The second predecessor of the squadron was the 483rd Bombardment Squadron, a very heavy Boeing B-29 Superfortress squadron that flew missions from Tinian against Japan before moving to the Philippines, where it was inactivated in 1946.
The unit was activated a third time as the 303rd Air Refueling Squadron, and served during the Cold War to support Strategic Air Command bombers. For most of its active life, the squadron operated from a forward base in the middle Atlantic to support reflex deployments and maintained readiness to support Emergency War Order missions.
In 1985, the United States Air Force consolidated three squadrons, but they have not been active since the consolidation.
The 303rd Transport Squadron was activated in India in late spring 1943. It operated Douglas C-47 Skytrain and Curtiss C-46 Commando transports in the China-Burma-India theater for the India-China Wing, Air Transport Command in 1943. It flew supplies, equipment and personnel over the Hump from the Assam Valley of India to airfields in southeast China, primarily to support Fourteenth Air Force combat operations. It was a short-lived organization for it was disbanded in December 1943 and replaced, along with other elements of the 30th Transport Group, by Station 9, India-China Wing, Air Transport Command.
B-29 Superfortress operations against JapanEdit
The 483rd Bombardment Squadron was activated in March 1944 as a Boeing B-29 Superfortress very heavy bombardment squadron. The squadron trained at airfields in the midwest under Second Air Force. When training was completed the unit moved to North Field, Tinian in the Mariana Islands of the Central Pacific. There it became an element of XXI Bomber Command.[1] Its mission was the strategic bombardment of the Japanese Home Islands and the destruction of Japan's war-making capability.
Upon arrival in the Pacific, the unit flew "shakedown" missions against Japanese targets on Moen Island, Truk, and other points in the Carolines and Marianas. The squadron began combat missions over Japan on 25 February 1945 with a firebombing mission over Northeast Tokyo. The squadron continued to participate in wide area firebombing attack, but the first ten-day blitz resulted in the Army Air Forces running out of incendiary bombs. Until then the squadron flew conventional strategic bombing missions using high explosive bombs.
The squadron continued attacking urban areas with incendiary raids until the end of the war in August 1945, attacking major Japanese cities and causing massive destruction of urbanized areas. The 483rd also conducted raids against strategic objectives, bombing aircraft factories, chemical plants, oil refineries, and other targets in Japan. The squadron flew its last combat missions on 14 August when hostilities ended. Afterwards, its B-29s carried relief supplies to Allied prisoner of war camps in Japan and Manchuria.
The squadron was largely demobilized on Tinian during the fall of 1945. It remained in Western Pacific as part of Twentieth Air Force. The 483rd moved to Clark Field in the Philippines along with the 313th Bombardment Wing in March 1946. It was inactivated at Clark in June.[1] Its low-hour aircraft were flown to storage depots in the United States.
Strategic Air CommandEdit
The 303rd Air Refueling Squadron was activated in 1951 at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, but was inactivated seven months later. It was activated again in 1953. In February 1956, the squadron moved from Davis-Monthan to Kindley Air Force Base, Bermuda and was relieved from the 303rd Bombardment Wing, At Kindley it was positioned to support Boeing B-47 Stratojet aircraft deploying to Europe and Morocco on Operation Reflex and to provide forward refueling in the event of war. While stationed at Kindley the squadron was assigned to several headquarters located in the United States. The 303rd performed air refueling to support SAC and USAF operations on a worldwide basis until it was inactivated in 1963 with the phaseout of the propeller-driven KC-97 from SAC.
LineageEdit
303rd Transport Squadron
Constituted as 303rd Transport Squadron, c. 4 June 1943
Activated on 21 June 1943
Disbanded on 1 December 1943
Reconstituted 19 September 1985 and consolidated with the 483rd Bombardment Squadron and the 303rd Air Refueling Squadron as 303rd Air Refueling Squadron[2] (remained inactive)
483rd Bombardment Squadron
Constituted as 483rd Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy on 28 Feb 1944
Activated on 11 Mar 1944
Inactivated on 30 Jun 1946
Consolidated on 19 September 1985 with the 303rd Transport Squadron and the 303rd Air Refueling Squadron as 303rd Air Refueling Squadron[2] (remained inactive)
303rd Air Refueling Squadron
Constituted as 303rd Air Refueling Squadron, Medium on 4 April 1951
Activated on 4 September 1951
Inactivated 8 April 1952
Activated on 18 February 1953
Inactivated on 15 Jun 1963
Consolidated on 19 September 1985 with the 483rd Bombardment Squadron and the 303rd Transport Squadron as the 303rd Air Refueling Squadron, Heavy[2] (remained inactive)
AssignmentsEdit
30th Transport Group, 21 June 1943 – 1 December 1943
^ abcDepartment of the Air Force/MPM Letter 662q, 19 Sep 85, Subject: Reconstitution, Redesignation, and Consolidation of Selected Air Force Tactical Squadrons
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency.
Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II(PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556.
AF Pamphlet 900-2, Unit Decorations, Awards and Campaign Participation Credits 4 August 2015 at the Wayback Machine Department of the Air Force, Washington, DC, 15 Jun 1971, p.
October 21, 2023
303rd, refueling, squadron, 483d, bombardment, squadron, redirects, here, 483rd, bombardment, squadron, dive, 137th, airlift, squadron, inactive, united, states, force, unit, last, assigned, 499th, refueling, wing, kindley, bermuda, where, inactivated, june, 1. 483d Bombardment Squadron redirects here For the 483rd Bombardment Squadron Dive see 137th Airlift Squadron The 303rd Air Refueling Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit It was last assigned to the 499th Air Refueling Wing at Kindley AFB Bermuda where it was inactivated on 15 June 1963 303rd Air Refueling SquadronBoeing KC 97G Stratofreighter as flown by the squadronActive1943 1943 1946 1951 1952 1953 1963Country United StatesBranch United States Air ForceRoleAir RefuelingPart ofStrategic Air CommandMotto s Every Man a TigerEngagementsChina Burma India TheaterPacific Ocean theater of World War IIDecorationsDistinguished Unit CitationInsigniaPatch with early 303rd Air Refueling Squadron emblemPatch with later 303rd Air Refueling Squadron emblem The squadron was first active as the 303rd Transport Squadron an airlift element of the India China Wing Air Transport Command The 303rd flew missions over the Hump before being disbanded when Air Transport Command abandoned the traditional squadron and group organization for its operations in the China Burma India Theater The second predecessor of the squadron was the 483rd Bombardment Squadron a very heavy Boeing B 29 Superfortress squadron that flew missions from Tinian against Japan before moving to the Philippines where it was inactivated in 1946 The unit was activated a third time as the 303rd Air Refueling Squadron and served during the Cold War to support Strategic Air Command bombers For most of its active life the squadron operated from a forward base in the middle Atlantic to support reflex deployments and maintained readiness to support Emergency War Order missions In 1985 the United States Air Force consolidated three squadrons but they have not been active since the consolidation Contents 1 History 1 1 Flying the Hump 1 2 B 29 Superfortress operations against Japan 1 3 Strategic Air Command 2 Lineage 2 1 Assignments 2 2 Stations 2 3 Aircraft 2 4 Awards and Campaigns 3 Notes 4 BibliographyHistory EditFlying the Hump Edit nbsp C 46 over the HumpThe 303rd Transport Squadron was activated in India in late spring 1943 It operated Douglas C 47 Skytrain and Curtiss C 46 Commando transports in the China Burma India theater for the India China Wing Air Transport Command in 1943 It flew supplies equipment and personnel over the Hump from the Assam Valley of India to airfields in southeast China primarily to support Fourteenth Air Force combat operations It was a short lived organization for it was disbanded in December 1943 and replaced along with other elements of the 30th Transport Group by Station 9 India China Wing Air Transport Command B 29 Superfortress operations against Japan Edit The 483rd Bombardment Squadron was activated in March 1944 as a Boeing B 29 Superfortress very heavy bombardment squadron The squadron trained at airfields in the midwest under Second Air Force When training was completed the unit moved to North Field Tinian in the Mariana Islands of the Central Pacific There it became an element of XXI Bomber Command 1 Its mission was the strategic bombardment of the Japanese Home Islands and the destruction of Japan s war making capability Upon arrival in the Pacific the unit flew shakedown missions against Japanese targets on Moen Island Truk and other points in the Carolines and Marianas The squadron began combat missions over Japan on 25 February 1945 with a firebombing mission over Northeast Tokyo The squadron continued to participate in wide area firebombing attack but the first ten day blitz resulted in the Army Air Forces running out of incendiary bombs Until then the squadron flew conventional strategic bombing missions using high explosive bombs The squadron continued attacking urban areas with incendiary raids until the end of the war in August 1945 attacking major Japanese cities and causing massive destruction of urbanized areas The 483rd also conducted raids against strategic objectives bombing aircraft factories chemical plants oil refineries and other targets in Japan The squadron