The 918th's predecessor, the 18th Combat Mapping Squadron, was active during World War II. Although most of the squadron remained in the United States during the war, part of its air echelon deployed to the Pacific where it performed photographic mapping missions until the unit was inactivated in 1944.
The squadron was allotted to the Air Force Reserve as the 18th Reconnaissance Squadron and assigned to the 66th Strategic Reconnaissance Group at Newark Army Air Base, New Jersey in 1947. It does not appear to have been fully equipped or manned before it was inactivated in 1949 as the reserves reorganized and eliminated units in the wake of President Truman's 1949 defense budget cuts.
The 918th Air Refueling Squadron was organized at Altus in October 1960 along with the 921st Air Refueling Squadron as part of Strategic Air Command's plan to disperse its bomber force. However, planning changed a little over a month later and the squadron was inactivated and its personnel and equipment were returned to the 96th Air Refueling Squadron, which had provided its initial cadre. The 18th and 918th squadrons were consolidated into a single unit in 1985.
The bulk of the air echelon equipped with Consolidated B-24 Liberators and remained in the United States.[1] The deployed elements of the squadron flew missions over enemy-held territory in Guadalcanal, New Guinea, the northern Solomon Islands, and the Bismarck Archipelago. The unit became the 18th Combat Mapping Squadron and produced maps of Allied and enemy held territory and prepared navigational charts for American units.[2] After October 1943, the unit was attached to the 8th Photographic Reconnaissance Group in the China Burma India Theater and operated under that group's control until January 1944.[3] Simultaneously with the attachment of the deployed air echelon to the 8th group, the element remaining behind in the United States moved to Will Rogers Field, Oklahoma.[1]
The United States echelon was inactivated on 15 January 1944 and the overseas echelon on 20 February 1944.[1]
Air Force Reserves
The squadron was redesignated the 18th Reconnaissance Squadron[a] and again activated in 1947 as a reserve unit under Air Defense Command (ADC) at Newark Army Air Base, New Jersey. Its training was supervised by the 114th AAF Base Unit (later the 2231st Air Force Reserve Training Center).[4][5] It does not appear that the unit was fully manned or equipped.[6]
In 1948 Continental Air Command assumed responsibility for managing reserve units from ADC.[7] The 18th was inactivated when Continental Air Command reorganized its reserve units under the wing base organization system in June 1949.[1] President Truman's reduced 1949 defense budget also required elimination of a number of units in the Air Force, and the 18th was not replaced as reserve flying operations at Newark ceased.[8]
Strategic Air Command
The 918th Air Refueling Squadron was one of two air refueling squadrons activated in 1960 at Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma[9] for movement to other bases to provide Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker support to dispersed Boeing B-52 Stratofortress bombers. Cadre and aircraft for the squadron was drawn from the 96th Air Refueling Squadron, which was inactivated[10] The decision to organize squadrons at Altus for movement elsewhere was reversed shortly after the 918th was organized, and the squadron was inactivated and its personnel and aircraft were returned to the 96th, which was reactivated.[10][11]
In September 1985, the 18th Reconnaissance Squadron and the 918th Air Refueling Squadron were consolidated into a single unit under the name 918th Air Refueling Squadron.[12]
Lineage
18th Reconnaissance Squadron
Constituted as 18th Photographic Mapping Squadron on 14 July 1942
Activated on 23 July 1942
Redesignated 18th Photographic Squadron (Heavy) on 6 February 1943
Redesignated 18th Combat Mapping Squadron on 9 October 1943
Inactivated on 20 February 1944
Redesignated 18th Reconnaissance Squadron, Photographic on 8 October 1947 and allotted to the reserve
Colorado Springs Army Air Base, Colorado, 23 July 1942 – 12 December 1942 (the bulk of air echelon remained at Colorado Springs until 12 October 1943, then moved to Will Rogers Field, Oklahoma, where it was inactivated on 15 January 1944)
^ abcDepartment of the Air Force/MPM Letter 662q, 19 Sep 85, Subject: Reconstitution, Redesignation, and Consolidation of Selected Air Force Tactical Squadrons
Knaack, Marcelle Size (1988). Encyclopedia of US Air Force Aircraft and Missile Systems. Vol. 2, Post-World War II Bombers 1945–1973. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN0-912799-59-5.
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