Lineage. Constituted as 493 Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 19 Sep 1942. Activated on 25
Oct 1942. Redesignated as 493 Bombardment Squadron, Heavy, on 6 Mar 1944. Inactivated on 6
Jan 1946. Consolidated (19 Sep 1985) with 93 Air Refueling Squadron, Medium, which was
constituted on 2 Feb 1949. Activated on 1 Mar 1949. Redesignated as: 93 Air Refueling
Squadron, Heavy, on 1 Feb 1955; 93 Air Refueling Squadron on 1 Sep 1991. Inactivated on 31
Mar 1995. Activated on 31 Mar 1995.
Assignments. 7 Bombardment Group, 25 Oct 1942–6 Jan 1946. 93 Bombardment Group, 1 Mar
1949 (attached to 93 Bombardment Wing, 15 Jul 1950–30 Jan 1951 and 10 Feb 1951–15 Jun
1952); 93 Bombardment Wing, 16 Jun 1952; 93 Operations Group, 1 Sep 1991; 398 Operations
Group, 1 Jun 1992–31 Mar 1995. 92 Operations Group, 31 Mar 1995–.
Stations. Karachi, India, 25 Oct 1942; Pandaveswar, India, 7 Jan 1943; Tezgaon, India, 17 Jun
1944; Pandaveswar, India, 5 Oct 1944 (detachment at Luliang, China, 17 Dec 1944–26 Jan
1945); Dudhkundi, India, 31 Oct 1945; Kanchrapara, India, 19 Nov 1945; Camp Angus (near
Calcutta), India, 25 Nov–7 Dec 1945; Camp Kilmer, NJ, 5–6 Jan 1946. Castle AFB, CA, 1 Mar
1949–31 Mar 1995 (operated from Upper Heyford RAF, England, 9 Dec 1951–6 Mar 1952;
Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ, 1 Apr–15 May 1954; Ernest Harmon AFB, Newfoundland, 29 Jun–14
Aug 1954; Thule AB, Greenland, 19 Jan–c. 15 Mar 1955; Elmendorf AFB, AK, 2 Nov 1955–5
Jan 1956 and 27 Sep–c. 24 Dec 1956). Fairchild AFB, WA, 31 Mar 1995–.
Commanders: 1Lt Harold K. Trinkle, 25 Oct 1942; Maj Wesley Werner, c. 1 Jan 1943; Capt
Robert C. Bailey, c. 6 Nov 1943; Lt Col James McKee, 17 Aug 1945; unkn, Oct 1945-6 Jan
1946. Unkn, 1 Mar 1949; Lt Col Barnett S. Allen, 22 Mar 1949; Lt Col Jean B. Miller, by Sep
1950; Lt Col Arthur S. Cresswell, by Sep 1951; Lt Col Walter S. Shackleford Jr., by 30 Sep
1952; Lt Col Ralph V. Miller, Jan 1954; Lt Col Frank G. Latawiec, 1 May 1954; Lt Col Kenneth
R. Rea, 25 Mar 1957; Lt Col Eldridge G. Shelton Jr., Nov 1958; Lt Col Douglas H. Smith, Oct
1959; Lt Col Edward B. Fitch, Jul 1963; Lt Col John A. Decker, by 30 Sep 1964; Lt Col Robert
L. Weston, by 31 Mar 1968; Lt Col Paul Echabarns, by 31 Oct 1968; Lt Col Claude D. Lamb, 15
Jul 1969; Lt Col William A. Kevan, 2 Nov 1970; Lt Col Ted M. McLean, 1 Aug 1971; Lt Col
Donald L. Kope, 24 Nov 1972; Lt Col Vess J. Taylor, 20 Nov 1974; Lt Col Alan Kessler, 2 Sep
1975; Lt Col Richard J. Cappell, 1 Mar 1976; Lt Col Martin F. Lapp, 28 Dec 1976; Lt Col
William R. Borowski, 5 Jul 1978; Lt Col Charles M. Millar Jr., 20 Jul 1979; Lt Col John D.
