Lineage

Constituted 20th Reconnaissance Squadron (Light) on 20 Nov 1940. Activated on 15 Jan 1941. Redesignated: 97th Bombardment Squadron (Light) on 14 Aug 1941; 97th Bombardment Squadron, Light, on 20 Aug 1943. Inactivated on 31 Mar 1946. Consolidated (19 Sep 1985) with the 97th Air Refueling Squadron, Medium, which was constituted on 2 Feb 1949. Activated on 1 Mar 1949. Discontinued, and inactivated, on 15 Mar 1964. Redesignated 97th Air Refueling Squadron, Heavy, and activated, on 8 Oct 1964. Organized on 23 Oct 1964. Redesignated 97th Air Refueling Squadron on 1 Sep 1991. Inactivated on 1 Apr 1992. Activated on 1 Oct 1992.

Assignments

General Headquarters Air Force (later, Air Force Combat Command), 15 Jan 1941 (attached to the 17th Bombardment Group, 15 Jan?7 May 1941; 47th Bombardment Group, 8 May?13 Aug 1941); 47th Bombardment Group, 14 Aug 1941?31 Mar 1946. 97th Bombardment Group, 1 Mar 1949 (attached to the 97th Bombardment Wing, 12 Jul 1950?15 Jun 1952); 97th Bombardment Wing, 16 Jun 1952 (attached to Fifteenth Air Force, c. 31 May?10 Jul 1955); 4061st Air Refueling Wing, 1 Sep 1957; 9th Bombardment (later, 9th Strategic Aerospace) Wing, (attached to 341st Combat Support Group), 15 Jul 1961; 28th Bombardment Wing, 1 Jul 1962?15 Mar 1964. Strategic Air Command, 8 Oct 1964; 97th Bombardment Wing, 23 Oct 1964; 97th Operations Group, 1 Sep 1991?1 Apr 1992. 43d Operations Group, 1 Oct 1992; 453d Operations Group, 1 Apr 1994; 92d Operations Group, 1 Jul 1994?.

Stations

McChord Field, WA, 15 Jan 1941; Fresno AB (later, Hammer Field), CA, 11 Aug 1941; Will Rogers Field, OK, 15 Feb 1942; Greensboro Aprt, NC, 16 Jul 1942; Langley Field, VA, 6?27 Oct 1942; Casablanca, French Morocco, 7 Nov 1942; Mediouna, French Morocco, 18 Nov 1942; Thelepte, Tunisia, 27 Dec 1942; Youks-les-Bains, Algeria, 15 Feb 1943; Canrobert, Algeria, 21 Feb 1943; Thelepte, Tunisia, 31 Mar 1943; Souk-el-Arba, Tunisia, c. 30 Apr 1943; Grombalia, Tunisia, 1 Jun 1943; Takali Airdrome, Malta, 23 Jul 1943; Torrente Comunelli, Sicily, 12 Aug 1943; Catania, Sicily, 19 Aug 1943; Grottaglie Airdrome, Tarranto, Italy, c. 24 Sep 1943; Vincenzo Airfield, Foggia, Italy, 17 Oct 1943; Vesuvius Airfield, San Guiseppe, Italy, c. 8 Jan 1944; Capodichino, Italy, 22 Mar 1944; Vesuvius Airfield, San Guiseppe, Italy, 26 Apr 1944; Ponte Galeria, Italy, 12 Jun 1944; Grossetto, Italy, 28 Jun 1944; Poretto, Corsica, 15 Jul 1944; Salon, France, 7 Sep 1944; Follonica, Italy, 19 Sep 1944; Rosignano Afld, Italy, 9 Oct 1944; Grossetto, Italy, 6 Dec 1944; Pisa, Italy, 31 Mar?25 Jun 1945; Camp Kilmer, NJ, 11 Jul 1945; Seymour Johnson Field, NC, 14 Jul 1945; Lake Charles AAFld, LA, 9 Sep 1945?31 Mar 1946. Biggs AFB, TX, 1 Mar 1949 (deployed at Upper Heyford, England, 15 Mar?11 Jun 1952; Ernest Harmon AFB, Newfoundland, 21 Nov?20 Dec 1954 and c. 31 May?10 Jul 1955; RAF Greenham Common, England, 1 May?9 Jul 1956; Goose AB, Labrador, Apr?1 Sep 1957); Malmstrom AFB, MT, 1 Sep 1957?15 Mar 1964. Blytheville (later, Eaker) AFB, AR, 8 Oct 1964?1 Apr 1992. Malmstrom AFB, MT, 1 Oct 1992; Fairchild AFB, WA, 1 Apr 1994?.

Aircraft

B?18, 1941?1942; B?24, 1941?1942; DB?7, 1942; A?20, 1942?1945; A?26 (later, B?26), 1945?1946. B?29, 1950; KB?29, 1950?1954; KC?97, 1954?1964. KC?135, 1964?.

Operations

Antisubmarine patrols, Dec 1941?Jan 1942. Combat in MTO, 28 Dec 1942?30 Apr 1945. Air refueling operations, 1951?1964 and 1964?.

Honors

Service Streamers. None.

Campaign Streamers. World War II: Antisubmarine, American Theater; Algeria-French Morocco; Tunisia; Sicily; Naples-Foggia; Anzio; Rome-Arno; Southern France; North Apennines; Po Valley; Air Combat, EAME Theater.

Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.

Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citation: Po Valley, 21?24 Apr 1945. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Jun 1955?1 Sep 1957; 2 Jul?3 Nov 1957; 1 Jul 1975?30 Jun 1977; 1 Jul 1977?30 Jun 1978; 1 Jul 1978?30 Jun 1980; 1 Jul 1980?30 Jun 1982; 1 Jul 1986?30 Jun 1988.

Emblem

Azure the constellation Ursa Major (seven mullets of eight Or) bendwise sinister enfiling a double eliptoid contrail bendwise Gules issuant from a pair of flight symbols ascending bendwise Red to dexter of Blue, all within a diminished bordure of the first. MOTTO: PRO POTENTIA INTER ASTRA?For Strength Among the Stars. Approved on 9 Dec 1994; replaced emblems approved on 10 Sep 1965 (K&KE 300), 2 Nov 1955 (154269 A.C.), and 9 Aug 1944 (8791 A.C.).