Lineage. Organized as 18 Aero Squadron on 20 Aug 1917. Redesignated as Squadron “B” Rockwell Field, CA on 23 Jul 1918. Demobilized on 1 Sep 1919. Reconstituted, and consolidated (17 Mar 1925) with the 18 Squadron which was (authorized on 30 Aug 1921; organized on 1 Oct 1921; inactivated on 23 Jul 1922; redesignated as 18 Observation Squadron on 25 Jan 1923; and disbanded on 18 Feb 1925). Reconstituted and consolidated (17 Mar 1925) with Headquarters Detachment, Bolling Field, DC, (organized on 11 Jul 1922; redesignated as: Headquarters Squadron, Bolling Field, DC, on 6 Oct 1924; 18 Headquarters Squadron on 17 Mar 1925; inactivated on 31 Mar 1928). Disbanded on 1 Oct 1933. Reconstituted and consolidated (27 Mar 2002) with 908 Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron, which was constituted as 18 Observation Squadron (Long Range, Light Bombardment) on 1 Mar 1935. Redesignated 18 Reconnaissance Squadron, and activated, on 1 Sep 1936. Redesignated as: 18 Reconnaissance Squadron (Medium Range) on 6 Dec 1939; 18 Reconnaissance Squadron (Medium) on 20 Nov 1940; 408 Bombardment Squadron (Medium) on 22 Apr 1942; 408 Bombardment Squadron, Heavy on 3 Feb 1944. Inactivated on 29 Apr 1946. Redesignated 408 Bombardment Squadron, Medium on 6 Oct 1958. Activated on 1 Jan 1959. Discontinued, and inactivated, on 1 Jan 1962. Consolidated (19 Sep 1985) with 908 Air Refueling Squadron, Heavy, which was constituted, and activated, on 20 Mar 1963. Organized on 1 Jul 1963. Inactivated on 30 Sep 1977. Redesignated 908 Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron, and converted to provisional status, on 27 March 2002. Activated on 6 Jul 2002.
Assignments. Air Service, Western Department 20 Aug 1917-23 Jul 1918. Ninth Corps Area, 1 Oct 1921-23 Jul 1922. District of Washington, 11 Jul 1922; Third Corps Area, Oct 1927-31 Mar 1928. 2 Wing (later, 2 Bombardment Wing), 1 Sep 1936; 1st Bomber Command, 4 Sep 1941; 22 Bombardment Group, attached 15 Dec 1941, assigned 25 Feb 1942-29 Apr 1946. 22 Bombardment Wing, 1 Jan 1959-1 Jan 1962. 449 Bombardment Wing, 1 Jul 1963-30 Sep 1977. 380 Expeditionary Operations Group, 6 Jul 2002-.
Stations. Rockwell Field, CA 20 Aug 1917-23 Nov 1918. Rockwell Field, CA, 1 Oct 1921—23 Jul 1922. Bolling Field, DC, 11 Jul 1922-31 Mar 1928. Mitchel Field, NY, 1 Sep 1936; Langley Field, VA, 15 Nov 1940; Muroc, CA, 9 Dec 1941-29 Jan 1942; Amberley Field, Brisbane, Australia, 25 Feb 1942 (ground echelon only); Reid River, Townsville, Australia, 7 Apr 1942 (air echelon arrived during Apr); Dobodura, New Guinea, 15 Oct 1943; Nadzab, New Guinea, 22 Dec 1943; Owi, Schouten Islands, 26 Jul 1944; Leyte, 15 Nov 1944 (ground echelon only); Angaur, 28 Nov 1944 (ground echelon only); Samar, 14 Jan 1945; Clark Field, Luzon, 13 Mar 1945; Motobu, Okinawa, 16 Aug 1945; Ft William McKinley, Luzon, 23 Nov 1945-29 Apr 1946. March AFB, CA, 1 Jan 1959-1 Jan 1962. Kincheloe AFB, MI, 1 Jul 1963-30 Sep 1977. Al Dahfra, UAE, 6 Jul 2002-.
