The 351st Air Refueling Squadron is a United States Air Force unit that is part of the 100th Air Refueling Wing at RAF Mildenhall, England. Since 1992, it has operated the Boeing KC-135R/T Stratotanker aircraft conducting primarily aerial refueling but also airlift and aeromedical evacuation missions.

The squadron was activated as the 351st Bombardment Squadron during World War II as a heavy bomber unit. It served in combat in the European Theater of Operations, where it earned a Distinguished Unit Citation and the French Croix de Guerre with Palm for its actions. After V-E Day the squadron returned to the United States and was inactivated at the port of embarkation.

The squadron was briefly active in the reserve from 1947 to 1949, but does not appear to have been fully equipped or manned. It served between 1956 and 1966 with Strategic Air Command as a bombardment unit, flying Boeing B-47 Stratojets.

History World War II Organization and training for combat The squadron was activated at Orlando Army Air Base, Florida on 1 June 1942 as one of the four original squadrons of the 100th Bombardment Group,Maurer, Combat Units, pp. 171-72Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 433-36, 512 It was intended to equip the squadron with Consolidated B-24 Liberators The Army Air Forces (AAF) decided to concentrate heavy bomber training under Second Air Force, and before the end of June, the squadron moved to Pendleton Field, Oregon. Its intended equipment changed to Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses.Freeman, pp. 246-47

As a result, the squadron only began organizing in October 1942, after it had moved to Gowen Field, Idaho. Two days later, the squadron departed for Walla Walla Army Air Base, Washington. There the first aircrew arrived on 1 December 1942 and it received its first operational aircraft and began training.

The 351st completed its training and departed Kearney Army Air Field, Nebraska for the European Theater of Operations on 1 May 1943. The ground echelon sailed on the on 28 May, arriving at Greenock, Scotland on 3 June, while the air echelon flew via the northern ferry route to England about 21 May 1943.

Combat in the European Theater

The squadron established itself at its combat station, RAF Thorpe Abbotts, on 9 June 1943, flying its first combat mission on 25 June. Until the end of the war, the squadron was primarily employed in the strategic bombing campaign against Germany. Until January 1944, it concentrated its operations on airfields in France, and industrial targets and naval facilities in France and Germany. On 17 August 1943, it participated in an attack on a factory manufacturing Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighters in Regensburg, Germany, which seriously disrupted production of that plane. Although the mission called for fighter escort, the fighter group assigned to protect the squadron's formation missed the rendezvous and the wing formation proceeded to the target unescorted. Enemy fighter opposition focused on the low "box", formed in part by the squadron. Ten of the 21 Flying Fortresses flown by the 100th Group were lost on this mission. Unknown to AAF intelligence at the time, the attack also destroyed almost all of the fuselage construction equipment for Germany's secret Me 262 jet fighter. Rather than returning to England, the unit turned south and recovered at bases in North Africa.Freeman, pp. 67-68 For this action, the squadron was awarded the Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC).

From January to May 1944, the 351st attacked airfields, industrial targets, marshalling yards, and missile sites in Western Europe. During Big Week, it participated in the concentrated attack on the German aircraft industry. In March, it conducted a series of long range attacks against Berlin, for which it was awarded a second DUC. The raid of 6 March was to be the costliest mission flown by Eighth Air Force during the war. German fighter controllers detected that the formation including the squadron was unprotected by fighter escorts and concentrated interceptor attacks on it. Twenty-three B-17s from the formation failed to return.Freeman, p.114 Two days later, German fighters shot down the leader of the 45th Combat Bombardment Wing, and the 100th Group took the lead in another attack on Berlin.Freeman, p. 115 From the summer of 1944, the 351st concentrated on German oil production facilities.

The squadron was occasionally diverted from strategic bombing to perform interdiction and air support missions. It attacked bridges and gun positions to support Operation Overlord, the landings at Normandy in June 1944. In August and September it supported Operation Cobra, the breakout at Saint Lo, and bombed enemy positions in Brest. As Allied forces drove across Northern France toward the Siegfried Line in October and November, it attacked transportation and ground defenses. During the Battle of the Bulge in December 1944 and January 1945, it attacked lines of communication and fortified villages in the Ardennes. It provided support for Operation Varsity, the airborne assault across the Rhine in March 1945. The squadron was awarded the French Croix de Guerre with Palm for attacks on heavily defended sites and dropping supplies to the French Forces of the Interior.

The squadron flew its last mission on 20 April 1945.Sheridan, p. 165 Following, V-E Day, the squadron was initially programmed to be part of the occupation forces in Germany, but that plan was cancelled in September, and between October and December, the squadron's planes were ferried back to the United States or transferred to other units in theater. Its remaining personnel returned to the United States in December and the squadron was inactivated at the Port of Embarkation on 19 December 1945.

