93rd Air Refueling Squadron
 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Active | 1942–1946; 1949–1995; 1995–present |
| Country |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Air Force |
| Role | Air refueling |
| Part of | Air Mobility Command |
| Garrison/HQ | Fairchild Air Force Base |
| Nickname(s) | Vanguards (World War II) |
| Motto(s) | Domini Artis Latin Masters of the Art (1995-present) |
| Engagements | China-Burma-India Theater |
| Decorations | Distinguished Unit Citation Air Force Meritorious Unit Award Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with V Device Air Force Outstanding Unit Award[1] |
| Insignia | |
| 93rd Air Refueling Squadron emblem[note 1][1] |  |
| 93rd Air Refueling Squadron emblem[note 2] |  |
| 93rd Air Refueling Squadron emblem[note 3][2] |  |
| 493rd Bombardment Squadron emblem[3] |  |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Tanker | KC-135 Stratotanker |
The 93rd Air Refueling Squadron is an active United States Air Force unit, stationed at Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington, where it is assigned to the 92nd Operations Group and operates the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft conducting air refueling missions.
The earliest predecessor of the squadron is the 493rd Bombardment Squadron, which was activated in India in October 1942 and was equipped with Consolidated B-24 Liberators in January 1943. It participated in combat in the China Burma India Theater with the Liberator until V-J Day, earning a Distinguished Unit Citation in March 1945. Dring the period in which Boeing B-29 Superfortress bombers operated from India, it also transported gasoline to forward bases in China. After the end of hostilities, it returned to the United States for inactivation in January 1946.
The 93rd Air Refueling Squadron was activated in March 1949 and equipped with Boeing KB-29 Superfortress tankers. It upgraded to the Boeing KC-97 Stratofreighter in 1953, and the KC-135 in 1957. For most of its time at Castle Air Force Base, California, it served as the training unit for KC-135 aircrews, but also maintained combat readiness to execute Strategic Air Command (SAC) missions. In September 1985 the two squadrons were consolidated into a single unit. When SAC inactivated in 1992, the squadron became part of Air Mobility Command. In March 1995, the squadron moved on paper to Fairchild.
- ^ a b Kane, Robert B. (18 April 2012). "Factsheet 93 Air Refueling Squadron (AMC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 27 August 2017.
- ^ Endicott, p. 687
- ^ Watkins, pp. 68-69
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