Commanders. Unkn. 20 Aug 1917-1 Sep 1918. Capt Roscoe Fawcett, 1 Oct 1921; Capt William M. Randolph, 18 Nov 1921; Capt R. Gillpin Ervin, 30 Jan 1925; 1Lt Lester J. Maitland, 17 Mar 1925; 1Lt Lucas V. Beau; 4 Jun 1925-22 May 1926. Capt John P. Doyle, 1 Sep 1936; Capt Walter C. White, 26 Jan 1937; Maj Phillips Melville, 25 Sep 1937; Maj Louis M. Merrick, 19 Mar 1939; Maj Mark K. Lewis Jr., 15 Jan 1941; Capt Joe K. Warner, 3 Nov 1941; Lt Col Dwight W. Divine II, 8 Dec 1941; Maj Brian O’Neill, 27 Apr 1942; Maj Dill B. Ellis, 20 Oct 1942; Maj Chambliss Keith, 14 May 1943; Maj Rufus O. Miller, 1 Oct 1943; Maj Glenn E. Cole, 18 Apr 1944; Maj Ferdinand R. Schmidt, 23 Sep 1944; Maj Earl F. Larson 15 Apr 1945; Capt Virgil R. Sewell, 19 Sep 1945; Lt. Ralph B. Monroe Jr., 24 Oct 1945; none (not manned), 23 Nov 1945-29 Apr 1946. Lt Col Joseph W. Rosenfield Jr., 1 Jan 1959; Lt Col Arnold Sipes, Apr 1961-1 Jan 1962. Col John N. Barley, 1 Jul 1963; Lt Col Dan L. Shaw, 7 Mar 1964; Lt Col Roger K. Peterson, 17 Mar 1970; Lt Col John R. Stewart Jr., by Jan 1972; Lt Col Howard H. Anderson, by Dec 1972; Lt Col Sidney L. Tucker, 31 May 1973; Lt Col William M. Brown, 25 Mar 1975; Lt Col Ralph P. Hunt, 17 Jun 1976-15 Jul 1977; none (not manned), 16 Jul-30 Sep 1977.
Aircraft. Apparently included JN-4, JN-6, and S-4 during the period 1917-1922. In addition to DH-4, EV-9, M-1, O-2, PW-9, and P-1, evidently included O-1 during period of 1922-1928. B-10, 1936-1937; C-8, OA-4, OA-8, 1936-1940; B-18, 1937-1941; B-25, 1941, 1943-1944; B-26, 1941-1943; B-24, 1944-1945. B-47, 1959-1961. KC-135, 1963-1977.
Operations. Flying Training unit, 1917-1918. Surveyed Panama, Puerto Rico, and Alaska for new airfield sites, 1936-1940. Antisubmarine patrols, Dec 1941-Jan 1942; combat in Southwest and Western Pacific, 21 Apr 1942-9 Jan 1943; 7 Oct 1943-c. 10 Jan 1944; and 10 Apr 1944-30 Jul 1945. Served as Cold War deterrent force of long range bombers, 1 Jan 1959-1 Jan 1962. Conducted aerial refueling worldwide, 18 Sep 1963-30 Jun 1977, including support of Southeast Asia combat operations, 3 Nov 1965-28 Jan 1973.
Service Streamers. None
Campaign Streamers. World War II: Antisubmarine, American Theater; East Indies; Air Offensive, Japan, China Defensive; Papua; New Guinea; Bismarck Archipelago; Western Pacific; Leyte; Luzon; Southern Philippines; China Offensive; Air Combat, Asiatic-Pacific Theater. Iraq: Transition of Iraq. Global War on Terrorism: GWOT-E.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citations: Papua, 23 Jul 1942-[9] Jan 1943; New Guinea, 5 Nov 1943. Meritorious Unit Awards: 1 Jun 2003-31 May 2004; 1 Jan-31 Dec 2010; 20 Jun 2011-19 Jun 2012; 20 Jun 2012-19 Jun 2013; 1 Jul 2015-30 Jun 2016; 1 Jul 2016-30 Jun 2017; Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat “V” Device: 1 Jun 2002-31 May 2003; Air Force Outstanding Unit Award: 1 Jul 1974-30 Jun 1976. Philippine Presidential Unit Citation (WWII).
Lineage, Assignments, Stations, and Honors through 24 Jan 2018.
Commanders, Aircraft, and Operations through Sep 1977.
Supersedes statement prepared on 2 Sep 2002.
Emblem. Approved circa 1925; newest rendition approved 20 Dec 2017.
Prepared by Carl E. Bailey.
Reviewed by James M. Musser.