flew its last combat missions on 14 August when hostilities ended Afterwards its B 29s carried relief supplies to Allied prisoner of war camps in Japan and Manchuria The squadron was largely demobilized on Tinian during the fall of 1945 It remained in Western Pacific as part of Twentieth Air Force The 483rd moved to Clark Field in the Philippines along with the 313th Bombardment Wing in March 1946 It was inactivated at Clark in June 1 Its low hour aircraft were flown to storage depots in the United States Strategic Air Command Edit The 303rd Air Refueling Squadron was activated in 1951 at Davis Monthan Air Force Base Arizona but was inactivated seven months later It was activated again in 1953 In February 1956 the squadron moved from Davis Monthan to Kindley Air Force Base Bermuda and was relieved from the 303rd Bombardment Wing At Kindley it was positioned to support Boeing B 47 Stratojet aircraft deploying to Europe and Morocco on Operation Reflex and to provide forward refueling in the event of war While stationed at Kindley the squadron was assigned to several headquarters located in the United States The 303rd performed air refueling to support SAC and USAF operations on a worldwide basis until it was inactivated in 1963 with the phaseout of the propeller driven KC 97 from SAC Lineage Edit303rd Transport Squadron Constituted as 303rd Transport Squadron c 4 June 1943Activated on 21 June 1943 Disbanded on 1 December 1943Reconstituted 19 September 1985 and consolidated with the 483rd Bombardment Squadron and the 303rd Air Refueling Squadron as 303rd Air Refueling Squadron 2 remained inactive 483rd Bombardment Squadron Constituted as 483rd Bombardment Squadron Very Heavy on 28 Feb 1944Activated on 11 Mar 1944 Inactivated on 30 Jun 1946Consolidated on 19 September 1985 with the 303rd Transport Squadron and the 303rd Air Refueling Squadron as 303rd Air Refueling Squadron 2 remained inactive 303rd Air Refueling Squadron Constituted as 303rd Air Refueling Squadron Medium on 4 April 1951Activated on 4 September 1951 Inactivated 8 April 1952Activated on 18 February 1953Inactivated on 15 Jun 1963Consolidated on 19 September 1985 with the 483rd Bombardment Squadron and the 303rd Transport Squadron as the 303rd Air Refueling Squadron Heavy 2 remained inactive Assignments Edit 30th Transport Group 21 June 1943 1 December 1943 505th Bombardment Group 11 March 1944 30 June 1946 303rd Bombardment Group 4 April 1951 8 April 1952 303rd Bombardment Wing 18 February 1953 Second Air Force 1 February 1956 38th Air Division 1 January 1959 823rd Air Division 1 October 1959 19th Bombardment Wing 1 November 1959 4050th Air Refueling Wing 1 April 1961 499th Air Refueling Wing 1 January 15 June 1963Stations Edit Mohanbari Airport Assam India 21 June 1943 1 December 1943 Dalhart Army Air Field Texas 11 March 1944 Harvard Army Airfield Nebraska 12 March 1944 6 November 1944 North Field Tinian Mariana Islands 24 December 1944 5 March 1946 Clark Field Luzon Philippines 14 March 1946 30 June 1946 Davis Monthan AFB Arizona 4 April 1951 8 April 1952 Davis Monthan AFB Arizona 18 February 1953 Kindley AFB Bermuda 1 February 1956 15 June 1963Aircraft Edit Douglas C 47 Skytrain 1943 Curtiss C 46 Commando 1943 Boeing B 17 Flying Fortress 1944 Boeing B 29 Superfortress 1944 1946 KB 29M Superfortress tanker 1951 1952 KC 97F Stratotanker 1953 1956 Also KC 97G KC 97G Stratotanker 1956 1959 1959 1963Awards and Campaigns Edit Award streamer Award Dates Notes nbsp Distinguished Unit Citation 10 February 1945 Ota Japan 1 nbsp Distinguished Unit Citation 17 June 1945 1 July 1945 Japan 1 Campaign streamer Campaign Dates Notes nbsp India China 3 nbsp Air Offensive Japan 1 nbsp Eastern Mandates Air 1 nbsp Western Pacific Air 1 Notes Edit nbsp World War II portal a b c d e f g Maurer Combat Squadrons p 581 a b c Department of the Air Force MPM Letter 662q 19 Sep 85 Subject Reconstitution Redesignation and Consolidation of Selected Air Force Tactical Squadrons AF Pamphlet 900 2 15 Jun 1971 p 293Bibliography Edit nbsp This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency Maurer Maurer ed 1982 1969 Combat Squadrons of the Air Force World War II PDF reprint ed Washington DC Office of Air Force History ISBN 0 405 12194 6 LCCN 70605402 OCLC 72556 AF Pamphlet 900 2 Unit Decorations Awards and Campaign Participation Credits Archived 4 August 2015 at the Wayback Machine Department of the Air Force Washington DC 15 Jun 1971 p Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title 303rd Air Refueling Squadron amp oldid 1166410406, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
