| Unit Name: | 22d Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron |
| Dates: | 1939–1945; 1950–1962; 1963–1989; 1992–2002; 2003–present |
| Role: | Air Refueling |
| Garrison: | Transit Center at Manas, Kyrgyz Republic |
| Nickname: | Mules |
| Battles: | South West Pacific Theater of World War II China Burma India Theater of World War II War in Afghanistan |
| Decorations: | Distinguished Unit Citation Air Force Outstanding Unit Award |
| Identification Symbol Label: | 22d Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron emblem[1] |
| Identification Symbol 2 Label: | 22d Air Refueling Squadron emblem[2] |
| Identification Symbol 3 Label: | 22d Air Refueling Squadron emblem[3] |
| Identification Symbol 4 Label: | 22d Bombardment Squadron emblem[4] [5] |
| Identification Symbol 5 Label: | 22d Bombardment Squadron emblem[6] [7] |
The 22d Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron is a provisional United States Air Force unit, assigned to Air Mobility Command. It is engaged in combat operations as part of the Global War on Terrorism in Afghanistan. Its current status and location are undetermined. The squadron's permanent designation is the 22d Air Refueling Squadron.
During World War II, the 22d Bombardment Squadron was a heavy Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress and later, a medium B-25 Mitchell bomb squadron which fought in the Southwest Pacific and China-Burma-India theaters.
Formed in 1939 as a prewar bomb squadron, equipped with Douglas B-18 Bolos, later early model Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses. Flew antisubmarine patrols off California coast, 8 December – c. 10 December 1941. Deployed to Southwest Pacific Theater and assigned to Fifth Air Force in Australia, engaging in combat, c. 13 January – c. 1 March 1942; detachment under control of United States Navy in combat from the Fiji Islands and Australia, 14 February – c. 14 March 1942. Surviving B-17 aircraft and personnel reassigned to other units in Australia, March 1942 and unit reassigned without personnel or equipment to the United States for re-equipping and remanning as medium bomber squadron.
Re-equipped as a North American B-25 Mitchell bomb squadron and deployed to Tenth Air Force for combat in the China-Burma-India theater, 14 December 1942 – 25 July 1945. Deployed to Karachi, India; Chakulia, India; and Yangkai, China. While in Calcutta, India, the unit converted to the Douglas A-26 Invader attack bomber. During World War II, the unit earned two Distinguished Unit Citations and participated in nine separate campaigns. Personnel demobilized in India after the war, and the 22d was inactivated as a paper unit in the United States in November 1945.
On 16 June 1950, the 22d Air Refueling Squadron was activated at March Air Force Base, California, flying the Boeing KC-97 Aircraft. The squadron relocated to McChord AFB, WA on 15 June 1960 where it later upgraded to the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker. The squadron was inactivated on 1 July 1962. The Squadron was reactivated at March on 1 July 1963, flying the KC-135 and EC-135 aircraft.
In 1962, SAC established an airborne command post at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, nicknamed Looking Glass, to ensure continuity of command and control of SAC forces in the event of a nuclear attack. Looking Glass was soon augmented by auxiliary aircraft stationed with the headquarters of SAC's three Numbered Air Forces. The 22d received Boeing EC-135C aircraft to operate SAC's Western Auxiliary Command Post's airborne element for Fifteenth Air Force. The 22d continued to operate PACCS aircraft until 1 April 1970, when SAC reorganized its airborne command post aircraft and withdrew them from vulnerable bases near the coasts like Westover and assigned them to the 2d, 3d, and 4th Airborne Command and Control Squadrons, stationed at bases closer to the heartland of North America.[8]
It was deployed to Andersen AB, Guam whereupon it supported the Vietnam War until mid-1973. The squadron was inactivated on 1 December 1989.
On 19 Sep 1985 the 22d Air Refueling Squadron was consolidated with the 22d Bombardment Squadron (Medium), a unit that was last active 2 Nov 1945. This action was directed by Department of the Air Force Letter DAF/MPM 662q Attachment 1 (Active Units), 19 Sep 1985. The Consolidated Unit retained the designation of 22d Air Refueling Squadron, Heavy.
Activated on 1 October 1992 at Mountain Home AFB, ID, it was assigned seven KC-135R model aircraft as part of the Air Force's first Composite Air Intervention Wing. The squadron was consecutively awarded the 366th Wing's Silver Bolt Award for foreign object damage prevention during fiscal year 1997-1 and 1997–2, as well ACC's Best Tanker Award for 1993. The squadron garnered the 366th Wing's only "Outstanding" rating during the July 1995 ORI and its deployed maintenance won the ACC IG Superior Performance Team Award during the 366th Wing's 1997 AEF and first ever combat zone ORI. The 22d ARS was the only squadron in the 366th Wing to display nose art on the entire fleet (nose art developed by crew chief, SSgt Tony Eubanks). It was also awarded the Outstanding Unit Award, 1 June 1998 through 31 May 1999. The squadron was inactivated in 2002.
The unit was converted to provisional status in 2003, and assigned to Air Mobility Command to activate as needed to support combat operations under the purview of AFCENT, in combat areas as part of the Global War on Terrorism in Afghanistan.
22d Bombardment Squadron
Redesignated 22d Bombardment Squadron (Medium) c. 15 September 1942
Redesignated 22d Bombardment Squadron, Medium 28 April 1944
Inactivated on 2 November 1945
22d Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron
Activated on 15 June 1950
Discontinued and inactivated on 1 July 1962
Organized on 1 July 1963
Inactivated on 1 December 1989
Activated on 1 October 1992
Inactivated on 30 August 2002
376th Expeditionary Operations Group 22 January 2003 - c. 2014
Air echelon at: Muroc Army Air Field, California, 8 - c. 12 December 194
Air echelon at: Hickam Field, Hawaii (Territory), 18 December 1941 – 5 January 1942
Air echelon at: Singosari, Java, 13 – 19 January 1942
Detachment operated from: Nandi Airport, Fiji Islands, 14-c. 18 February 1942
Detachment operated from: RAAF Base Townsville, Australia, c. 20 February – c. 14 March 1942
Detachments operated from: Yunnani, 29 April – 6 May 1944, and c. 5 November 1944 – c. 20 January 1945
Detachments operated from: Peishiyi, February – 25 March 1945
Detachments operated from: Chihkiang, 29 March – c. 1 April 1945
Deployed at: RAF Mildenhall, England, 7 December 1953 – 5 March 1954
Ernest Harmon Air Force Base, Newfoundland, 3 March – 19 April 1955
Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, 3 January – 2 May 1956
Deployed to: Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, 1 July 1963 – 15 August 1973
Book: Maurer, Maurer. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II. 1969. reprint. 1982. Office of Air Force History. Washington, DC. 0-405-12194-6. 72556. 70605402.