50 Air Refueling Squadron (AMC)

Lineage.  Constituted as 50 Transport Squadron on 30 May 1942.   Activated on 15 Jun 1942.  Redesignated as 50 Troop Carrier Squadron on 4 Jul 1942.  Inactivated on 27 May 1946.  Redesignated as 50 Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium on 20 Sep 1949.   Activated on 17 Oct 1949.   Redesignated as:  50 Troop Carrier Squadron on 1 Jan 1967; 50 Tactical Airlift Squadron on 1 Aug 1967; 50 Airlift Squadron on 1 Dec 1991; 50 Air Refueling Squadron on 1 Oct 2017. 

Assignments.  314 Transport (later, 314 Troop Carrier) Group, 15 Jun 1942–27 May 1946.  314 Troop Carrier Group, 17 Oct 1949; 314 Troop Carrier Wing, 8 Oct 1957 (attached to 315 Air Division, 11 Sep-c. 16 Dec 1958; 322 Air Division, 27 Mar-c. 15 Aug 1961; Unkn, May-Jul 1965); 315 Air Division, 26 Dec 1965; 314 Troop Carrier (later, 314 Tactical Airlift) Wing, 23 Feb 1966; 374 Tactical Airlift Wing, 31 May 1971; 314 Tactical Airlift Wing, 15 Aug 1973 (attached to: 322 Tactical Airlift Wing, 1 Jun-18 Aug 1974; 374 Tactical Airlift Wing, 28 Apr-6 Jun 1975; 435 Tactical Airlift Wing, 6 Dec 1975-12 Feb 1976; 513 Tactical Airlift Wing, 7 Sep-11 Nov 1976; 435 Tactical Airlift Wing, 6 Apr-9 Jun 1977; 513 Tactical Airlift Wing, 14 Jan-14 Mar 1978); 314 Tactical Airlift Group, 1 Nov 1978 (attached to 513 Tactical Airlift Wing, 6 Aug-8 Oct 1979); 314 Tactical Airlift Wing, 15 Jun 1980 (attached to 313 Tactical Airlift Group, 5 Dec 1980-12 Feb 1981, 5 Jun-14 Aug 1982, 4 Oct-14 Dec 1983, 2 Jun-14 Aug 1985, 3 Aug-16 Oct 1986, 5 Oct-16 Dec 1987, 3 Dec 1988-15 Feb 1989, 4 Aug-15 Oct 1991); 314 Operations Group, 1 Dec 1991 (attached to: 313 Tactical Airlift Group, 27 Nov 1992-31 Jan 1993; 86 Airlift Wing, 7 Dec 1995-11 Mar 1996); 463 Airlift Group, 1 Apr 1997- (attached to 86 Airlift Wing, 5 Dec 1997-30 Jan 1998, 26 May-26 Jul 1999); 19 Operations Group, 1 Oct 2008; 6 Operations Group, 1 Oct 2017-. 

Stations.  Drew Field, FL, 15 Jun 1942; Bowman Field, KY, 24 Jun 1942; Sedalia AAFld, MO, 4 Nov 1942; Lawson Field, GA, 22 Feb-3 May 1943; Berguent, French Morocco, 21 May 1943; Kairouan, Tunisia, 26 Jun 1943; Castelvetrano, Sicily, 2 Sep 1943-16 Feb 1944; Saltby, England, 6 Mar 1944; Poix, France, 5 Mar 1945; Villacoublay, France, c. 1 Dec 1945-15 Feb 1946; Bolling Field, DC, 15 Feb-27 May 1946.   Smyrna (later, Sewart) AFB, TN, 17 Oct 1949-27 Aug 1950; Ashiya AB, Japan, 4 Sep 1950-15 Nov 1954 (operated from Clark AFB, Philippines, 26 Jun-5 Sep 1954); Sewart, AFB, TN, 15 Nov 1954-c. 26 Dec 1965 (deployed at Clark AB, Philippines, 29 Aug-c. 20 Dec 1958 and May-Jul 1965; Evreux, France, 27 Mar-c. 15 Aug 1961); Clark AB, Philippines, c. 26 Dec 1965; Kung Kuan (later, Ching Chuan Kang) AB, Taiwan, 28 Jan 1966-15 Aug 1973; Little Rock AFB, AR, 15 Aug 1973(deployed at Rhein-Main AB, Germany, 1 Jun-18 Aug 1974, 3 Dec 1975-8 Feb 1976 and 4 Apr-14 Jun 1977; Clark AB, Philippines, 25 Apr-7 Jun 1975; RAF Mildenhall, England, 4 Sep-13 Nov 1976, 14 Jan-14 Mar 1978, 6 Aug-8 Oct 1979, 5 Dec 1980-12 Feb 1981, 5 Jun-14 Aug 1982, 4 Oct-14 Dec 1983, 2 Jun-14 Aug 1985, 3 Aug-16 Oct 1986, 5 Oct-16 Dec 1987, 3 Dec 1988-15 Feb 1989, 4 Aug-15 Oct 1991, 27 Nov 1992-31 Jan 1993; Ramstein AB, Germany, 7 Dec 1995-11 Mar 1996, 5 Dec 1997-30 Jan 1998, 26 May-26 Jul 1999); MacDill AFB, FL, 1 Oct 2017-.  

