336th Air Refueling Squadron

The 336th Air Refueling Squadron is a United States Air Force Reserve squadron, assigned to the 452d Operations Group, stationed at March Joint Air Reserve Base, California. The squadron shares its aircraft and facility with the 912th Air Refueling Squadron, a USAF Associate Unit assigned to the 92d Air Refueling Wing.

336th Air Refueling Squadron
Squadron KC-135 Stratotanker at March Air Reserve Base
Active1942–1944; 1949–1953; 1953–present
Country United States
Branch United States Air Force
RoleAir Refueling
Part ofAir Force Reserve Command
Garrison/HQMarch Joint Air Reserve Base
Motto(s)The First and the Finest (1996-present)
DecorationsAir Force Outstanding Unit Award
Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm
Insignia
336th Air Refueling Squadron emblem (approved 28 May 1997)[1]
336th Air Refueling Squadron emblem (approved 29 July 1996)[1]
536th Bombardment Squadron emblem (approved 2 December 1943)[2]
Aircraft flown
TankerBoeing KC-135 Stratotanker

The first predecessor of the squadron was active during World War II. It served as a training unit in the southwestern United States before being inactivated in 1944 during a reorganization of the Army Air Force's training units.

The second predecessor of the squadron was organized in the reserves in 1949 as the 336th Troop Carrier Squadron.

Mission

The squadron operates the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft conducting air refueling missions.

History

World War II
B-24 Liberator of a training unit in the southwest

The first predecessor of the squadron is the 536th Bombardment Squadron, which was activated at Salt Lake City Army Air Base in November 1942 as one of the four original squadrons of the 382d Bombardment Group. The squadron moved to Davis–Monthan Field, Arizona in January 1943 and began to operate as an Operational Training Unit (OTU) for Consolidated B-24 Liberator units.[1] The OTU program involved the use of an oversized parent unit to provide cadres to "satellite groups".[3] In April 1943, the squadron moved to Pocatello Army Air Field, Idaho, where its mission changed to acting as a Replacement Training Unit (RTU) for Liberator aircrews.[1] RTUs were also oversized units, but their mission was to train individual pilots or aircrews.[3]

However, the Army Air Forces (AAF) was finding that standard military units like the 536th, based on relatively inflexible tables of organization were not well adapted to the training mission. Accordingly the AAF adopted a more functional system in which each base was organized into a separate numbered unit, whose manning and equipment was tailored to the base's mission.[4] As a result of this reorganization, the 536th was inactivated,[1] and along with other units at Muroc Army Air Field, California, replaced by the 421st AAF Base Unit (Bombardment Replacement Training Unit-Heavy).[5]

Air Force Reserve

Initial activation and the Korean War
AF reserve C-46[note 1]

The second predecessor of the squadron was organized in the reserves as the 336th Troop Carrier Squadron at Birmingham Municipal Airport, Alabama in June 1949, although it moved to Mitchel Air Force Base, New York in October along with its parent 514th Troop Carrier Group. At Mitchel, it trained under the supervision of Continental Air Command (ConAC)'s 2233d Air Force Reserve Flying Training Center. The 514th Group was equipped with Curtiss C-46 Commandos during this period, but it is not clear if any of the group's operational aircraft were assigned to the squadron.[6]

All reserve combat units were mobilized for the Korean War.[7] The squadron was mobilized on 1 May 1951,[1] Its parent 514th Troop Carrier Wing was one of six C-46 wings were mobilized for Tactical Air Command and assigned to Eighteenth Air Force.[8] The squadron remained at Mitchel and performed airlift missions until relieved from active duty on 1 February 1953.[1] The squadron's personnel and equipment were transferred to the 47th Troop Carrier Squadron, which was activated at Mitchel the same day.[9]

