The 384th Air Refueling Squadron

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384th Air Refueling Squadron History

The 384th Air Refueling Squadron was constituted as the 584th Bombardment Squadron activated on 5 Mar 1943 at MacDill Field, Florida, as a component of the 394th Bombardment Group. The squadron began training with B-26s in April. In July, they moved to Ardmore Army Air Field, Oklahoma, and six weeks later to Kellogg Field, Michigan. In September 1943, the squadron participated in war-game exercises at Atterbury, Indiana, with U.S. Army troops. After completing training at Kellogg Field, they went to England in the months of February and March of 1944.

On 23 March 1944, the 584th Bombardment Squadron flew its first combat mission, bombing an enemy airdrome in France. Until June, the squadron bombed various transportation facilities and military installations in Belgium, Holland, and France. On the 6th of June, 1944, the squadron supported the Normandy landings by hitting coastal gun sites overlooking the landing beaches. Through July, they struck enemy storage sites, military installations, ammunition dumps, and transportation networks behind the battle lines in Normandy. The 584th received the Distinguished Unit Citation for operations, 7-9 August 1944, that resulted in the destruction of strongly fortified targets in northern France.

In August, the 384th Bombardment Squadron moved from England to France, where it occupied three different bases within three months. After moving in October to Cambrai-Niergnies, France, near the Belgian border, the squadron flew most of its missions against targets in Germany. They participated in the Battle of the Bulge, December 1944 - January 1945, hitting communications and transportation targets to deprive the enemy of supplies and reinforcements. The 384th Bombardment Squadron flew its last combat mission on 20 April 1945.

In May of 1945, the 384th Bombardment Squadron moved to Venlo, Holland, and in August they received A-26 in place of the B-26s. In September they moved to Kitzingen, Germany, to take up occupational duties. On 15 February 1946, they transferred without personnel or equipment to Bolling Field, DC, and inactivated on 31 March 1946.

The 384th Air Refueling Squadron, Medium, was activated on 1 April 1955, at Westover AFB, Massachusetts, and in May received its first KC-97 aircraft. By July, the squadron became operationally ready to support Strategic Air Command in the aerial refueling of bombers. The squadron deployed temporarily to Ernest Harmon AFB, Newfoundland, 27 April - 27 June 1956 and 21 May - 25 Jun 1957, for cold weather training and to participate in the Harmond based tanker task force that refueled aircraft deploying to and from Europe. From August of 1960, the squadron sent KC-97s and aircrews regularly to Ernest Harmon AFB, Newfoundland; Sondestrom AFB, Greenland; and RAF Stations Greenham Common and Upper Heyford, England, to stand alert duty and to refuel aircraft in those areas. In October of 1965, the 384th began transferring its KC-97 and by 21 December was no longer operational. Unmanned from February 1966, the squadron was inactivated on 25 June.

The squadron was redesignated as the 384th Air Refueling Squadron, Heavy, in June 1973, and activated on 30 September at McConnell AFB, Kansas, as a component of the 384th Air Refueling Wing, Heavy. It began operations with fifteen KC-135A aircraft. The 384th sent aircraft and crews to Southwest Asia on Young Tiger deployments to refuel aircraft involved in the Vietnam War until October 1975. The 384th also maintained aircraft on alert at McConnell AFB, and until April 1976, at various satellite bases. They continued to support tanker task forces operating out of Hickam AFB, Hawaii; Anderson AFB, Guam; Torrejon Air Base, Spain; Eielson AFB, Alaska; and Goose Air Base, Labrador. They also supported Red Flag Exercises on a regular basis.

On 1 Jan 1978, the 384th AREFS became inoperational without equipment or personnel until 27 February, when it finally resumed operations, but with only ten KC-135As. During the Mid-1980s, the 384th was the first KC-135 squadron to get the re-engined KC-135R model. The 384th also has the distinction of operation the KC-135RT, or the air refuelable tanker. Since becoming operational again in 1978, the squadron has supported tanker task forces at Anderson AFB, Guam; Eielson AFB, Alaska; and RAF Station Mildenhall, England. The squadron also maintained alert status at McConnell AFB, Kansas, and provided refueling support to Red Flag exercises, in addition to supporting SAC, Tactical Air Command, Military Airlift Command, Air national Guard, Air Force Reserve, United States Air Forces in Europe, Pacific Air Forces, Alaskan Air Command, and many other USAF agencies.

In the early 1990's, the 384th was deployed to Southwest Asia in support of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. The squadron also deployed on a regular basis in support of Operations Northern and Southern Watch. The 384th also provided airlift support for Tokyo Talons and business efforts world wide. Some other missions that the squadron supported are the INF/START Treaty Compliance Inspection teams, Howard Tanker Task Force, Counter Drug support missions, Joint Readiness Exercises, and anything else the Air Force called on us to do. The 384th has refueled every aircraft in the Air Force inventory capable of air refueling, aircraft for the US Navy, and most NATO and Allied aircraft as well.

In recent times, the 384th has continued to support operations Norhtern and Southern Watch, the INF/START Treaty Compliance Inspection teams, Counter Drug support missions, Joint Readiness Exercises, and anything else the Air Force calls on us to do. We are also part of the Air Expeditionary Force, a major deployment package able to respond at a moments notice to world wide contingencies. The 384th has also been involved in operations such as Restore Hope and United Shield in Somalia, Operations Joint Endeavour, Joint Forge, and Deny Flight in the former Republic of Yugolslavia, Uphold Democracy for Haiti, Operations Desert Thunder and Desert Fox for actions in Iraq, and varios other smaller operations throughout the world. We were also an instrumental unit in support of Operation Allied Force over the province of Kosovo. The 384th was one of the first units to use the Pacer CRAG modified tanker in an actual combat situation! While we are committed to all these various missions, we still continue to train and support all the units at home with air refueling support and the best training in the world.

Please feel free to contact the History office at McConnell AFB, if you have any questions, or would like to add to the official history of this outstanding squadron.