History of the 68th AREFS

The 68th Air Refuelng Squadron, Medium was constituted and assigned to the Strategic Air Command on 7 April 1952. Effective the following day, it was activated at Lockbourn Air Force Base, Columbus, Ohio, with further assignment to the 68th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, Medium, Second Air Force. The authorized personnel strength consisted of 72 officers and 347 airmen. Major Maddison M. McBrayer was appointed commanding officer. With-out having been adequately manned or effectively organized, however, the squadron was inactivated at Lockbourne Air Force Base on 28 May 1952.

After having remained in an inactive status for approximately 18 months, and without any change in designation, the 68th Air Refueling Squadron was activated at Lake Charles Air Force Base, Louisiana, on 25 November 1953. At that time it was assigned to the 68th Bombardment Wing, Medium, Second Air Force. Personnel was provided by the inactivation of the 98th Air Refueling Squadron, Medium at Lake Charles Air Force Base on the same day.

The first commanding officer of the 68th Air Refueling Squadron after its activation at Lake Charles was Major Robert L. Hundley. He remained in that position for almost a year, being followed in October 1954 by Lieutenant Colonel Ernest Turner. The latter officer served in that capacity until 16 January 1956. At that time he gave way to Lieutenant Colonel James H. Coats who was still the commanding officer as late as September 1957, the end of the period covered in this brief survey of the squadron's history.

It was not until 1 April 1954 that the 68th Air Refueling Squadron achieved a combat ready status. Operating meanwhile with shortages both in combat crews and in tanker aircraft, the KC-97, the squadron was unable, of course, to complete a full-fledged flying program. Pertinent data for February 1954, which may be regarded as typical for the period, indicate the somewhat limited scope of its activities in that respect. During that month, with 11 aircraft and 9 combat ready crews, the squadron flew 79 sorties for a total of 341 flying hours. There were 10 short ferrying trips and a comparable number of test hops. Most of the time in the air, however, involved routine training and in-flight refueling missions. Yet only 9 of a scheduled 27 refueling missions actually were accomplished. Fuel in the amount of 225,220 pounds was transferred in 38 "wet" hook-ups, with the 68th Bombardment Wing's B-47 Stratojet aircraft as the receivers. On these same missions, however, the crews effected 369 "dry" hook-ups.

In the month of April 1954, with 16 combat ready crews and 16 KC-97 aircraft on hand, the squadron flew 106 missions for a total of 411 hours of flying time. They included 10 ferrying hops to the Oklahoma City Air Materiel Area; and 45 in-flight refueling missions, during which 722,400 pounds of fuel were transferred from tanker aircraft to B-47's. Probably more significant, however, in view of subsequent developments in the history of the squadron, were three round-trips to Sidi Slimane Air Base, French Morocco.

During the next three years, while carrying out their training and operational activities, personal and planes of the 68th Air Refueling Squadron had occasion to range far away from their base at Lake Charles, Louisiana. Some of these missions were deployment tours of relatively short duration. Others took form in periods of extended temporary duty outside the United States.

In January 1955 the 68th Squadron deployed 373 men and 23 aircraft to Kindley Air Force Base, St. George, Bermuda, to provide turn-around refueling support for bombers of the 68th Bombardment Wing which participated in operations against simulated European targets. On that mission the squadron's tankers transferred over 1,500,000 pounds of fuel to 34 different bombers. In November following the squadron sent 16 KC-97 aircraft to Lajes Field, Terceira Island, Azores, for the purpose of providing refueling support to B-47 Stratojets of the 44th and 68th Bombardment Wings then engaged in a simulated combat mission. Redeployment for the 68th Refueling Squadron was effected through Kindley Air Force Base as a staging area. An important feature of this mission was the opportunity it afforded newly qualified navigators to gain experience in long over-water flights. Finally, in the category of missions that were performed, the squadron's crews in July 1956 devoted 47 hours flying time in ferrying aircraft and airlifting personnel and equipment to Goose Air Base, Goose Bay, Labrador.

On 15 June 1954 the 68th Air Refueling Squadron departed Lake Charles for a 45-day temporary duty mission at Nouasseur Air Depot, French Morocco. The principal purpose of this deployment was to utilize the facilities of the 5th Air Division and the 7th Air Division in refueling support of the aircraft of the three bombardment squadrons ( 51st, 52nd, and 656th) of the 68th Bombardment Wing which were deployed simultaneously at Fairford RAF Station, England. For one week during the month of July, however, the refueling squadron was engaged exclusively in providing tanker support for the 320th Bombardment Wing then engaged in that area on a unit simulated combat mission. Redeployment began on 28 July and was completed by 14 August. Over-all flying for deployment, temporary duty at Nouasseur Air Depot, and redeployment amounted to 2,255 hours. Before the end of August the squadron had resumed normal operations in full at its home base.

Beginning on 20 May 1955 the 68th Refueling Squadron deployed to Goose Air Base for a 50-day temporary duty period in support of Strategic Air Command air operations in that forward area. This move involved 20 aircraft; and, counting administrative, maintenance, and medical units, a total of 100 officers and 401 airmen. While stationed at Goose Bay the squadron performed in-flight refueling services for four separate maneuver missions. All told, 4,300,000 pounds of fuel were transferred from the squadron's tankers to receiver aircraft. In addition, the squadron airlifted 121,000 gallons of fuel from Goose Air Base to an airfield at the head of Frobisher Bay, Baffin Island, Canada. The hours flown on deployment, temporary duty at Goose Bay, and redeployment amounted to 1,480.

Participating in an air refueling support mission in the Northeast Command area, the 68th Air Refueling Squadron was stationed at Goose Air Base again the following year for a short period, that is from 27 February to 28 April 1956. This mission involved the deployment of 17 aircrews, together with supporting administrative, maintenance, and medical units, a total of 490 personnel. During one week its crews participated also in the simulated War Plans Refueling Mission. Counting deployment, air refueling missions, ferrying operations, and redeployment the squadron flew approximately 2,100 hours in connection with this temporary duty mission.