Lineage. Constituted as 9 Photographic Squadron on 19 Jan 1942. Activated on 1 Feb 1942. Redesignated as: 9 Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron on 9 Jun 1942; 9 Photographic Squadron (Light) on 6 Feb 1943; 9 Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron on 13 Nov 1943. Inactivated on 4 Dec 1945. Consolidated (19 Sep 1985) with the 9 Air Refueling Squadron, Medium, which was constituted on 24 Jul 1951. Activated on 1 Aug 1951. Discontinued, and inactivated, on 15 Dec 1965. Redesignated as 9 Air Refueling Squadron, Heavy, on 12 Dec 1969. Activated on 1 Jan 1970. Inactivated on 27 Jan 1982. Activated on 1 Aug 1982. Redesignated as 9 Air Refueling Squadron on 1 Sep 1991.
Assignments. First Air Force, 1 Feb 1942; Tenth Air Force, 29 Mar 1942 (flight attached to Fourteenth Air Force, 10 Mar-12 Jul 1943); Army Air Forces, India-Burma Sector, 30 Oct 1943 (attached to 5306 Photographic and Reconnaissance Group [Provisional], 30 Oct 1943-17 Jan 1944, and to Tenth Air Force, 17 Jan-6 Mar 1944); Tenth Air Force, 7 Mar 1944; 8th Photographic (later, 8 Reconnaissance) Group, 25 Apr 1944; Army Air Forces, India-Burma Theater, c. Oct-4 Dec 1945. 9 Bombardment Group, 1 Aug 1951 (attached to 43 Bombardment Wing, 1 Aug-3 Sep 1951; 36th Air Division, 4 Sep 1951-14 Jan 1952; 303 Bombardment Wing, 15 Jan 1952-); 9 Bombardment (later, 9 Strategic Aerospace) Wing, 16 Jun 1952-15 Dec 1965 (remained attached to 303 Bombardment Wing, to 30 Apr 1953; attached to 5 Air Division, 18 Apr-16 Jul 1955; SAC Liaison Team, 2 May-1 Jul 1956). 456 Strategic Aerospace (later, 456th Bombardment) Wing, 1 Jan 1970; 17 Bombardment Wing, 30 Sep 1975; 100 Air Refueling Wing, 30 Sep 1976-27 Jan 1982. 22 Bombardment (later, 22 Air Refueling) Wing, 1 Aug 1982; 22 Operations Group, 1 Sep 1991; 722 Operations Group, 1 Jan 1994; 60 Operations Group, 1 Sep 1994-.
Stations. Mitchel Field, NY, 1 Feb 1942; Bradley Field, CT, 10 Mar 1942; Felts Field, WA, 16 Apr-18 May 1942; Karachi, India, 24 Jul 1942 (flight at Kunming, China, Nov 1942-12 Jul 1943, with detachment thereof operating from Kweilin, China, c. Feb-12 Jul 1943); Chakulia, India, 30 Nov 1942 (detachment operated from Dinjan, India, 18 Mar-Jul 1943); Pandaveswar, India, 3 Jan 1943 (detachment operated from Dinjan, India, c. Sep 1943-20 May 1944); Barrackpore, India, 29 Oct 1943 (detachment operated from Tingkawk Sakan, Burma, 16 Aug-30 Nov 1944, and from Myitkyina, Burma, 27 Nov-c. 5 Dec 1944; another detachment operated from Chittagong, India, c. 9 Oct-21 Dec 1944); Myitkyina, Burma, c. 5 Dec 1944; Piardoba, India, c. 1 May 1945; Malir, India, c. Oct-c. 14 Nov 1945; Camp Kilmer, NJ, 3-4 Dec 1945. Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ, 1 Aug 1951; Mountain Home AFB, ID, 1 May 1953-15 Dec 1965 (deployed at Benguerir AB, French Morocco, 18 Apr-16 Jul 1955; Elmendorf AFB, AK, 2 May-1 Jul 1956). Beale AFB, CA, 1 Jan 1970-27 Jan 1982. March AFB, CA, 1 Aug 1982; Travis AFB, CA, 1 Sep 1994-.
