56th Air Refueling Squadron

56th Air Refueling Squadron
56th Air Refueling Squadron
	KC-46 Pegasus as operated by the 56th Air Refueling Squadron
Active	1942–1946; 1947–1952; 1952–1957; 1966–2008; 2016–present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Air refueling Training
Part of	Air Education and Training Command
Nickname(s)	Tokyo Trolley (1943–1946)
Motto(s)	Safety Through Knowledge (1966–2016) Novi Aut Peri Latin (2016–)
Decorations	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award ; Philippine Presidential Unit Citation
Insignia
56th Air Refueling Squadron emblem
56th Airlift Squadron emblem (approved 16 November 1966)
Patch with 56th Troop Carrier Squadron emblem (World War II)

The 56th Air Refueling Squadron is an active unit of the United States Air Force. It is part of the 97th Operations Group at Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma. It operates Boeing KC-46 Pegasus aircraft, conducting initial and advanced aircrew training for air refueling operations.

The squadron was first activated in 1942 as the 56th Troop Carrier Squadron. After training in the United States, the squadron moved to the Southwest Pacific Theater, where it conducted combat airlift operations against the Japanese until the surrender of Japan. It moved to Japan and served as part of the occupation forces until inactivating in 1946.^[2]

History

World War II

The squadron was first activated 18 November 1942 as the 56th Troop Carrier Squadron at Bowman Field, KY. After training in the United States, the squadron moved to New Guinea, where it conducted tactical airlift in the Southwest Pacific Theater. The unit participated in the airborne assault on Nadzab, New Guinea, on 5 September 1943 during World War II. After the surrender of Japan, the squadron moved to Tachikawa Airfield, where it participated in the military occupation of Japan until inactivating in 1946.^[2]

Reserve operations and Korean War

In August 1947, the squadron was activated at Greater Pittsburgh Airport as a reserve unit. It trained in the reserves until October 1950, when it was called to active duty for the Korean War. The squadron moved to Greenville Air Force Base and served on active duty until July 1952 when it was inactivated and its personnel and aircraft were transferred to the 18th Troop Carrier Squadron, which was simultaneously activated.^[2]^[3]

The same day it was inactivated at Greenville, the squadron returned to Pittsburgh and reserve service, where it assumed the mission, personnel and equipment of the 458th Troop Carrier Squadron, which was simultaneously inactivated.^[3] The squadron continued to train in the reserves until inactivating in 1957.^[2]

Airlift training

In 1966, Military Air Transport Service (MATS) became Military Airlift Command and replaced its former Major Command Controlled (MAJCON or 4 digit) units with AFCON units. As part of this transformation, the 56th replaced the 1740th Air Transport Squadron at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma in January 1966.^[2] The 1740th had been organized by MATS on 5 September 1951 as the 1740th Air Transport Squadron (Transition Training Unit) at McChord Air Force Base and was assigned to the 1705th Air Transport Wing. It moved to Palm Beach Air Force Base in July 1952 and to Tinker Air Force Base in March 1959 when MATS moved its training wing. At Tinker, the squadron provided training for aircrews in Douglas C-124 Globemaster II.

Redesignated 56 Military Airlift Squadron, Training, and activated on 27 Dec 1965. In January 1966, the 56th Military Airlift Squadron replaced the 1740th and continued to train Globemaster crews through 1968. With the arrival of the Air Force's first C-5 Galaxy on 17 December 1969, the 56th became the first operational C-5 squadron in the Air Force. It provided training and transition-flying training for aircrews in C-5 aircraft from 1969 to 2007. It also supported U.S. forces in Southeast Asia from April 1972 to December 1974.^[2]

The Squadron was re-designated as the 56th Airlift Squadron on 27 August 1991, becoming attached to the 97th Operations Group at Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma. It operated Lockheed C-5 Galaxy aircraft, conducting initial and advanced aircrew training for airlift, airdrop and air refueling operations . The 56th Airlift Squadron was the Air Force's formal school for Lockheed C-5 Galaxy airland qualification training.^[2] The squadron transferred its C-5s in 2007, although it did not inactivate until September 2008.^[2]

The last C-5 Galaxy (0462) "flewaway" from Altus on 20 July 2007. It was transferred to 167th Airlift Wing, West Virginia Air National Guard.^[4]

Air refueling training

The Squadron was reactivated as the 56th Air Refueling Squadron on 1 August 2016 as the Air Force's Boeing KC-46A Pegasus formal training unit at Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma, after eight years of dormancy.^[5] The Squadron received its first Boeing KC-46A Pegasus on 8 February 2019,^[6] followed by another two days later.^[7]

