919th Air Refueling Squadron

History

World War II

The 619th Bombardment Squadron was activated in June 1943 at MacDill Field, Florida. as one of the four original squadrons of the 477th Bombardment Group, but was inactivated in August.

The 477th group was reactivated in January 1944 at Selfridge Field, Michigan as the "first colored bombardment group in the Army Air Forces" with personnel drawn from Selfridge and from Tuskegee Army Air Field, Alabama. It was the second combat group to be activated with African American personnel and would be the only African-American bombardment group. The group moved to Godman Field, Kentucky, where the 619th was activated in May.

Although designated a "colored" squadron, some officers, including the squadron leadership were white. The initial commander of the 477th Group enforced racial segregation on the posts where the squadron was stationed. The squadron's members were involved in the civil rights action referred to as the Freeman Field Mutiny; the "mutiny" came about when African-American aviators became outraged enough by racial segregation in the military that they resorted to mass insistence that military regulations prohibiting discrimination be enforced. The Freeman Field Mutiny was a crucial event in the African-American struggle for equal civil rights.

The 619th was inactivated in June 1945 when the 477th became a composite group formed of the 99th Fighter Squadron, 617th Bombardment Squadron and 618th Bombardment Squadron and Colonel Benjamin O. Davis, Jr., a black officer, assumed command of the group.

Cold War

The 919th Air Refueling Squadron was activated on 15 April 1960 by Strategic Air Command (SAC) at Carswell Air Force Base, Texas and assigned to the 7th Bombardment Wing as one of two tanker squadrons activated that day for assignment to dispersed Boeing B-52 Stratofortress wings. The squadron was equipped with Boeing KC-135 Stratotankers. The squadron moved to Turner Air Force Base, Georgia in June and was assigned to the 4138th Strategic Wing, where half of the squadrons's aircraft were maintained on fifteen-minute alert, fully fueled and ready for combat. The 919th maintained its alert commitment until it was inactivated, except for periods when the squadron was deployed.

The squadron deployed aircraft and aircrew to the Western Pacific, 1966–1967 to support SAC operations along with tactical aircraft flying combat missions over Indochina during the Vietnam War (Operation Young Tiger). During September 1966, the squadron was non-operational when all its crews and aircraft were deployed to support Operation Arc Light. When Turner AFB was transferred to the United States Navy in 1967 for re-designation as Naval Air Station Albany (Turner Field), the squadron moved to McCoy Air Force Base, Florida. In 1969 the squadron won the Saunders Trophy as the best air refueling squadron during SAC's annual Bombing and Navigation Competition. The following year the squadron converted from KC-135A aircraft to KC-135Qs. The squadron remained at McCoy until it was inactivated in 1971 and its equipment and personnel transferred to the 306th Air Refueling Squadron.

The 919th Air Refueling Squadron was consolidated with the 619th Bombardment Squadron in 1985 but the consolidated squadron has not been active.

Lineage

619th Bombardment Squadron

• Constituted as the 619th Bombardment Squadron (Medium) on 13 May 1943 : Activated on 1 June 1943 : Inactivated on 25 August 1943 : Activated on 27 May 1944 : Inactivated on 22 June 1945
• Consolidated on 19 September 1985 with the 919th Air Refueling Squadron as the 919th Air Refueling Squadron 919th Air Refueling Squadron
• Constituted as the 919th Air Refueling Squadron, Heavy on 17 February 1960 : Activated on 15 April 1960 : Inactivated on 30 June 1971
• Consolidated on 19 September 1985 with the 619th Bombardment Squadron

Assignments

• 477th Bombardment Group: 1 June 1943 – 25 August 1943
• 477th Bombardment Group: 27 May 1944 – 22 June 1945
• 7th Bombardment Wing: 15 April 1960
• 4138th Strategic Wing: 15 June 1960
• 484th Bombardment Wing: 1 February 1963 (not operational 1 April – c. 29 September 1966)
• 306th Bombardment Wing: 25 March 1967 – 30 June 1971 (not operational after 15 June 1971)

Stations

• MacDill Field, Florida, 1 June 1943 – 25 August 1943
• Godman Field, Kentucky 27 May 1944
• Atterbury Army Air Field, 29 August 1944
• Godman Field, Kentucky, 3 January 1945
• Freeman Field, Indiana: 7 March 1945 – 22 June 1945
• Godman Field, Kentucky: 26 April 1945 – 22 June 1945
• Carswell Air Force Base, Texas, 15 April 1960
• Turner Air Force Base, Georgia, 15 June 1960
• McCoy Air Force Base, Florida, 25 March 1967 – 30 June 1971

Awards and campaigns

• Saunders Trophy for best air refueling squadron in SAC 1969.

Aircraft

• Martin B-26 Marauder, 1943
• North American B-25 Mitchell, 1944–1945
• Boeing KC-135A Stratotanker, 1960–1970
• Boeing KC-135Q Stratotanker, 1970–1971

References

Notes

; Explanatory notes

; Citations

Bibliography

• AF Pamphlet 900–2, Unit Decorations, Awards and Campaign Participation Credits, Vol II Department of the Air Force, Washington, DC, 30 September 1976

References

1. Maurer, ''Combat Squadrons'', p. 688
2. Maurer, ''Combat Units'', pp. 349–350
3. [http://www.airforcehistoryindex.org/data/000/094/561.xml Abstract, History 477 Bombardment Group Jan–Jul 1944] (retrieved 5 October 2013)
4. (9 August 2017). "Factsheet 477 Fighter Group (AFRC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency.
5. Moye, p. 133
6. [http://www.airforcehistoryindex.org/data/000/094/566.xml Abstract, History 477 Bombardment Group Apr–Jul 1945] (retrieved 5 October 2013)
7. Mueller, p. 69
8. Ravenstein, p. 28
9. [http://www.airforcehistoryindex.org/data/000/461/048.xml Abstract, History 4138 Strategic Wing July 1960] (retrieved 5 October 2013)
10. [http://www.airforcehistoryindex.org/data/000/459/028.xml Abstract, (Unclassified) History 484 Bombardment Wing Jul–Sep 1965 (Confidential)] (retrieved 5 October 2013)
11. [http://www.airforcehistoryindex.org/data/000/459/037.xml Abstract, History 484 Bombardment Wing Oct–Dec 1966] (retrieved 5 October 2013)
12. [http://www.airforcehistoryindex.org/data/000/459/038.xml Abstract, History 484 Bombardment Wing Jan–Mar 1967] (retrieved 5 October 2013)
13. [http://www.airforcehistoryindex.org/data/000/454/825.xml Abstract, History 306 Bombardment Wing Jul 1969 – Mar 1970] (retrieved 5 October 2013)
14. [http://www.airforcehistoryindex.org/data/000/467/370.xml Abstract, History 306 Bombardment Wing Jan–Mar 1970] (retrieved 5 October 2013)
15. Department of the Air Force/MPM Letter 662q, 19 September 85, Subject: Reconstitution, Redesignation, and Consolidation of Selected Air Force Tactical Squadrons
16. Lineage, including aircraft, stations and assignments from 1943 to 1945 in Maurer, ''Combat Squadrons'', p. 688
17. Ravenstein, p. 270
18. Ravenstein, p. 152
19. AF Pamphlet 900–2, 30 June 1971, p. 94
20. AF Pamphlet 900–2, 30 June 1971, p. 479