97th Air Refueling Squadron

97th Air Refueling Squadron
One of the squadron's boom operators conducts an aerial refueling of a C-17 Globemaster III over Washington, 2020
Active	1941–1946; 1949–1964; 1964–1992; 1992–2004; 2019–present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Role	Air Refueling
Part of	Air Mobility Command Eighteenth Air Force 92nd Air Refueling Wing 92nd Operations Group
Garrison/HQ	Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington
Motto(s)	Pro Potentia Inter Astra (Latin: "For Strength Among the Stars")
Engagements	Mediterranean Theater of Operations
Decorations	Distinguished Unit Citation Air Force Meritorious Unit Award Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
Insignia
97th Air Refueling Squadron emblem (approved 9 December 1994)[1]
97th Air Refueling Squadron emblem (approved 10 September 1965)[1]
97th Air Refueling Squadron emblem (approved 2 November 1955)[1]
97th Bombardment Squadron emblem (approved 9 August 1944)[2]

The 97th Air Refueling Squadron is an active unit of the United States Air Force, stationed at Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington. It was most recently activated on 1 October 2019 and assigned to the 92nd Operations Group, 92nd Air Refueling Wing.

The squadron was first activated in January 1941 as the 20th Reconnaissance Squadron. Seven months after activation, it was renamed the 97th Bombardment Squadron and assigned to the 47th Bombardment Group. It performed antisubmarine patrols off the Pacific coast following the entry of the United States into World War II. Three months later, it began training for light bomber operations, and in November 1942 it deployed to the Mediterranean Theater of Operations. The squadron engaged in combat in northern Africa, Italy and France until V-E Day, earning two Distinguished Unit Citations for its actions there. The 97th returned to the United States in the summer of 1945 and was inactivated at Lake Charles Army Air Field, Louisiana in March 1946.

The 97th Air Refueling Squadron was one of the Air Force's first air refueling units, activated in 1949. It was active continuously until 2004, except for brief interruptions in 1964 and 1992. The squadron served with Boeing KB-29s until 1954 at Biggs Air Force Base, Texas, when it upgraded to Boeing KC-97 Stratofreighters. In 1957 it moved north to Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana, where it served until 1964 when the KC-97 was being phased out of the active force inventory.

The squadron was soon activated with Boeing KC-135 Stratotankers at Blytheville Air Force Base, Arkansas. In 1985, the two squadrons were consolidated there into a single unit. The consolidated squadron provided crews and aircraft to Strategic Air Command (SAC) units in the Pacific during the Vietnam War and deployed elements that served in Desert Storm. In 1992, it was inactivated as SAC was closing what had been renamed Eaker Air Force Base.

The squadron was again activated a few months later, returning to Malmstrom as part of Air Mobility Command's tanker fleet. It moved to Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington two years later and remained there until its inactivation in 2004.