908th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron

908th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron
908th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron KC-10 Extenders in Southwest Asia, 2010
Active	1917–1919; 1921–1922; 1922–1928; 1936–1946; 1958–1962; 1963–1977, 2002 – present
Country	United States of America
Branch	United States Air Force
Role	Air Refueling
Part of	Air Forces Central Command
Garrison/HQ	Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia
Engagements	South West Pacific Theater of World War II Iraq War War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) War in Iraq Military intervention against ISIL
Decorations	Distinguished Unit Citation Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation
Insignia
908th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron emblem[a][1]
908th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron emblem
408th Bombardment Squadron emblem on a green disc[b][2]
Aircraft flown
Tanker	McDonnell Douglas KC-10A Extender

The 908th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron is a provisional United States Air Force (USAF) unit. It is assigned to the 378th Air Expeditionary Wing at Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia. It has supported combat operations in the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021), Iraq, and Syria from its previous location of Al Dhafra Air Base in the United Arab Emirates. The squadron has a varied background, having been formed by a series of consolidations of no fewer than five distinct units.

The squadron is one of the oldest in the USAF. Its origins date to 16 June 1917, when the 18th Aero Squadron was organized at Rockwell Field, San Diego, California. This unit served as a pilot training squadron during World War I until it was demobilized in 1919. A second predecessor was also active under the same name at Rockwell for nine months in the early 1920s.

The third predecessor of the squadron was the 18th Headquarters Squadron, which served as the host Air Corps unit at Bolling Field, District of Columbia from 1922 until 1928.

The fourth predecessor of the squadron was the 18th Reconnaissance Squadron, which was activated at Langley Field, Virginia in 1936. The squadron saw combat during World War II as the 408th Bombardment Squadron in the South West Pacific Theater of World War II, where it earned two Distinguished Unit Citations and a Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation. Elements of the squadron also participated in the Battle of Midway. It was inactivated in the Philippines in 1946.

The 408th Bombardment Squadron was again activated at March Air Force Base, California in 1958 as part of Strategic Air Command (SAC) during the expansion of Boeing B-47 Stratojet wings during the Cold War. It was inactivated as the B-47 was being replaced by the longer-ranged Boeing B-52 Stratofortress.

The unit's fifth predecessor was also part of SAC as the 908th Air Refueling Squadron, stationed at Kincheloe Air Force Base, Michigan equipped with Boeing KC-135 Stratotankers. It stood alert at Kincheloe and deployed aircrews and aircraft to support combat operations in Vietnam until it was inactivated when the Air Force closed the base.

The squadron was converted to provisional status in March 2002 as part of the War on Terror. It has served as a McDonnell Douglas KC-10 Extender squadron in Southwest Asia since then, with KC-135 aircraft added in late 2003 until an undetermined time.

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