7th Air Refueling Squadron

Reactivated as part of Military Air Transport Service (MATS) in 1952, it flew Douglas C-54 Skymasters from McChord Air Force Base, Washington to Elmendorf and Ladd Air Force Bases, Alaska. It moved to Travis Air Force Base, California in 1953, where it was re-equipped with Douglas C-124 Globemaster II intercontinental strategic transport aircraft. The unit flew very long range strategic airlift missions within the MATS Western Transport Air Force area from California to Japan, the Philippines, Indochina and Karachi Airport in West Pakistan during the 1950s. It was inactivated in July 1955 due to budget reductions.

It was re-activated at Carswell Air Force Base, Texas on 1 April 1958 when its parent unit, the 7th Bombardment Wing received Boeing B-52 Stratofortresses. The unit provided air refueling on a worldwide basis for over 30 years with Boeing KC-135 Stratotankers. The squadron was not operational 6 May – 1 December 1965 and 10 December 1969 – 31 March 1970[1] due to operations in Southeast Asia. All aircrews and aircraft were deployed or on loan to provisional units at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Andersen Air Force Base, Guam or U-Tapao Royal Thai Naval Airfield, Thailand. On 19 September 1985 the 7th Air Refueling Squadron was consolidated with the 77th Air Transport Squadron.

It remained assigned to the 7th Wing at Carswell until 1 June 1992. Reassigned to the 19th Operations Group at Robins AFB, the squadron was inactivated in 1993 as part of the post Cold War drawdown of the USAF.

• 22d Ferrying Group (later 22d Transport Group), 22 February 1943 – 1 December 1943
• 1705th Air Transport Group, 24 September 1952
• 1501st Air Transport Group, 20 November 1953 – 1 July 1955
• 7th Bombardment Wing, 1 April 1958[1]
• 19th Operations Group, 1 June 1992 – 1 January 1993

• Chabua Airfield, Assam, India, 22 February 1943
• Jorhat Airfield, Assam, India, April – December 1943
• McChord Air Force Base, Washington, 24 September 1952[3]
• Travis Air Force Base, California 20 November 1953 – 1 July 1955[4]
• Carswell Air Force Base, Texas, 1 April 1958[5]
• Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, 1 June 1992 – 1 January 1993

• Curtiss C-46 Commando 1943
• C-54 Skymaster, 1952-1953
• Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter, 1953-1955
• KC-135 Stratotanker, 1958-1992, 1992-1993

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency.

• Mueller, Robert (1989). Air Force Bases, Vol. I, Active Air Force Bases Within the United States of America on 17 September 1982 (PDF). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-53-6.
• Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947-1977. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9.