Lineage. Constituted 349 Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 28 Jan 1942. Activated on 1 Jun 1942. Redesignated 349 Bombardment Squadron, Heavy, on 20 Aug 1943. Inactivated on 1 Dec 1945. Redesignated 349 Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy, on 13 May 1947. Activated in the Reserve on 29 May 1947. Inactivated on 27 Jun 1949. Redesignated 349 Bombardment Squadron, Medium, on 1 Aug 1955. Activated on 1 Jan 1956. Redesignated: 349 Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron on 25 Jun 1966; 349 Air Refueling Squadron, Heavy, on 30 Sep 1976; 349 Air Refueling Squadron on 1 Sep 1991. Inactivated on 1 Jun 1992. Activated on 1 Jan 1994.
Assignments. 100 Bombardment Group, 1 Jun 1942-1 Dec 1945. 100 Bombardment Group, 29 May 1947-27 Jun 1949. 100 Bombardment (later, 100 Strategic Reconnaissance; 100 Air Refueling) Wing, 1 Jan 1956; 9 Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, 15 Mar 1983; 9 Operations Group, 1 Sep 1991-1 Jun 1992. 22 Operations Group, 1 Jan 1994-.
Stations. Orlando AB, FL, 1 Jun 1942; Barksdale Field, LA, 18 Jun 1942; Pendleton Field, OR, 26 Jun 1942; Gowen Field, ID, 28 Aug 1942; Walla Walla, WA, 31 Oct 1942; Wendover Field, UT, 30 Nov 1942; Sioux City AAB, IA, 6 Jan 1943; Kearney AAFld, NE, 4 Feb-1 May 1943; Thorpe Abbots, England, 14 Jun 1943-23 Nov 1945; Camp Kilmer, NJ, 29 Nov-1 Dec 1945. Miami AAFld, FL, 29 May 1947-27 Jun 1949. Portsmouth (later, Pease) AFB, NH, 1 Jan 1956 (deployed at Brize Norton RAF Station, England, 4 Jan-c. 1 Apr 1958); Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ, 25 Jun 1966; Beale AFB, CA, 30 Sep 1976-1 Jun 1992. McConnell AFB, KS, 1 Jan 1994-.
Commanders. Unkn, 1 Jun-Oct 1942; Lt Col William W. Veal, 28 Oct 1942; Maj John M. Bennett Jr., Nov 1943; Capt Samuel L. Barr, Mar 1944; Maj Sumner H. Reeder, Apr 1944; Lt Col Samuel L. Barr, c. Jul 1944-unkn; Maj John S. Robinson, by 1945; Capt Denzil Naar, Sep 1945-unkn. Unkn, 29 May 1947-27 Jun 1949. Maj Clifford E. Cobb, c. 1 Jan 1956; Capt Charles Bohon, 12 Jan 1956; Lt Col Edward A. Steedman, Feb 1956; Lt Col Thomas P. Coleman, 8 Apr 1957; Lt Col Francis P. Tunstall, 24 Feb 1958; Maj Harold G. Goodlad, 21 Aug 1958; Maj Ray C. Stubblefield, 5 Jan 1959; Lt Col Richard E. Otier, 10 Apr 1961; Col Leonard D. Edington, 1 Jan 1963; Lt Col Rollin D. Childress, 13 May 1963; Maj Meno J. Stallone Jr., 24 Jan 1966; Maj John T. Cornelius, 1 Mar 1966-unkn; Col Harold A. Swanson, 25 Jun 1966; unkn, c. 24 Sep 1967-c. Jun 1968; Col Dale L. Kellam, 12 Apr 1968; Col David L. Patton, 1 Jul 1971; Col Arnold L. Strasheim, 14 Jul 1972; Lt Col John A. Dale, 8 Jun 1973; Lt Col Jerry L. Chipman, 8 Aug 1974; Lt Col Robert C. Birkette; 1 Feb 1975; Lt Col George V. Freese, 22 Mar-c. 10 Aug 1976; none (not manned), c. 11 Aug-30 Sep 1976; Lt Col Dale W. Bollert, 1 Oct 1976; Lt Col Thomas Domingues Jr., 20 Sep 1977; Lt Col Dennis E. Crouch, 10 Aug 1979; Lt Col John J. Haluska Jr., 13 Mar 1981; Lt Col Walter N. Schrecker, 21 Jun 1982; Lt Col Edward Gaven, 12 Dec 1983; Lt Col Warren I. Weaver, 13 Dec 1985; Lt Col Robert Bell, 19 Jan 1987; Lt Col Edward L. Graham, 11 Jul 1988-1 Jun 1992. Lt Col Richard E. E. Antaya, 31 Jan 1994; Lt Col Howard T. Jackson, 22 May 1995; Lt Col Edward E. Breen, 6 Sep 1996; Lt Col Raymond J. Rottman, 8 Jun 1998; Lt Col Alvin M. Lowry, 9 Jul 1999; Lt Col Dean Wolford, 15 Jun 2001-.
Aircraft. B-17, 1942-1945. AT-6, AT-7, and AT-11, 1947-1949. B-47, 1956-1966; U/WU-2, 1966-1976; KC-135, 1976-1992. KC-135, 1994-.
Operations. Combat in European Theater of Operations (ETO), 25 Jun 1943-20 Apr 1945. Bombardment training, 1956-1966. Worldwide strategic reconnaissance, 1966-1976. Air refueling in support of SR-71, 1976-1990. Provided cargo and air refueling support to combat units in Southwest Asia, Aug 1990-Mar 1991. Supported reconnaissance mission including aerial refueling and cargo transport, 1990-1992. Provided in-flight refueling services and airlift to American and allied forces globally, 1994-.
Service Streamers. None.
Campaign Streamers. World War II: Air Offensive, Europe; Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe; Air Combat, EAME Theater. Southwest Asia: Defense of Saudi Arabia; Liberation and Defense of Kuwait.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citations: Germany, 17 Aug 1943; Berlin, Germany, 4, 6, 8 Mar 1944. Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat "V" Device: 1 Jul 1972-30 Jun 1973. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Jul 1968-30 Jun 1970; 1 Jul 1983-30 Jun 1984; 1 Jul 1985-30 Jun 1986; 1 Jul 1986-30 Jun 1987; 1 Jul 1989-30 Jun 1990; 1 Sep 1991-30 Jun 1993; 1 Jun 1994-31 May 1996; 1 Aug 1999-31 Jul 2000; 1 Aug 2000-31 Jul 2001; 1 Aug 2002-31 Jul 2004; 1 Aug 2004-31 Jul 2005; 1 Aug 2005-31 Jul 2006. French Croix de Guerre with Palm: 25 Jun-31 Dec 1944.
Lineage, Assignments, Stations, and Honors through 3 Dec 2007.
Commanders, Aircraft, and Operations through 31 Dec 2002.
Supersedes published information contained in: Judy G. Endicott (ed.), USAF Active Flying, Space, and Missile Squadrons as of 1 October 1995 (Washington: USPGO, 1999).
Emblem. Approved on 11 Jan 1977; latest rendering, 30 Sep 2021.
Prepared by Patsy Robertson.
Reviewed by Daniel Haulman.