465th Air Refueling Squadron

465th Air Refueling Squadron
File:465th Air Refueling Squadron Boeing KC-135A-BN Stratotanker 62-3503
Active	12 October 1944 – 26 May 1946 18 February 1953 – 18 August 1955 8 October 1955 – 15 March 1960 20 May 1972 - present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Aerial refueling
Part of	Air Force Reserve Command 4th Air Force 507th Air Refueling Wing 507th Operations Group
Garrison/HQ	Tinker Air Force Base
Engagements	World War II Asia-Pacific Theater
Decorations	Distinguished Unit Citation Air Force Outstanding Unit Award (7x)
Insignia
Emblem of the 465th Air Refueling Squadron

The 465th Air Refueling Squadron (465 ARS) is a United States Air Force Reserve squadron, assigned to the 507th Operations Group, stationed at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma.

Overview

The squadron operates KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft conducting air refueling missions. It is one of three flying organizations in the 507th Air Refueling Wing, incorporating pilots and traditional operations functions.

As civilians, many of the pilots assigned to the refueling squadron are employed by commercial airlines. As reservists, they are required to fly the same type sorties as their active-duty counterparts to remain proficient and combat ready.

History

465th TFS F-105s, 1978.

A 465th TFS F-4D, 1985.

File:301fw-f16s.jpg

301st TFW F-16Cs, 2003.

World War II

Formed in late 1944 and trained under II Fighter Command in the midwest and Texas. Was equipped with the very long range P-47N Thunderbolt with a mission to escort B-29 Superfortresses from their bases in the Marianas to Japan.

Following months of delays, the squadron arrived in the Pacific Theater, being assigned to Ie Shima in the Ryukyu Islands on 28 June 1945 from Saipan/Tinian. During forty-six days of combat, the squadron flew forty-six missions. With the end of the war, the squadron was reassigned to Yontan Air Base, Okinawa in January 1946 conducting occupation duty. It was inactivated on 24 May 1946.

Air Defense Command

Activated 18 February 1953 by Air Defense Command at McChord AFB, Washington, equipped with F-86D Sabre Interceptors with an air defense mission. Inactivated 18 Aug 1955 IAW Project Arrow when parent 527th ADG inactivated and replaced 325th Fighter Group (Air Defense).

Re-activated 8 Oct 1955 at Griffiss AFB, New York and assigned to 32d Air Division with F-89D Scorpions; converted to F-89H/J Scorpions in the fall of 1956; transferred to 4727th Air Defense Group in February 1957; moved to Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts and transferred to Boston Air Defense Sector in August 1959, acquiring F-86L Sabre Interceptors in a swap with the 49th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron; inactivated 15 Mar 1960 as the Sabre was being phased out in favor of supersonic interceptors.

Air Force Reserve

It trained for fighter missions between 1972 and 1994 and has flown worldwide air refueling missions since 1994.

Lineage

465th FIS (Air Defense Command)

• Constituted 465th Fighter Squadron, Single Engine on 5 October 1944

Activated on 12 October 1944

Inactivated on 24 May 1946

• Redesignated 465th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron on 3 February 1953

Activated on 18 February 1953

Inactivated on 18 August 1955

• Activated on 8 October 1955

Discontinued on 15 March 1960

• Redesignated 465th Tactical Fighter Squadron on 4 May 1972

Activated in the Reserve on 20 May 1972

Redesignated: 465th Fighter Squadron on 1 February 1992

Redesignated: 465th Air Refueling Squadron on 1 April 1994.

Assignments

• 507th Fighter Group, 12 October 1944 – 24 May 1946
• 567th Air Defense Group, 18 February 1953 – 18 August 1955
• 4711th Air Defense Wing, 8 October 1955
• 32d Air Division, 1 March 1956
• 4727th Air Defense Group, 8 February 1957
• Boston Air Defense Sector, 1 July 1959 – 15 March 1960
• 507th Fighter Group, 20 May 1972
• 301st Tactical Fighter Wing, 25 March 1973
• 507th Tactical Fighter (later, 507 Fighter) Group, 17 October 1975
• 507th Operations Group, 1 August 1992–present

Stations

• Peterson Field, Colorado, 12 October 1944
• Bruning AAF, Nebraska, 20 October 1944
• Dalhart AAF, Texas, 15 December 1944 – 30 April 1945
• Ie Shima Airfield, Ryukyu Islands, 24 June 1945
• Yontan Airfield, Okinawa, 29 January-24 May 1946
• McChord AFB, Washington, 18 February 1953 – 18 August 1955
• Griffiss AFB, New York, 8 October 1955
• Laurence G. Hanscom Field, Massachusetts, 1 July 1959 – 15 March 1960
• Tinker AFB, Oklahoma, 20 May 1972 – present

Aircraft

• P-47 Thunderbolt, 1944–1945
• F-86 Sabre, 1953–1955
• F-89D Scorpion, 1955–1959
• F-86D Sabre Interceptor, 1959–1959
• F-86L Sabre Interceptor (SAGE) 1959-1960
• F-105 Thunderchief, 1972–1980
• F-4 Phantom II, 1980–1988
• F-16 Falcon, 1988–1994
• KC-135 Stratotanker, 1994–present

Aircraft flying in this unit

KC-135
58-0102(R) (Jan'14); 61-0272(R) (Jan'14); 62-6537(R) (Jan'14)

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.

• A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization 1946 - 1980, by Lloyd H. Cornett and Mildred W. Johnson, Office of History, Aerospace Defense Center, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado
• Maurer, Maurer. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force: World War II. Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama: Office of Air Force History, 1982.
• USAF Aerospace Defense Command publication, The Interceptor, January 1979 (Volume 21, Number 1).
• AFHRA 465th Air Refueling Squadron History