Return to reserve airlift operations

The reserve began to receive aircraft again in July of 1952.[10] While the squadron was still serving on active duty, ConAC had formed the 65th Troop Carrier Wing at Mitchel in 1952 as a reserve airlift unit. On 1 April 1953, the 514th Wing returned to the reserves, replacing the 65th Wing, and the 336th Squadron was activated and absorbed the personnel and equipment of the 13th Troop Carrier Squadron.[1][11][12] The squadron again trained with the 2233d Center, flying C-46 Commandos but it completed transition to Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcars by August 1954. In the summer of 1956, the unit participated in Operation Sixteen Ton during its two weeks of active duty training. Sixteen Ton was performed entirely by reserve troop carrier units and moved United States Coast Guard equipment From Floyd Bennett Naval Air Station, New York to Isla Grande Airport in Puerto Rico and San Salvador in the Bahamas. After the success of this operation, the squadron began to use inactive duty training periods for Operation Swift Lift, transporting high priority cargo for the Air Force and Operation Ready Swap, transporting aircraft engines between Air Materiel Command’s depots.[13]

In 1958, the 2233d Center was inactivated and some of its personnel were absorbed by the squadron. In place of active duty support[note 2] for reserve units, ConAC adopted the Air Reserve Technician program, in which a cadre of the unit consisted of full-time personnel who were simultaneously civilian employees of the Air Force and also held military rank as members of the reserve.[14] After 1958, the squadron increasingly participated in humanitarian and other airlift missions.[15]

Dispersed squadrons
US Air Force reserve C-119

In April 1959, the 514th Wing reorganized under the Dual Deputy system. Its 514th Troop Carrier Group was inactivated and the squadron was assigned directly to the wing.[16][15] Starting in late 1955, Continental Air Command (ConAC) had begun to disperse some of its reserve flying squadrons to separate bases in order to improve recruiting and avoid public objection to entire wings of aircraft being stationed near large population centers under what was called the Detached Squadron Concept.[17] The 336th Squadron moved to Stewart Air Force Base, New York in March 1961 as part of this program.[1]

C-124 Globemaster II of the AF Reserve

Although the dispersal of flying units was not a problem when the entire wing was called to active service, mobilizing a single flying squadron and elements to support it proved difficult. This weakness was demonstrated in the partial mobilization of reserve units during the Berlin Crisis of 1961 To resolve this, at the start of 1962, ConAC determined to reorganize its reserve wings by establishing groups with support elements for each of its troop carrier squadrons. This reorganization would facilitate mobilization of elements of wings in various combinations when needed. However, as this plan was entering its implementation phase, another partial mobilization occurred for the Cuban missile crisis. The formation of troop carrier groups was delayed until January for wings that had not been mobilized.[18] The 904th Troop Carrier Group became the squadron's headquarters on 17 January 1963.[1]

C-130E Hercules

In the fall of 1966, the squadron transition into the Douglas C-124 Globemaster II and was redesignated the 336th Military Airlift Squadron. The squadron, along with its parent 904th Group moved to Hamilton Air Force Base, California at the end of 1969 as reserve flying operations at Stewart ended. 1972 saw another name change to the 336th Tactical Airlift Squadron as the squadron transitioned into the Lockheed C-130 Hercules. The 904th Group was inactivated in 1975 as Air Force Reserve eliminated its groups located on the same bases as their parent wings to avoid duplication. The squadron was assigned directly to the 452d Tactical Airlift Wing at Hamilton.[1]

Air refueling operations

In early 1976, the 336th moved to March Air Force Base, California. Shortly thereafter, it began to fly the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker and became the 336th Air Refueling Squadron. It has performed aerial refueling worldwide since 1977.[1]

Lineage
536th Bombardment Squadron
  • Constituted as the 536th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 28 October 1942
Activated on 3 November 1942
Inactivated on 31 March 1944
  • Consolidated with the 336th Air Refueling Squadron as the 336th Air Refueling Squadron on 19 September 1985[1]
336th Air Refueling Squadron
  • Constituted as the 336th Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium on 10 May 1949
Activated in the reserve on 26 June 1949
Ordered to active service on 1 May 1951
Inactivated on 1 February 1953
Activated in the reserve on 1 April 1953
  • Redesignated 336th Military Airlift Squadron on 1 October 1966
Ordered to active service on 26 January 1968
Relieved from active service on 2 June 1969
  • Redesignated 336th Tactical Airlift Squadron on 1 April 1972
  • Redesignated 336th Air Refueling Squadron, Heavy on 1 October 1976
  • Consolidated with the 536th Bombardment Squadron on 19 September 1985
  • Redesignated 336th Air Refueling Squadron on 1 February 1992[1]