Lunt, 13 May 1981; Lt Col Bruce R. Johnson, by 14 May 1982; Lt Col Larry A. Bell, 1 Aug
1984; Lt Col William J. Howard, 11 Jul 1985; Lt Col George R. Thomson, 23 Mar 1986; Lt Col
Stephen R. Lorenz, 17 Aug 1987; Lt Col George J. Sweetnam Jr., 30 Jun 1989; Lt Col Marc B.
Stormont, 1 Jul 1991; Lt Col David L. Cramer, 21 Jun 1994; Lt Col Frederick L. Jaklitsch, 1 Jul
1994; Lt Col Casey L. Henkle, 18 Dec 1995; Lt Col Robert E. Parker, 22 Jan 1997; Lt Col
Stephen Bernard, 27 Feb 1998; Lt Col Edward M. Minahan, 13 Jun 2000; Lt Col David F. Ellis,
30 May 2002; Lt Col Darren Hartford, 15 Jun 2004; Lt Col Glenn B. LeMasters, 12 Jun 2006; Lt
Col Patrick J. Rhatigan, 20 Mar 2008; Lt Col Fred R. Cunningham, 30 Jun 2009; Lt Col John P.
Pantleo, 4 Oct 2012; Lt Col Patrick H. O’Brien, 3 Jul 2012-.
Aircraft. B–24, 1943–1945. KB–29, 1950–1953; KC–97, 1953–1957; KC–135, 1957–.
Operations. Activated in non-operational status in India on 25 Oct 1942. Became operational
with B-24s on 7 Jan 1943. Attacked communications, oil refineries, Japanese military targets,
naval vessels, and troop concentrations in Burma from Jan 1943 to Jan 1944. Transported
gasoline to forward bases in China, Jun–Oct 1944 in support of Operation MATTERHORN. In
early 1945, dropped radio-controlled JB-2 azimuth only (AZON) bombs, an early type of a
precision-guided munition, on rail lines and bridges in Burma. Dropped propaganda leaflets in
Burma, Jun–Sep 1945. Inactivated in early Jan 1946. Activated on 1 Mar 1949 but not manned
until Sep 1950. Received KB-29 tankers in Oct 1950, became combat ready in Oct 1951, and
participated in deployment of 93 Bombardment Wing to the United Kingdom, Dec 1951-Mar
1952. Converted from KB-29s to KC-97s in Nov-Dec 1953. Provided air refueling of parent
wing bombers for their wartime mission, training, exercises and overseas deployments.
Converted to KC-135s in May 1957. Ceased KC-135 aircrew training on 1 Jul 1959 (the 924th
Air Refueling Squadron picked up that function), but after Aug 1963, (when the 924th Air
Refueling Squadron was inactivated), the 93 Air Refueling Squadron began conducting KC-135
aircrew training for all Strategic Air Command KC-135 aircrews as primary mission along with
its continuing air refueling mission. Routinely supported Alaskan, European, and Pacific tanker
task forces. Refueled wing B-52s to support their wartime taskings; and other US Air Force,
Navy, and Marine aircraft for routine training, operations, exercises, and worldwide
contingencies that required tanker support. Following the 11 Sep 2001 terrorist attacks on the
United States, squadron tankers refueled combat aircraft for Operations NOBLE EAGLE,
ENDURING FREEDOM, and IRAQI FREEDOM.
Campaign Streamers. World War II: India-Burma; Central Burma; China Defensive.
Southwest Asia: Liberation and Defense of Kuwait. Kosovo: Kosovo Air.
Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citation: Thailand, 19 Mar 1945. Meritorious Unit Award: 1
Jun 2003-31 Dec 2005. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Jan 1956–1 Jul 1959; 1 Jun
1962–1 Apr 1963; 1 Apr 1973–30 Jun 1974; 1 Jul 1983–30 Jun 1985; 1 Jul 1988–30 Jun 1990; 2
Aug 1990–11 Apr 1991; 1 Jun 2001-31 May 2003; 1 Jan 2006-31 Aug 2007; 1 Sep 2007-31 Aug
2008; 1 Aug 2009-31 Jul 2011; 1 Aug 2011-31 Aug 2012.
Lineage, Assignments, Stations, Commanders, Aircraft, and Honors through 7 Feb 2013.
Emblem. Approved on 9 Dec 1994.
Supersedes statement prepared on 3 Nov 1997.