Lineage. Constituted as 6 Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 22 Dec 1939. Activated on 1 Feb 1940. Redesignated as 6 Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy, on 28 Mar 1944. Inactivated on 1 Apr 1944. Activated on 1 Apr 1944. Inactivated on 20 May 1946. Activated in the Reserve on 15 Jun 1947. Inactivated on 27 Jun 1949. Consolidated (19 Sep 1985) with the 6 Air Refueling Squadron, Medium, which was constituted on 6 Apr 1951. Activated on 10 Apr 1951. Inactivated on 1 Aug 1951. Redesignated as 6 Air Refueling Squadron, Heavy, on 1 Apr 1957. Activated on 1 Nov 1957. Discontinued, and inactivated, on 25 Jan 1967. Activated on 3 Jan 1989. Redesignated as 6 Air Refueling Squadron on 1 Sep 1991.
Assignments. 29 Bombardment Group, 1 Feb 1940–1 Apr 1944. 29 Bombardment Group, 1 Apr 1944–20 May 1946. Tenth Air Force, 15 Jun 1947; 482 Bombardment Group, 30 Sep 1947–27 Jun 1949. 6 Bombardment Group, 10 Apr–1 Aug 1951. Fifteenth Air Force, 1 Nov 1957; 6 Bombardment (later, 6 Strategic Aerospace) Wing, 3 Jan 1958–25 Jan 1967. 22 Air Refueling Wing, 3 Jan 1989; 22 Operations Group, 1 Sep 1991; 722 Operations Group, 1 Jan 1994; 60 Operations Group, 1 Aug 1995–.
Stations. Langley Field, VA, 1 Feb 1940; MacDill Field, FL, 21 May 1940; Gowen Field, ID, 25 Jun 1942–1 Apr 1944. Pratt AAFld, KS, 1 Apr 1944; Dalhart AAFld, TX, 25 May 1944; Pratt AAFld, KS, 17 Jul–6 Dec 1944; North Field, Guam, 17 Jan 1945–20 May 1946. Barksdale Field (later, AFB), LA, 15 Jun 1947–27 Jun 1949. Walker AFB, NM, 10 Apr–1 Aug 1951. Bergstrom AFB, TX, 1 Nov 1957; Walker AFB, NM, 3 Jan 1958–25 Jan 1967. March AFB, CA, 3 Jan 1989; Travis AFB, CA, 1 Aug 1995–.
Commanders. Maj Hugo Rush, 1 Feb 1940-unkn; Capt Erwin L. Tucker, unkn; Maj James S. Sutton, unkn; Maj Wray, unkn; 2Lt William B. David, by 7 Dec 1941; Capt Robert B. Sutterwhite, unkn-31 Dec 1942; Capt Thomas E. Fenton, 1 Jan 1943; Capt Benjamin Kelly, 24 May 1943; Maj Robert B. Sullivan, 2 Jun 1943; Capt James A. Anderson, 22 Jul-31 Dec 1943; unkn, Jan-Mar 1944. None (not manned), 1 Apr-3 May 1944; Capt Samuel W. Bright, 4 May 1944; Maj James D. Baird, 30 Jun 1944; Maj Gerald R. Jorgensen, by 1 Aug 1945-unkn; none (not manned), 15 Feb-20 May 1946. Lt Col James E. Bailey, c. 15 Jun 1947-unkn. None (not manned) 10 Apr-1 Aug 1951. Maj Gover E. Sims. 1 Nov 1957; Lt Col Rowland H. Worrel Jr., 7 Jan 1958; Lt Col Donald W. Brookie, Mar 1960; Lt Col Joseph R. Hanley, Nov 1961; Lt Col Keith L. Gillespie, 1 Sep 1964-25 Jan 1967. Lt Col Robert D. Glass, 3 Jan 1989, Lt Col Andrew S. Miller, 8 Jun 1990; Lt Col Ronald M. Varely, 1 Sep 1991; Lt Col Richard P. Packard, 2 Sep 1992; Lt Col Bruce E. Hurd, 23 Jun 1994; Lt Col Brooks L. Bash, 1 Aug 1995; Lt Col Raymond Torres, 10 Jun 1997; Lt Col Mark A. Stank, 12 Jul 1999; Lt Col Michael R. Mendonca, 6 Apr 2001; Lt Col Kevin J. Kilb, 4 Apr 2003; Lt Col Shaun B. Turner, 6 Jan 2005; Lt Col James H. Craft, 26 Jan 2007; Lt Col Joel D. Jackson, 16 May 2008-.
Aircraft. YB–17, 1940; B–17, 1940–1943; B–18, 1940–1941; B–24, 1943–1944. B–17, 1944; B–29, 1944–1946. AT–6, 1947–1949; AT–11, 1947–1949. KC–135, 1958–1967. KC–10, 1989–.
Operations. Antisubmarine patrol missions in the Caribbean, Jan–Jun 1942. Operational and later replacement training, 1942–1944. Combat in the Western Pacific, c. 16 Feb–15 Aug 1945. Air refueling training, 1959–1962. Worldwide air refueling, 1963–1967, including support of tactical aircraft flying in Southeast Asia. Stood operation alerts to support exercises of the Strategic Air Command, Jan 1964-Feb 1994. Worldwide air refueling since 1989, including deployments to Southwest Asia, 1990–1991, and humanitarian airlift to Somalia, 1992–1993. Refueling support for the Global War on Terrorism, 2001-.
Service Streamers. Global War on Terrorism (GWOT-S).
Campaign Streamers. World War II: Antisubmarine, American Theater; Air Offensive, Japan; Western Pacific.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citations: Japan, 31 Mar 1945; Japan, 19–26 Jun 1945. Meritorious Unit Award: 1 Jul 2005-30 Jun 2007. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 May 1960–31 May 1962; 1 Feb–30 Jun 1989; 1 Jul 1989–30 Jun 1991; 1 Jul 1993-30 Jun 1995; 1 Aug 1995-30 Jul 1997; [31 Jul] 1997-30 Jun 1999; 1 Jul 1999-30 Jun 2000; 1 Jul 2000-30 Jun 2001; 1 Jul 2001-30 Jun 2003; 1 Jul 2003-30 Jun 2004; 1 Jul 2004-30 Jun 2005; 1 Jul 2005-30 Jun 2007; 1 Jul 2007-30 Jun 2009; 1 Jul 2009-30 Jun 2010; 1 Jul 2010-30 Jun 2012; 1 Jul 2012-30 Jun 2013; 1 Jul 2013-30 Jun 2014; 1 Jul 2014-30 Jun 2015; 1 Jul 2015-30 Jun 2016.
Lineage, Assignments, Stations, and Honors through 11 Jun 2018.
Supersedes statement prepared on 27 Apr 2010.
Aircraft, Commanders, Operations 27 Apr 2010.
Emblem. Approved on 9 Dec 1994; newest rendition 30 Jan 2013.
Prepared by Daniel L. Haulman.