Lineage

Constituted 6th Reconnaissance Squadron (Medium) on 20 Nov 1940. Activated on 15 Jan 1941. Redesignated: 396th Bombardment Squadron (Medium) on 22 Apr 1942; 396th Bombardment Squadron, Medium, c. 9 May 1943. Inactivated on 27 Jan 1946. Consolidated (19 Sep 1985) with 96th Air Refueling Squadron, Medium, which was constituted on 6 Nov 1953. Activated on 18 Nov 1953. Redesignated 96th Air Refueling Squadron, Heavy, on 8 Mar 1958. Discontinued on 1 Oct 1960. Organized on 15 Dec 1960. Discontinued, and inactivated, on 25 Jun 1965. Redesignated 96th Air Refueling Squadron, and activated, on 1 Apr 1994.

Assignments

41st Bombardment Group, attached 15 Jan 1941, assigned 25 Feb 1942?27 Jan 1946. 96th Bombardment Wing, 18 Nov 1953 (attached to Northeast Air Command, 5 Oct?20 Nov 1954, 1 Aug?14 Sep 1955, 18?31 Jan 1956; Alaskan Air Command and 303d Bomb Wing [split deployment], 25 Jun?9 Oct 1956; 98th Air Base Group, 10 Jan?7 Apr 1957); 11th Bombardment Wing, 3 Dec 1957?1 Oct 1960. 11th Bombardment (later, 11th Strategic Aerospace) Wing, 15 Dec 1960?25 Jun 1965. 453d Operations Group, 1 Apr 1994; 92d Operations Group, 1 Jul 1994?.

Stations

March Field, CA, 15 Jan 1941; Tucson, AZ, 16 May 1941; Muroc, CA, 8 Dec 1941; Sacramento, CA, c. 11 Jan 1942; (operated from Alameda, CA, Apr?10 May 1942; a detachment of the air echelon operated from Cherry Point, NC, Jun?Aug 1942); Hammer Field, CA, 24 Aug 1942 (stationed temporarily at Alameda, CA, 1 Dec 1942?Feb 1943; Sacramento, CA, 17 Feb?29 Sep 1943); Hickam Field, TH, 20 Oct 1943; Tarawa, 24 Dec 1943; Makin, 20 Apr 1944; Wheeler Field, TH, 14 Oct 1944?20 May 1945; Okinawa, 7 Jun 1945; Manila, Luzon, Dec 1945?27 Jan 1946; Altus AFB, OK, 18 Nov 1953?1 Oct 1960 (deployed at Ernest Harmon AFB, Newfoundland, 5 Oct?20 Nov 1954; Thule AFB, Greenland, 1 Aug?14 Sep 1955 and 18?31 Jan 1956; Elmendorf AFB, AK, and Andersen AFB, Guam [split deployment], 25 Jun?9 Oct 1956). Altus AFB, OK, 15 Dec 1960?25 Jun 1965. Fairchild AFB, WA, 1 Apr 1994?.

Aircraft

PT?17, 1941; B?18, 1941?1942; LB?30, 1941?1942; A?29, 1941?1942; B?25, 1942?1945. KC?97, 1954?1958; KC?135, 1958?1960. KC?135, 1960?1965.

Operations

Antisubmarine patrols, Dec 1941?Aug 1942; Dec 1942?Feb 1943. Combat in Central Pacific, 19 Jan?23 Sep 1944, and Western Pacific, 9 Jul?12 Aug 1945. Air refueling to meet global commitments, Jul 1954?Oct 1960 and Dec 1960?Jun 1965.

Honors

Service Streamers. None.

Campaign Streamers. World War II: Antisubmarine, American Theater; Air Offensive, Japan; Eastern Mandates; Western Pacific; Ryukyus; China Offensive.

Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.

Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citation: Japan, 4 Apr?14 Jul 1945. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 6 Aug 1954?15 Jul 1957; 27 Oct 1958?16 Sep 1960.

Emblem

Argent an eagle descending Sable, tail and head of the first beak and feet Or grasping in dexter talons an olive branch Vert and in sinister talons a sheaf of three arrows Yellow; all within a diminished bordure of the fourth. MOTTO: UBIQUE?Everywhere. Approved on 19 Jun 1956; modified on 9 Dec 1994.