 

Commanders.  1 Lt Paul W. Trenkenschuh, 17 Jun 1942; 2 Lt Whitman R. Peek, 6 Jul 1942; 2 Lt Richard B. Ott, 15 Jul 1942; Maj Quinn M. Corley, 10 Nov 1942; Capt Joseph H. McClure, 26 Apr 1943; 1 Lt Oral W. Lee, 21 May 1943; Capt Joseph H. McClure, 12 Jun 1943; Maj Cecil D. Daubenberger, 2 Jan 1945; Maj Willard W. Webb, 17 Jun 1945; Capt Alvah S. Hutson, 22 Sep 1945; unkn, c. 15 Dec 1945-15 Feb 1946; none (not manned), 15 Feb-27 May 1946.  Lt Col Elmer C. Blaha, 17 Oct 1949; Lt Col William H. DeLacey, 26 May 1950; Maj Buford C. Blount, 18 May 1951; Maj Wayne Matson, 25 May 1951; Maj Joseph Severance Jr., 26 Jan 1952; Maj Wayne J. Cowgill, 13 Aug 1952-unkn; Lt Col Hubert K. Druhe, c. 1954; Maj B. P. Gibson, 15 Nov 1954; Lt Col Harry S. Dennis Jr., 22 Aug 1955; Maj Albert H. Francis, 25 May 1959; Lt Col William F. Kelleher, 15 Jun 1959; Lt Col Victor J. Crepeau, 10 Aug 1961; Lt Col William T. Phillips, 9 Jan 1963; Lt Col James W. Bradford, 21 Sep 1964; Lt Col Sydney R. Maxwell, 5 Nov 1965; Lt Col Victor Syphers, Feb 1967; Lt Col James S. Van Epps, c. Mar 1967; Col Clayton L. Balch, by Mar 1968; Lt Col George P. Tarr Jr., 13 Jul 1968; Col Donald R. Scheller, 1 Nov 1969; Lt Col Russell A. New, Jun 1970; Lt Col Vernon E. Richardson, 1 Dec 1970; Lt Col Allyn M. Devens, 1 Jun 1972-15 Aug 1973; none (not manned), 16 Aug-15 Oct 1973; Lt Col Robert B. Patterson, 16 Oct 1973; Lt Col Taft N. Hensley, 3 Sep 1974; Lt Col Francis D. Riopel, 29 Nov 1975; Lt Col Larry G. Hodge, 3 Apr 1978; Lt Col Jerry M. Figgins, 10 Dec 1978; Lt Col William F. Corroum, 2 Feb 1979; Lt Col Gary L. R. Anderson, 11 Jan 1980; Lt Col Bruce L. Fister, 17 Jul 1981; Lt Col Paul L. Wilke, 8 Jul 1982; Lt Col Donald L. McSwain, 8 Jun 1984; Lt Col Burton V. Hammond III, 12 Mar 1986; Lt Col Richard A. Mentemeyer, 8 Jul 1988; Lt Col John W. Stone, Jun 1990; Lt Col Laurence A. Fariss, 17 Jun 1992; Lt Col Michael L. Finnern, 8 Jul 1993; Lt Col Steven W. Dalbey, 5 Jun 1995; Lt Col Bruce K. Brooks, 3 Jul 1996; Lt Col Rowayne A. Schatz Jr., 26 Feb 1998; Lt Col Glen A. Apgar, 30 Jul 1999; Lt Col Michael H. Thornton, 27 Jun 2000; Lt Col Cameron W. Torrens, 2 Jul 2002; Lt Col Daniel Dagher, 1 Jul 2004; Lt Col Timothy J. Anderson, 6 Jan 2006; Lt Col Christopher G. Cantu, 10 Oct 2008; Lt Col Nathan Allerheiligen, 26 Jun 2009; Lt Col Jonathan T. Julian, 11 Mar 2011; Lt Col Michael J. Fellona, 5 Apr 2013; Lt Col James C. O’Brien III, 28 Apr 2015; None (unmanned), 1 Apr 2016-1 Oct 2017; Lt Col Ricardo J. Lopez, 2 Oct 2017-.         