Assignments
  • 382d Bombardment Group, 3 November 1942 – 31 March 1944
  • 514th Troop Carrier Group, 26 June 1949 – 1 February 1953 1953–1963)
  • 514th Troop Carrier Group, 1 April 1953
  • 514th Troop Carrier Wing, 14 April 1959
  • 904th Troop Carrier Group, (later 904th Military Airlift group, 904th Tactical Airlift Group), 17 January 1963
  • 452d Tactical Airlift Wing (later 452d Air Refueling Wing), 1 September 1975
  • 452d Operations Group, 1 August 1992[1]

Stations

Aircraft
  • Consolidated B-24 Liberator (1943–1944)
  • Curtiss C-46 Commando (1951–1953)
  • Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar (1953–1966)
  • Douglas C-124 Globemaster II (1966–1972)
  • Lockheed C-130 Hercules (1972–1976)
  • Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker (since 1976)[1]

Awards and campaigns
Award streamerAwardDatesNotes
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award26 January 1968-31 March 1969336th Military Airlift Squadron[1]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 January 1976-2 October 1977336th Tactical Airlift Squadron (later 336th Air Refueling Squadron)[1]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 July 1991-30 June 1993336th Air Refueling Squadron[1]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 September 1995-31 August 1996336th Air Refueling Squadron[1]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 September 1997-31 August 1999336th Air Refueling Squadron[1]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 October 2002-30 September 2004336th Air Refueling Squadron[1]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 October 2004-30 September 2006336th Air Refueling Squadron[1]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 October 2006-30 September 2008336th Air Refueling Squadron[1]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 October 2008-30 September 2010336th Air Refueling Squadron[1]
Vietnamese Gallantry Cross with Palm1 October 1966-31 March 1972336th Military Airlft Squadron[1]
.
Campaign Streamer Campaign Dates Notes
American Theater without inscription3 November 1942–31 March 1944536th Bombardment Squadron[1]

Notes
  1. Airaft is Curtiss C-46D Commando, serial 44-77957. Taken at Hamilton AFB.
  2. Air reserve centers training reserve units were regular air force units.
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gollark: We banned them 4 minutes ago anyway.
gollark: Oh dear.
gollark: You should join the TRUE Macron Committee.
gollark: 3.

References
  1. Robertson, Patsy (26 November 2012). "Factsheet 336 Air Refueling Squadron (AFRC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 23 August 2016.
  2. Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 643
  3. Craven & Cate, Introduction, p. xxxvi
  4. Goss, p. 75
  5. See Mueller, p. 126 (simultaneous inactivation of units and organization of 421st AAF Base Unit).
  6. Compare Endicott, Judy G. (2 January 2008). "Factsheet 514 Operations Group (AFRC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 25 June 2017. (group equipped with C-46s from 1949-1951) with Robertson, Factsheet 336th Air Refueling Squadron (squadron aircraft unknown during this period).
  7. Cantwell, p. 87
  8. Cantwell, p. 97
  9. Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 207-208
  10. Cantwell, p. 139
  11. Maurer, Combat Units, pp. 73-74
  12. Ravenstein, pp. 103, 282
  13. Cantwell, pp. 149-150
  14. Cantwell, p. 163
  15. Ravenstein, pp. 281-282
  16. Endicott, Judy G. (2 January 2008). "Factsheet 514 Operations Group (AFRC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 25 June 2017.
  17. Cantwell, p. 156
  18. Cantwell, pp. 189-191

Bibliography

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.

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