deployed to support

Operation Arc Light During Operation Arc Light (sometimes Arclight) from 1965 to 1973, the United States Air Force deployed B-52 Stratofortresses from bases in the U.S. Territory of Guam to provide battlefield air interdiction during the Vietnam War. This included ...

. When Turner AFB was transferred to the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...

in 1967Abstract, History 484 Bombardment Wing Jan–Mar 1967
(retrieved 5 October 2013) for re-designation as Naval Air Station Albany (Turner Field), the squadron moved to

, Florida. In 1969 the squadron won the Saunders Trophy as the best air refueling squadron during SAC's annual Bombing and Navigation Competition.Abstract, History 306 Bombardment Wing Jul 1969 – Mar 1970
(retrieved 5 October 2013) The following year the squadron converted from KC-135A aircraft to KC-135Qs.Abstract, History 306 Bombardment Wing Jan–Mar 1970
(retrieved 5 October 2013) The squadron remained at McCoy until it was inactivated in 1971 and its equipment and personnel transferred to the

306th Air Refueling Squadron The 306th Air Refueling Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 457th Operations Group at Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma, where it was inactivated on 1 August 1994. The squadron's first predecessor is t ...

. The 919th Air Refueling Squadron was consolidated with the 619th Bombardment Squadron in 1985 but the consolidated squadron has not been active.Department of the Air Force/MPM Letter 662q, 19 September 85, Subject: Reconstitution, Redesignation, and Consolidation of Selected Air Force Tactical Squadrons

Lineage

619th Bombardment Squadron * Constituted as the 619th Bombardment Squadron (Medium) on 13 May 1943 : Activated on 1 June 1943 : Inactivated on 25 August 1943 : Activated on 27 May 1944 : Inactivated on 22 June 1945Lineage, including aircraft, stations and assignments from 1943 to 1945 in Maurer, ''Combat Squadrons'', p. 688 * Consolidated on 19 September 1985 with the 919th Air Refueling Squadron as the 919th Air Refueling Squadron 919th Air Refueling Squadron * Constituted as the 919th Air Refueling Squadron, Heavy on 17 February 1960 : Activated on 15 April 1960 : Inactivated on 30 June 1971 * Consolidated on 19 September 1985 with the 619th Bombardment Squadron

Assignments

: 1 June 1943 – 25 August 1943 * 477th Bombardment Group: 27 May 1944 – 22 June 1945 *

: 15 April 1960 * 4138th Strategic Wing: 15 June 1960 * 484th Bombardment Wing: 1 February 1963 (not operational 1 April – c. 29 September 1966) *

: 25 March 1967 – 30 June 1971 (not operational after 15 June 1971)Ravenstein, p. 152

Stations

* MacDill Field, Florida, 1 June 1943 – 25 August 1943 * Godman Field, Kentucky 27 May 1944 *

Atterbury Army Air Field Atterbury is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: *Francis Atterbury (1663–1732), English politician and bishop *Grosvenor Atterbury (1869–1956), American architect * John Atterbury, actor * Luffman Atterbury, musician *Malcolm A ...

, 29 August 1944 * Godman Field, Kentucky, 3 January 1945 *

Freeman Field : ''For the civil use of this facility after 1946, see Freeman Municipal Airport '' Freeman Army Airfield is an inactive United States Army Air Forces base located in south-southwest of Seymour, Indiana. Established in 1942, the base became t ...

, Indiana: 7 March 1945 – 22 June 1945 * Godman Field, Kentucky: 26 April 1945 – 22 June 1945 * Carswell Air Force Base, Texas, 15 April 1960 * Turner Air Force Base, Georgia, 15 June 1960 * McCoy Air Force Base, Florida, 25 March 1967 – 30 June 1971

Awards and campaigns

* Saunders Trophy for best air refueling squadron in SAC 1969.

Aircraft

Martin B-26 Marauder The Martin B-26 Marauder is an American twin-engined medium bomber that saw extensive service during World War II. The B-26 was built at two locations: Baltimore, Maryland, and Omaha, Nebraska, by the Glenn L. Martin Company. First used in ...

, 1943 *

North American B-25 Mitchell The North American B-25 Mitchell is an American medium bomber that was introduced in 1941 and named in honor of Brigadier General Billy Mitchell, William "Billy" Mitchell, a pioneer of U.S. military aviation. Used by many Allies of World War ...

, 1944–1945 * Boeing KC-135A Stratotanker, 1960–1970 * Boeing KC-135Q Stratotanker, 1970–1971

References

Notes

; Explanatory notes ; Citations

Bibliography

* * * * * *
AF Pamphlet 900–2, Unit Decorations, Awards and Campaign Participation Credits, Vol II
Department of the Air Force, Washington, DC, 30 September 1976