The 44th transported supplies and evacuated casualties in support of the British Eighth Army, operating from desert airfields in Egypt and Libya. It was reassigned in May 1943 to the Twelfth Air Force in Algeria, where it supported United States Fifth Army forces in the Tunisian Campaign. The squadron began training for the invasion of Sicily. It dropped paratroops over the assault area of the island on the night of 9 July. It carried reinforcements to Sicily on 11 July and received a Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC) for carrying out that mission although severely attacked by ground and naval forces. It dropped paratroops over the beachhead south of the Sele River on the night of 14 September 1943. The squadron remained in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations until February 1944, when it again joined Ninth Air Force in England. It became part of IX Troop Carrier Command, participating in the buildup of forces prior to the Allied landings in France.
The Squadron engaged in combat operations by dropping paratroops into Normandy near Ste-Mere-Eglise on D-Day (6 June 1944) and releasing gliders with reinforcements on the following day. The unit received a third DUC and a French citation for these missions.
After the Normandy invasion the squadron ferried supplies in the United Kingdom. The squadron also hauled food, clothing, medicine, gasoline, ordnance equipment, and other supplies to the front lines and evacuated patients to rear zone hospitals. It dropped paratroops near Nijmegen and towed gliders carrying reinforcements during Operation Market Garden, the airborne attack on the Netherlands. In December it participated in the Battle of the Bulge by releasing gliders with supplies for the 101st Airborne Division near Bastogne.
The squadron returned to the United States in May 1945, becoming a domestic airlift squadron for Continental Air Forces. It was reassigned to VI Air Service Area Command in Hawaii in September 1945, where it operated until being inactivated in early 1946.
Wheeler Field, Hawaii Territory, 29 September 1945 – 25 March 1946
Lake Charles (later Chennault) AFB, Louisiana, 20 April 1953 (deployed to Sidi Slimane Air Base, French Morocco, 12 April 1954 – 22 June 1954 and to Goose AB, Labrador, 21 February – 7 April and 28 October – 28 December 1955 and 28 June – 29 August 1956)
Selfridge AFB, Michigan, 1 June 1960 – 15 December 1964
Combat Operations. Included airborne assaults on Sicily, Normandy, Holland, and Germany; aerial transportation of personnel (including casualties), supplies, and equipment in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations (MTO) and European Theater of Operations (ETO), Nov 1942 – Apr 1945.
Campaigns. World War II: Egypt-Libya; Tunisia; Sicily; Naples-Foggia; Rome-Arno; Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Central Europe.
Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citations: Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Sicily, 25 November 1942 – 25 August 1943; Sicily, 11 July 1943; France, [6–7] Jun 1944.
^ abDepartment of the Air Force/MPM Letter 662q, 19 Sep 85, Subject: Reconstitution, Redesignation, and Consolidation of Selected Air Force Tactical Squadrons
^The squadron was programmed for allotment to the reserves and activation under the 931st Air Refueling Group at McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas on 1 October 1996. This action was delayed to 1 October 1997, then rescinded entirely
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency.
Anderson, Capt. Barry (1985). (PDF). Maxwell AFB, AL: Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 7 July 2012.
Coles, Harry C., (1945)
Coles, Harry C., (1945)
Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II(PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN0-912799-02-1. LCCN 61060979.
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.
Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947–1977. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN0-912799-12-9.
