55th Air Refueling Squadron

55th Air Refueling Squadron
97th Air Mobility Wing KC-135 Stratotanker[a]
Active	1943–1945; 1950–1954; 1955–1963; 1994–2009
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Role	Air refueling
Motto(s)	Masters of the Art[1]
Engagements	European Theater of Operations
Decorations	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
Insignia
55th Air Refueling Squadron emblem[b][1]
Patch with 755th Bombardment Squadron emblem[c][2]
World War II fuselage code[3]	J3

The 55th Air Refueling Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It formerly operated both the combat crew training school and central flight instructor course for Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker at Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma.

The squadron's first predecessor was the 755th Bombardment Squadron, which was first activated in July 1943. After training with Consolidated B-24 Liberator heavy bombers in the United States, it deployed to the European Theater of Operations, where it participated in the strategic bombing campaign against Germany. Following V-E Day, the squadron returned to the United States, where it began training with Boeing B-29 Superfortresses, but was inactivated in October 1945.

The 55th Air Refueling Squadron was activated in 1950 as a Boeing KB-29 air refueling unit. It flew these early tankers until inactivating in 1954. The squadron was again activated in 1955 with Boeing KC-97 tankers, primarily supporting the Boeing B-47 Stratojets of the 55th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing. It was again inactivated in 1963. The squadron was activated in the training role at Altus in 1994, continuing its mission until inactivating in 2009.

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