"Bloody Hundredth" Starting with the Regensburg mission of August 1943, the squadrons of the 100th Bombardment Group began suffering losses among the highest in VIII Bomber Command.Freeman, pp. 68-69 On 8 October, it lost seven aircraft on a raid on Bremen, including its lead and deputy lead aircraft.Freeman, p. 75 Only two days later, it lost twelve aircraft on an attack on Münster, again including the lead aircraft. The only group plane returning from that mission had lost two engines and had two wounded on board.Freeman, p. 77 Its highest one day loss occurred on the 6 March 1944 attack on Berlin, when 15 bombers failed to return.Freeman, p. 116 On 11 September 1944, the Luftwaffe put up its heaviest opposition in months, destroying 11 of the group's bombers.Freeman, p. 178 On 31 December 1944, half the 1st Bombardment Division's losses consisted of a dozen 100th bombers.Freeman, p. 204 With a group authorization of 40 B-17s, it lost 177 planes to enemy action. It became a legend for these losses and was referred to as the "Bloody Hundredth."

Air Force reserve The squadron was activated in the reserve at Orlando Army Air Base, Florida on 17 July 1947 and assigned to the 100th Group, which was located at Miami Army Air Field, Florida. At Orlando, its training was supervised by Air Defense Command (ADC). As the post war Air Force took shape, the National Guard was considered the first line of reserve. Reserve units like the 351st got what was left over after National Guard units received facilities, equipment and aircraft.Cantwell, p. 35 Aircraft were allotted to reserve units as a means of maintaining flying proficiency, not combat readiness.Cantwell, p. 37 Aircraft assigned to the reserves were overwhelmingly trainers, and no heavy bombers were ever assigned.Cantwell, p. 38, 40-41 The allotment of units to the reserves was made only for planning purposes and mobilization plans called for personnel assigned to the 351st to be called to active duty during mobilization as individuals, not as a unit.Cantwell, pp.45-46

In 1948, Continental Air Command assumed responsibility for managing reserve and Air National Guard units from ADC. President Truman's reduced 1949 defense budget required reductions in the number of Air Force units.Knaack, p. 25 In May 1949, the Air Force reorganized its operational reserve forces into 25 wings located at 23 reserve training centers, a reduction of 18 training centers.Cantwell, p. 73 As a result, the 351st was inactivated as manned flying operations at Orlando Air Force Base ceased.

Strategic Air Command bomber operations

The squadron was activated at the start of 1956 as Strategic Air Command (SAC) opened Portsmouth Air Force Base, where it began to equip with Boeing B-47 Stratojets. From December 1957 until April 1958, it deployed to RAF Brize Norton, along with the rest of the 100th Bombardment Wing.Ravenstein, pp. 142-44 Starting in 1958, the squadron began to assume an alert posture at its home station, now Pease Air Force Base, reducing the amount of time spent on alert at overseas bases. General Thomas S. Power had set an initial goal of maintaining one third of SAC's planes on fifteen minute ground alert, fully fueled and ready for combat to reduce vulnerability to a Soviet missile strike.Schake, p. 220 (note 43) This was increased to half the squadron's aircraft in 1962.

Soon after detection of Soviet missiles in Cuba, all SAC's degraded and adjusted alert sorties were brought up to full capability.Kipp, et al., p. 30. SAC B-47s dispersed on 22 October.Kipp, et al., p. 49 Most dispersal bases were civilian airfields with AF Reserve or Air National Guard units. B-47s were configured for execution of the Emergency War Order as soon as possible after dispersal. KC-97s were dispersed to Goose Air Base, Lajes Air Base and Harmon Air Force Base to provide refueling for the B-47s on increased alert status.Kipp et al., p. 52 On 15 November 1/6 of the squadron's dispersed B-47s were recalled to Pease.Kipp et al., p. 53 On 21 November SAC went to DEFCON 3. The squadron's remaining dispersed B-47s were recalled to Pease on 24 November. On 27 November it returned to normal alert posture.Kipp et al.., p. 61

The squadron continued operations until the end of 1965, when it began to phase down with the retirement of the B-47 from SAC. The squadron ceased all operations on 12 February 1966, inactivating on 15 June.

Air refueling

The unit was redesignated the 351st Air Refueling Squadron and activated at RAF Mildenhall, Suffolk, in the United Kingdom on 31 March 1992, shortly after the 100th Air Refueling became the host at Mildenhall. The squadron became the only air refueling squadron permanently stationed in Europe, and began operating the Boeing KC-135R Stratotanker in May 1992, reaching its full complement of nine KC-135Rs in September 1992.

The squadron or deployed forces from the squadron supported major military operations in Europe through the rest of the decade. From 1993 to 1995, the squadron supported United States and NATO forces in Operation Deny Flight, the enforcement of the United Nations no-fly zone over Bosnia and Herzegovina. In 1999, elements supported Operation Allied Force, attacks on Serbian forces during the Kosovo War, as the 351st Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron.

It also supported United States Central Command operations in Southwest Asia. Shortly after its activation, it supported Operation Provide Comfort, the defense of Kurds from Iraqi aggression. In 1992, it aided in Operation Restore Hope in Somalia. Beginning in 1997 it provided refueling for Operation Northern Watch, the enforcement of the no-fly zone in northern Iraq.