Commanders. 2Lt Vincent P. Keenan (Acting), 20 Jan 1942; Capt Edwin Kessler, 28 Feb 1942; Capt Dale L. Swartz, 10 Mar 1942; Capt Edwin Kessler (Acting), 12 Apr 1942; Capt Dale L. Swartz, 16 Apr 1942; Capt Edwin Kessler, 18 May 1942; Col Jerald W. McCoy, 1 Aug 1942; Maj Dale L. Swartz, 4 Jan 1943; Maj Henry E. Miller Jr., 7 Dec 1943; Capt John E. Buffin, 17 Jun 1944; Maj Paul Turner Jr., 27 Jun 1944; Maj MacArthur Gorton Jr., 25 Jan 1945; Capt Walter R. Thompson, 21 Mar 1945; Maj MacArthur Gorton Jr., 31 Mar 1945; Maj Paul H. Ponder Jr., 15 May 1945; Capt Joseph P. Lezon Jr.,25 Aug-4 Dec 1945. Lt Col Russell F. Ireland, 1 Aug 1951; Maj Jack N. Fancher, 11 Oct 1951; Lt Col John B. Stokes, 2 Nov 1951; Maj C. C. Gifford, by May 1953; Maj Edward H. Dvorak, by 30 Sep 1953; Lt Col Max W. Rogers, 19 Mar 1954; Lt Col William B. Becklund, 1 Sep 1958; Lt Col Donald S. Seeley, 27 Apr 1959; Lt Col William B. Becklund, by 30 Sep 1960; Lt Col Roy J. Sousley Jr., by 31 Jul 1962; Lt Col Carl E. Rice, by 30 Sep 1964-15 Dec 1965. Lt Col Clarence W. Thomas, c. 1 Jan 1970; Lt Col Richard D. Jenkins, 4 Jan 1971; Lt Col Allan J. Surridge, 1 Apr 1971; Lt Col William C. Walker, 15 Aug 1971; l Lt Col Louis C. Wagner, 9 Oct 1971; Lt Col James G. Dunham, 6 Jun 1972; Lt Col Joe H. Snow, 3 Mar 1973; Lt Col Douglas A. Jewett, 1 Feb 1974; Lt Col William R. Borlowski, 1 Sep 1976; Lt Col Melvin U. Edens, 20 Sep 1977; Lt Col Curtis R. Archer Jr., 8 Oct 1978; Lt Col Larry D. Sykes, 30 Nov 1979; Lt Col Donald E. Brice, 1 Aug 1980; Lt Col. Charles P. Rushforth III, 13 Mar 1981- 27 Jan 1982. Lt Col. Donald E. Bruce, 1 Aug 1982; Lt Col. Joseph M. Hudson, 19 Nov 1982; Lt Col. Stephen L. Toles, 12 Aug 1984; Lt Col. Arthur J. Lichte, 26 Jun 1986; Lt Col. Thomas Dooley, 1 Jul 1988; Lt Col. James N. Christian, 23 Mar 1990; Lt Col. Leo A. Brownyard, 28 Mar 1991; Lt Col. Bernard H. Fullenkamp, 27 May 1992, Lt Col. Ronald D. Jones, 2 Jun 1993; Lt Col. Paul J. Selva, 1 Sep 1994; Lt Col. Daniel A. Hale, 24 Apr 1995; Lt Col. Michelle D. Johnson, 18 Jun 1996; Lt Col. Richard Trasker, 18 Jun 1998; Lt Col. Martin J. Wojtysiak, 11 Jun 1999; Lt Col. Mark Simon, 21 Jun 2000; Lt Col. Bruce A. VanSkiver, 21 Jun 2001; Lt Col. Marshall T. Morrison, 30 Jun 2003; Lt Col. Kurt W. Meidel, 16 Jun 2005; Lt Col. Matt J. Lloyd, 7 Jun 2007; Lt Col. Johnny L. Barnes II, 10 Apr 2009-.
Aircraft. In addition to F-4, 1942-1944, and F-5, 1943-1945, included B-25, 1943-1945. KB-29, 1951-1954; KC-97, 1954-1965. KC-135, 1970-1982. KC-10, 1982-.
Operations. Combat photo reconnaissance in China-Burma-India (CBI) Theater of Operations, 1 Dec 1942-14 Apr 1945. Worldwide air refueling, Aug 1951-Dec 1965, Jan 1970-Jan 1982, and Aug 1982-, including support during the rescue of US nationals in Grenada in 1983, support for deployments to Southwest Asia, 1990-1991, and humanitarian airlift missions to Somalia in support of Operation Restore Hope, 1992-1993. Worldwide air refueling and airlift to Southwest Asia, 2001-.
Service Streamers. None.
Campaign Streamers. World War II: New Guinea; Central Pacific; India-Burma; Central Burma; China Defensive. Kosovo: Kosovo Air.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
Decorations. Meritorious Unit Award. 1 Jul 2005-30 Jun 2007. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Jan 1957-31 Jan 1958; 1 Aug 1982-30 Jun 1983; 1 Jul 1987-30 Jun 1989; 1 Jul 1989-30 Jun 1991; 1 Jul 1993-30 Jun 1995; 1 Aug 1995-30 Jul 1997;1 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 Jul 2005; 1 Jul 2007-30 Jun 2009.
Lineage, Assignments, Stations, Aircraft, Commanders, Operations and Honors through 25 May 2010.
Emblem. Approved on 19 Jul 1971.
Supersedes statement prepared on 18 Sep 1998.
Prepared by Robert B. Kane.
Review by Daniel Haulman.