100th Air Refueling Wing

100th Air Refueling Wing
100th ARW Emblem
Active1942–1945, 1947–1949, 1956–1983, 1990–1991, 1992–present
Country United States
Branch United States Air Force
TypeAir Refueling
SizeWing
Part ofUnited States Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa
Garrison/HQRAF Mildenhall
Nickname(s)Bloody Hundredth[1]
Motto(s)Peace Through Strength
Engagements
Decorations DUC
AFOUA
FCdG w/ Palm
Commanders
Current
commander
Colonel Gene Jacobus [1]
Notable
commanders
Darr H. Alkire
Tail of a 100 ARW Boeing KC-135R-BN Stratotanker displaying the crest of RAF Mildenhall and the historic "Square D" badge as used by the unit on B-17 aircraft during World War II

The 100th Air Refueling Wing (100th ARW), nicknamed the Bloody Hundredth, is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Third Air Force, United States Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa. It is stationed at RAF Mildenhall, Suffolk, United Kingdom. It is also the host wing at RAF Mildenhall.

The 100th ARW is the only permanent U.S. air refueling wing in the European theater, operating the Boeing KC-135R/T Stratotanker.

During World War II, its predecessor unit, the 100th Bombardment Group (Heavy), was an Eighth Air Force B-17 Flying Fortress unit in England, stationed at RAF Thorpe Abbotts. Flying over 300 combat missions, the group earned two Distinguished Unit Citations (Regensburg, 17 August 1943; Berlin, 4/6/8 March 1944). The group suffered tremendous losses in combat, with 177 aircraft missing in action (MIA), flying its last mission on 20 April 1945.

One of the wing's honors is that it is the only modern USAF operational wing allowed to display on its assigned aircraft the tail code (Square-D) of its World War II predecessor. The 379th Bomb Wing used its Triangle-K tail code until deactivated in 1993, but when reactivated as the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing was assigned a rotating mix of flying squadrons who used their parent unit's tail code. The Triangle-K is retained as an unofficial unit insignia.

  1. ^ Abeyasekere, Karen (1 November 2021). "Bloody Hundredth shares proud heritage as 100th ARW Airmen join WWII heroes at 100th BG reunion". Royal Air Force Mildenhall. Retrieved 5 August 2022.