 

Aircraft.  C-47, 1942-1945; CG-4, 1943-1945; L-4, 1945.  C-82, 1949-1950; G-15, 1949-1950; YG-18, 1949-1950; C-119, 1949-1957; C-130, 1957-2017; KC-135, 2017-.

 

Operations.  Provided airlift in Mediterranean Theater of Operations (MTO) and European Theater of Operations (ETO) during World War II, taking part in airborne assaults on Sicily, Normandy, Holland, and Germany (1943-1945).  During the Korean War (1950-1953), furnished airlift between Japan and Korea and airdropped paratroops and supplies at Sukchon/Sunchon and Munsan-ni.  Aircrews frequently flew combat support missions in Southeast Asia, 1966-1973.  Four aircrews participated in the rescue of the SS Mayaguez, dropping a 15,000-pound bomb on Koh Tang Island, 14 May 1975.  Deployed personnel and aircraft in support of operations in Panama, Dec 1989, and Southwest Asia, 16 Aug 1990-27 Mar 1991.  Conducted humanitarian airlift missions during the Asian Tsunami, 2004; Hurricane Katrina, 2005; Haiti, Dec 2010.  Some members deployed to another unit in Afghanistan in 2012.  Converted from airlift to to air refueling mission in Oct 2017.     

 

Service StreamersGlobal War on Terrorism (GWOT-S). 

 

Campaign StreamersWorld War II: Sicily; Naples-Foggia; Rome-Arno; Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Central Europe.  Korea: UN Defensive; UN Offensive; CCF Intervention; First UN Counteroffensive; CCF Spring Offensive; UN Summer-Fall Offensive; Second Korean Winter; Korea Summer-Fall, 1952; Third Korean Winter; Korea, Summer 1953. Southwest Asia: Defense of Saudi Arabia; Liberation and Defense of Kuwait.

 

Armed Forces Expeditionary StreamersPanama, 1989-1990.

 

Decorations.  Distinguished Unit Citations:  Sicily, 11 Jul 1943; France, [6-7] Jun 1944;

Korea, 28 Nov-10 Dec 1950. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards with Combat “V” Device:  1 Nov 1967-31 Dec 1969; 12 Feb-17 May 1975.  Meritorious Unit Award: 1 Aug 2009-31 Jul 2011.  Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards:  6 May 1953-10 Sep 1954; 11 Jan-14 Feb 1955; 1 Jan 1960-31 Dec 1961; 1 Sep 1962-15 Apr 1963; 1 Jan 1975-30 Jun 1976; 1 Jun 1985-31 May 1986; 1 Jul 1991-30 Jun 1993; 1 Jul 1993-30 Jun 1995; 1 Jul 1995-31 Mar 1997; 1 Apr 1997-30 Jun 1998; 1 Jul 2000-30 Jun 2001; 1 Jul 2001-30 Jun 2002; 1 Jul 2002-30 Jun 2003; 1 Jul 2003-30 Jun 2004; 1 Jul 2004-30 Jun 2005; 1 Jul 2005-30 Jun 2006; 1 Jul 2006-30 Jun 2007; 1 Aug 2009-31 Jul 2011; 1 Aug 2012-31 Jul 2014.   Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation:   1 Jul 1951-27 Jul 1953.  Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm:  1 Apr 1966-28 Jan 1973.  Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation:  21 Jul-15 Aug 1972.

 

Lineage, Assignments, Stations, and Honors through 12 Oct 2018.

 

Commanders, Aircraft, and Operations through 22 Oct 2018.

 

Supersedes statement prepared on 17 Mar 2014.

 

Emblem.  Approved on 12 Dec 1994; newest rendition, 17 Oct 2018. 

 

Prepared by Major Tonia Stephens.

 

Reviewed by Daniel L. Haulman.