External linksedit
December 15, 2023
44th, expeditionary, refueling, squadron, this, article, includes, list, general, references, lacks, sufficient, corresponding, inline, citations, please, help, improve, this, article, introducing, more, precise, citations, december, 2012, learn, when, remove,. This article includes a list of general references but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations December 2012 Learn how and when to remove this template message The 44th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron is a provisional United States Air Force unit that was assigned to the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing It was last known to be stationed at Al Udeid Air Base Qatar where it engaged in air refueling operations in support of United States Air Forces Central 44th Expeditionary Air Refueling SquadronKC 10 Extender deployed to Southwest AsiaActive1942 1946 1953 1964 after 2002Country United StatesBranch United States Air ForceRoleAir RefuelingMotto s Versatility and DependabilityEngagementsEuropean Theater of OperationsMediterranean Theater of Operations 1 DecorationsDistinguished Unit Citation 1 Insignia44th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron emblem44th Air Refueling Squadron emblem note 1 The earliest predecessor of the squadron was the 44th Troop Carrier Squadron which served in the European and Mediterranean Theaters of Operations during World War II where it earned three Distinguished Unit Citations After the war it served briefly as an airlift unit in the United States and Hawaii The 44th Air Refueling Squadron served with Strategic Air Command from 1953 to 1964 with Boeing KC 97 Stratofreighters at Chennault Air Force Base Louisiana and Selfridge Air Force Base Michigan The two squadrons were consolidated into a single unit in 1985 The consolidated unit was converted to provisional status in 2002 Contents 1 History 1 1 World War II 1 2 Cold War 1 3 Modern Era 2 Lineage 2 1 Assignments 2 2 Stations 2 3 Aircraft 2 4 Operations and decorations 3 References 3 1 Notes 3 2 Bibliography 4 External linksHistory editWorld War II edit The 44th Transport Squadron was activated in June 1942 under I Troop Carrier Command at Patterson Field Ohio It trained at various stations in the southeast and Texas with Douglas C 47 Skytrain transports The squadron by now the 44th Troop Carrier Squadron deployed to Egypt in November 1942 as part of President Roosevelt s decision to aid the Western Desert Air Force of the Royal Air Force There it became part of the newly established Ninth Air Force headquartered in Cairo The 44th transported supplies and evacuated casualties in support of the British Eighth Army operating from desert airfields in Egypt and Libya It was reassigned in May 1943 to the Twelfth Air Force in Algeria where it supported United States Fifth Army forces in the Tunisian Campaign The squadron began training for the invasion of Sicily It dropped paratroops over the assault area of the island on the night of 9 July It carried reinforcements to Sicily on 11 July and received a Distinguished Unit Citation DUC for carrying out that mission although severely attacked by ground and naval forces It dropped paratroops over the beachhead south of the Sele River on the night of 14 September 1943 The squadron remained in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations until February 1944 when it again joined Ninth Air Force in England It became part of IX Troop Carrier Command participating in the buildup of forces prior to the Allied landings in France The Squadron engaged in combat operations by dropping paratroops into Normandy near Ste Mere Eglise on D Day 6 June 1944 and releasing gliders with reinforcements on the following day The unit received a third DUC and a French citation for these missions After the Normandy invasion the squadron ferried supplies in the United Kingdom The squadron also hauled food clothing medicine gasoline ordnance equipment and other supplies to the front lines and evacuated patients to rear zone hospitals It dropped paratroops near Nijmegen and towed gliders carrying reinforcements during Operation Market Garden the airborne attack on the Netherlands In December it participated in the Battle of the Bulge by releasing gliders with supplies for the 101st Airborne Division near Bastogne The squadron returned to the United States in May 1945 becoming a domestic airlift squadron for Continental Air Forces It was reassigned to VI Air Service Area Command in Hawaii in September 1945 where it operated until being inactivated in early 1946 Cold War edit The 44th Air Refueling Squadron was established as a Strategic Air Command SAC Boeing KC 97 Stratofreighter squadron providing aerial refueling for Boeing B 47 Stratojets of the 44th Bombardment Wing With the retirement of the B 47 at Chennault Air Force Base Louisiana in 1960 the squadron moved to Selfridge Air Force Base Michigan as part of SAC s 4045th Air Refueling Wing It was inactivated in 1964 Modern Era edit The squadron was converted to provisional status and reactivated as the 