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Squadron celebrates anniversary of KC-135 delivery

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Kali L. Gradishar
  • 92nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. --  Today is a significant date to the Air Force and its mission. It marks the 50th anniversary of the delivery of the first KC-135 Stratotanker to the Air Force. Sent to the 93rd Air Refueling Squadron, a unit at Castle Air Force Base, Calif., that relocated to Fairchild in 1995, the aircraft extended much-needed improvement to previous air refueling processes.

"This is a unique time in our history," said Lt. Col. Sonny LeMasters, 93rd ARS commander. "I'm proud to say this organization has been flying KC-135s for 50 years, longer than any other unit in the Air Force, and we're still going strong."

At Castle AFB, the 93rd ARS was tasked to instruct KC-135 crewmembers from all units intending to use the new aircraft. This included pilots, co-pilots, boom operators and navigators.

"This occasion marks the phenomenal requirements for having Air Refueling. The aircraft is still performing the mission after 50 years. The KC-135 is vital to air refueling missions and is still as valid today as it was back then," said Col. Mark Melville, 92nd Operations Group commander, who was stationed at Castle AFB as a Combat Crew Training Squadron instructor in the early 1990s.

The 93rd Air Refueling Squadron continued the mission of air refueling after it relocated to Fairchild. While some aircraft are currently being used in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, other aircraft remain at Fairchild for training and home-based missions.

"The mission is being carried on," said Colonel Melville. "The base and the surrounding community should be proud. Very few squadrons are 64 years old and flying 50-year-old aircraft."

Since the launch of the original KC-135, a multitude of changes have been made to the aircraft including increases in thrust, increased reliability, easier maintenance, fuel efficiency and improvement in navigation.

After 50 years, the mission-enhancing aircraft has provided Fairchild, the Air Force and the entire Department of Defense with a much-needed service that will surely continue into the future.