26th Air Refueling Squadron

26th Air Refueling Squadron
Active	28 May 1952 - 1 April 1955 1 April 1955 - 7 August 1957 7 August 1957 - 15 September 1964
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Aerial refueling
Part of	Strategic Air Command 26th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing 4050th Air Refueling Wing 380th Bombardment Wing
Garrison/HQ	Lockbourne AFB Ohio Westover AFB Massachusetts Plattsburgh AFB New York

The 26th Air Refueling Squadron (26 AREFS) was a squadron of the United States Air Force that flew the KC-97E/F/G Stratofreighter.

History

The 26 AREFS flew worldwide air refueling operations from 1952-61. The 26th AREFS's KC-97s refueled F-84G fighters from the 506th Strategic Fighter Wing participating in the Operation Longstride in Aug 1953. They refueled seventeen F-84Gs from Turner AFB, Georgia to RAF Lakenheath, Great Britain during a non-stop 4,485-mile trip. During the second phase of Operation Longstride in October 1953, the 26th helped refuel eight F-84s of the 31st Strategic Fighter Wing from Turner AFB, Georgia to Nouasseur Air Base, French Morocco. The aircraft covered 3,800 miles in 10 hours and 20 minutes, thanks to in-flight refueling by brand-new SAC KC-97s in the vicinity of Bermuda and the Azores. Crews and aircraft from the 26th deployed to Lajes AB Portugal in September 1954 for 45 days to refuel RB-47 reconnaissance aircraft. They continued to support training in air refueling for B-47 and B-52 crews as well as deploying to bases in Newfoundland and Greenland. Aircraft and crews were at Sondrestrom, Greenland, when JFK was assassinated, to guard against any potential "sucker punch" that the USSR might try while our country grieved.

Operations

• Cold War

Lineage

• 26th Air Refueling Squadron, Medium (1952–1964)

Assignments

• 26th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing (Medium) (28 May 1952-1 Apr 1955)
• 4050th Air Refueling Wing (1 Apr 1955-7 Aug 1957)
• 380th Bombardment Wing (Medium) (7 Aug 1957-1 Jan 1961)
  • Attached: (07 Aug 1957-31 Jul 1959)
  • Assigned: (01 Aug 1959-01 Jan 1961)
• 4108th Air Refueling Wing (Medium) (1 Jan 1961-1 Jan 1963)
• 497th Air Refueling Wing (Medium) (1 Jan 1963-15 September 1964)

Bases stationed

• Lockbourne Air Force Base, Ohio (28 May 1952-1 Apr 1955)
• Westover Air Force Base, Massachusetts (1 Apr 1955-7 Aug 1957)
• Plattsburgh Air Force Base, New York (7 Aug 1957-15 September 1964)

Aircraft operated

• KC-97E Stratofreighter (1952–1957)
• KC-97F Stratofreighter (1953–1961)
• KC-97G Stratofreighter (1954–1964)

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6.