Operations

World War II

Lineage

Constituted as the 56th Troop Carrier Squadron on 12 November 1942

Activated on 18 November 1942

Inactivated on 25 March 1946

Activated in the reserves on 3 August 1947

Redesignated 56th Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium on 27 June 1949

Ordered to active service on 15 October 1950

Inactivated on 14 July 1952

Activated in the reserves on 14 July 1952

Inactivated on 16 November 1957

Redesignated 56th Military Airlift Squadron, Training and activated on 27 December 1965 (not organized)

Organized on 8 January 1966

Redesignated 56th Airlift Squadron on 27 August 1991

Inactivated on 30 September 2008

Redesignated 56th Air Refueling Squadron on 23 June 2016

Activated on 1 August 2016^[5]^[8]

Assignments

375th Troop Carrier Group, 12 November 1942 – 25 March 1946
375th Troop Carrier Group, 3 August 1947 – 14 July 1952
375th Troop Carrier Group, 14 July 1952 – 16 November 1957
Military Air Transport Service (later Military Airlift Command), 27 December 1965 (not organized)
443d Military Airlift Wing (later 443d Airlift Wing), 8 January 1966
443d Operations Group, 1 October 1991
97th Operations Group, 1 October 1992 – 30 September 2008
97th Operations Group, 1 August 2016 – present^[8]

Stations

Bowman Field, Kentucky, 18 November 1943
Sedalia Army Air Field, Missouri, 23 January 1943
Laurinburg-Maxton Army Air Base, North Carolina, 5 May 1943
Baer Field, Indiana, 2 June 1943 – 17 June 1943
Port Moresby Airfield Complex, New Guinea, c. 15 July 1943
Dobodura Airfield Complex, New Guinea, 2 August 1943
Port Moresby, New Guinea, 23 December 1943
Nadzab Airfield Complex, New Guinea, 22 April 1944
Biak, New Guinea, 19 September 1944
San Jose, Occidental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, Philippines, 27 February 1945
Porac, Pampanga, Philippines, c. 20 May 1945
Okinawa, c. 20 August 1945
Tachikawa Airfield, Japan, c. 20 September 1945 – 25 March 1946
Greater Pittsburgh Airport, Pennsylvania, 3 August 1947
Greenville Air Force Base, South Carolina, 16 October 1950 – 14 July 1952
Greater Pittsburgh Airport, Pennsylvania, 14 July 1952 – 16 November 1957
Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, 8 January 1966
Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma 20 January 1969 – 30 September 2008
Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma, 1 August 2016 – present^[8]

Aircraft

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (1942–1945)
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress (1944)
Curtiss C-46 Commando (1944–1946, 1952–1954)
Fairchild C-82 Packet (1949–1950)
Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar (1954–1957)
Douglas C-124 Globemaster II (1966–1968)
Lockheed C-5 Galaxy (1969–2007)^[8]
Boeing KC-46 Pegasus (2019–present)

References

Notes

Explanatory notes

^ The emblem was slightly modified on 12 July 1971. Haulman. This emblem was originally approved for the 1740th Air Transport Squadron and was adopted as part of the 1740th's heritage when the 56th replaced in 1966

Footnotes

^ ^a ^b Watkins, p. 59
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ Haulman, Daniel L. (6 August 2017). "Factsheet 56 Air Refueling Squadron (AETC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 29 December 2017.
^ ^a ^b Maurer, Combat Squadrons, ^{[page needed]}
^ "C-5 departure ends era at Altus Air Force Base". Retrieved 26 March 2020.
^ ^a ^b Davis, SRA Dillon (31 August 2016). "Forging the KC-46: New training center opens to prepare tanker aircrews". US Air Force Public Affairs. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
^ Wentworth, Jeremy (6 February 2019). "56th ARS Flies Their First KC-46 Home". Air Education and Training Command. Retrieved 12 February 2019.
^ Host, Pat (12 February 2019). "US Air Force training squadron receives first two KC-46As". Jane's 360. Retrieved 12 February 2019.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Lineage, except as indicated, including assignments, stations and aircraft in Haulman.

Bibliography

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

Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-02-1. LCCN 61060979. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
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. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947–1977. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
Watkins, Robert A. (2013). Insignia and Aircraft Markings of the U.S. Army Air Force in World War II. Vol. V, Pacific Theater of Operations. Atglen,PA: Shiffer Publishing, Ltd. ISBN 978-0-7643-4346-9.