44th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron an Air Combat Command McDonnell Douglas KC 10 Extender air refueling squadron in 2002 as part of the Global War on Terrorism Lineage edit44th Troop Carrier Squadron Constituted as the 44th Transport Squadron on 30 May 1942Activated on 15 June 1942 Redesignated 44th Troop Carrier Squadron on 4 July 1942 Inactivated on 25 March 1946Consolidated with the 44th Air Refueling Squadron Medium on 19 September 1985 as the 44th Air Refueling Squadron Heavy 2 remained inactive 44th Air Refueling Squadron Constituted as the 44th Air Refueling Squadron Medium on 13 February 1953 Activated on 20 April 1953 Discontinued and inactivated on 15 December 1964Consolidated with the 44th Troop Carrier Squadron on 19 September 1985 as the 44th Air Refueling Squadron Heavy 2 remained inactive Redesignated 44th Air Refueling Squadron on 9 September 1994 Remained inactive 3 Redesignated 44th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron and converted to provisional status on 25 January 2002 Assignments edit 316 Transport Group later 316 Troop Carrier Group 15 June 1942 I Troop Carrier Command May 1945 VII Air Service Area Command attached 3 August 1945 25 March 1946 44th Bombardment Wing 20 April 1953 4045th Air Refueling Wing 1 June 1960 500th Air Refueling Wing 1 January 1963 15 December 1964 Air Combat Command to activate or inactivate at any time after 25 January 2002 379th Air Expeditionary Wing 25 January 2002 unknown dd Stations edit Patterson Field Ohio 15 June 1942 Bowman Field Kentucky 16 June 1942 Lawson Field Georgia 9 August 1942 Del Valle Army Air Base Texas 29 September 1942 10 November 1942 RAF Deversoir Egypt 23 November 1942 RAF El Adem Egypt 10 December 1942 RAF Fayid Egypt January 1943 Nouvion Airfield Algeria 10 May 1943 Guercif Airfield French Morocco 28 May 1943 Enfidaville Airfield Tunisia 24 June 1943 Mazzara Airfield Sicily 1 September 1943 Borizzo Airfield Sicily 18 October 1943 16 February 1944 RAF Cottesmore AAF 489 4 England February 1944 May 1945 Pope Field North Carolina May 1945 Baer Field Indiana 20 June 1945 15 July 1945 Bellows Field Hawaii Territory 3 August 1945 Wheeler Field Hawaii Territory 29 September 1945 25 March 1946 Lake Charles later Chennault AFB Louisiana 20 April 1953 deployed to Sidi Slimane Air Base French Morocco 12 April 1954 22 June 1954 and to Goose AB Labrador 21 February 7 April and 28 October 28 December 1955 and 28 June 29 August 1956 Selfridge AFB Michigan 1 June 1960 15 December 1964 Al Udeid Air Base Qatar 2002 Undetermined Aircraft edit Douglas C 47 Skytrain 1942 1945 Curtiss C 46 Commando 1945 1946 Boeing KC 97 Stratofreighter 1953 1964 McDonnell Douglas KC 10 Extender 2002 undeterminedOperations and decorations edit Combat Operations Included airborne assaults on Sicily Normandy Holland and Germany aerial transportation of personnel including casualties supplies and equipment in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations MTO and European Theater of Operations ETO Nov 1942 Apr 1945 Campaigns World War II Egypt Libya Tunisia Sicily Naples Foggia Rome Arno Normandy Northern France Rhineland Central Europe Decorations Distinguished Unit Citations Egypt Libya Tunisia Sicily 25 November 1942 25 August 1943 Sicily 11 July 1943 France 6 7 Jun 1944 References edit nbsp World War II portalNotes edit Explanatory notes Approved 27 July 1956 Citations a b Maurer Combat Squadrons p 201 a b Department of the Air Force MPM Letter 662q 19 Sep 85 Subject Reconstitution Redesignation and Consolidation of Selected Air Force Tactical Squadrons The squadron was programmed for allotment to the reserves and activation under the 931st Air Refueling Group at McConnell Air Force Base Kansas on 1 October 1996 This action was delayed to 1 October 1997 then rescinded entirely Station number in Anderson p 33 Bibliography edit nbsp This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency Anderson Capt Barry 1985 Army Air Forces Stations A Guide to the Stations Where U S Army Air Forces Personnel Served in the United Kingdom During World War II PDF Maxwell AFB AL Research Division USAF Historical Research Center Archived from the original PDF on 4 March 2016 Retrieved 7 July 2012 Coles Harry C 1945 Ninth Air Force in the Western Desert Campaign to 23 January 1943 USAF Historical Study No 30 Coles Harry C 1945 Participation by the Ninth and Twelfth Air Forces in the Sicilian Campaign USAF Historical Study No 37 Maurer Maurer ed 1983 1961 Air Force Combat Units of World War II PDF reprint ed Washington DC Office of Air Force History ISBN 0 912799 02 1 LCCN 61060979 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 Ravenstein Charles A 1984 Air Force Combat Wings Lineage amp Honors Histories 1947 1977 Washington DC Office of Air Force History ISBN 0 912799 12 9 44th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron FactsheetExternal links edit Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title 44th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron amp oldid 1134810350, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
