77th Air Refueling Squadron

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= 77th Air Refueling Squadron


caption= 77th Air Refueling Squadron Patch
dates= 25 February 1943 - 10 June 1946
15 July 1947 - 8 July 1972
1 October 1985 - Present
country= United States
allegiance=
branch=United States Air Force
type= Aerial refueling
role=
size=
command_structure= Air Force Reserve Command
4th Air Force
916th Air Refueling Wing
916th Operations Group
current_commander=
garrison= Seymour Johnson Air Force Base
ceremonial_chief=
colonel_of_the_regiment=
nickname=
patron=
motto=
colors=
march=
mascot=
battles= Operation Overlord
Operation Market Garden
Operation Varsity
notable_commanders=
anniversaries=
decorations=
battle_honours=

The 77th Air Refueling Squadron (77 ARS) is part of the 916th Air Refueling Wing at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina. It operates the KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft conducting aerial refueling missions.

Mission

History

The 77th participated in airborne assaults on Normandy, Holland, and Germany, transported personnel and cargo, and evacuated casualties in the European Theater of Operations during World War II. Supported occupation forces and evacuated Allied troops who had been prisoners of war. The squadron trained for and flew airlift missions in the reserve for most of the period of 1947-1972, including airlift to Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War. Since October 1985 it has flown air refueling and air transport missions as needed worldwide, taking part in many contingency and humanitarian operations, including air refueling support during the U.S. invasion of Panama, December 1989-January 1990 and the Persian Gulf War in 1991. [http://www.afhra.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=10529 AFHRA 77 ARS Page] ]

=Operations=

*World War II
*Vietnam War
*Operation Just Cause
*Operation Desert Storm

=Lineage=

*77th Troop Carrier Squadron (1943 - 1949)
*77th Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium (1949 - 1961)
*77th Troop Carrier Squadron, Heavy (1961 - 1965)
*77th Air Transport Squadron, Heavy (1965 - 1966)
*77th Military Airlift Squadron (1966 - 1985)
*77th Air Refueling Squadron, Heavy (Associate) (1985 - 1992)
*77th Air Refueling Squadron (Associate) (1992 - 1994)
*77th Air Refueling Squadron (1994 - Present)

=Assignments=

*435th Troop Carrier Group (1943 - 1945)
*IX Troop Carrier Command (1945)
*316th Troop Carrier Group (1945 - 1946)
*435th Troop Carrier Wing (1947 - 1963)
*916th Military Airlift Group (1963 - 1972)
*452d Air Refueling Wing (1985 - 1986)
*916th Air Refueling Wing (1986 - Present)

=Bases stationed=

*Bowman Field, Kentucky (1943)
*Sedalia Army Air Field, Missouri (1943)
*Pope Field, North Carolina (1943)
*Baer Field, Indiana (1943)
*RAF Fulbeck, England (1943 - 1944)
*RAF Welford, England (1944 - 1945)
*Brétigny, France (1945)
*Baer Field, Indiana (1945)
*Kellogg Field, Michigan (1945)
*Pope Field, North Carolinal (1945 - 1946)
*Miami International Airport, Florida (1947 - 1956)
*Pinellas County International Airport, Florida (1956 - 1957)
*Alvin Callender Field, Louisiana (1957 - 1958)
*Donaldson Air Force Base, South Carolina (1958 - 1963)
*Carswell Air Force Base, Texas (1963 - 1972)
*Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina (1985 - Present)

=Aircraft Operated=

*C-47 Skytrain (1943 - 1946)
*Horsa glider (1943 - 1944)
*C-53 Skytrooper (1943 - 1945)
*CG-4 (1943 - 1946)
*C-46 Commando (1945 - 1946, 1951, 1952 - 1957)
*C-82 Packet (1946)
*T-6 Texan (1947 - 1951)
*T-7 Navigator (1947 - 1951)
*T-11 Kansan (1947 - 1951)
*C-119 Flying Boxcar (1957 - 1961)
*C-124 Globemaster II (1961 - 1972)
*KC-10 Extender (1985 - 1995)
*KC-135 Stratotanker (1995 - Present)

References

Notes

Bibliography

* [http://www.afhra.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=10529 AFHRA 77th Air Refueling Squadron History]

Also See