306th Air Refueling Squadron Patch (showing early emblem)
The squadron's first predecessor is the 606th Bombardment Squadron, which was activated as a heavy bomber training unit during World War II. It was disbanded in 1944 when the Army Air Forces reorganized its training and support units in the United States to make more effective use of manpower.
The 306th Squadron was activated in 1951 and performed air refueling until it was inactivated in 1973. It was activated a second time in 1984. The two squadrons were consolidated into a single unit the following year.
Historyedit
World War IIedit
The squadron's first predecessor was the 606th Bombardment Squadron, which was activated at Davis–Monthan Field, Arizona on 1 March 1943, but made two moves the following month, arriving at Wendover Field, Utah on 27 April. The squadron was one of the four original squadrons of the 399th Bombardment Group. At Wendover, it served as an Operational Training Unit (OTU) for Consolidated B-24 Liberator units until August.[1][2] The OTU program involved the use of an oversized parent unit to provide cadres to "satellite groups"[3]
However, the Army Air Forces was finding that standard military units like the 606th, which were assigned personnel and equipment based on relatively inflexible tables of organization were not proving well adapted to the training mission. Accordingly, it adopted a more functional system in which each base was organized into a separate numbered unit, which was manned and equipped based on the station's requirements.[4] The 606th Squadron was disbanded, and along with operational and supporting units at March was used to form the 420th AAF Base Unit (Bombardment Replacement Training Unit-Heavy).[1][5]
Air refuelingedit
The squadron performed air refueling in support of USAF operations on a worldwide basis, flying the KC-97 and KC-135 Stratotanker.
Lineageedit
606th Bombardment Squadron
Constituted as the 606th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 15 February 1943
306th Bombardment Wing, 16 June 1952[8] (detached 8 November – 22 December 1954, 5 January – 21 February 1955, 20 December 1956 – 9 January 1957, c. 9–15 October 1957, 1 July – 5 October 1958, 5 April – 12 July 1961,
^See Mueller, p. 370 (showing simultaneous disbanding and organization of units).
^ abDepartment of the Air Force/MPM Letter 662q, 19 Sep 85, Subject: Reconstitution, Redesignation, and Consolidation of Selected Air Force Tactical Squadrons
^Haulman, Daniel L. (27 March 2017). "Factsheet, 306th Flying Training Group (AETC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 2 August 2019.
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
Craven, Wesley F; Cate, James L, eds. (1955). The Army Air Forces in World War II(PDF). Vol. VI, Men & Planes. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press. LCCN 48003657. OCLC 704158. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
Goss, William A. "The Organization and its Responsibilities, Chapter 2 The AAF". In Craven, Wesley F.; Cate, James L. (eds.). The Army Air Forces in World War II. Vol. VI, Men & Planes.
Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II(PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. p. 682. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556.
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.