117th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron

117th Air Refueling Squadron
KC-135E Stratotanker (s/n 58-0013), assigned to the 117th Air Refueling Squadron, 190th Air Refueling Wing, lands following its final mission at the Forbes Field, Kansas on 11 September 2004.
Active	1942-Present
Country	United States
Allegiance	Kansas
Branch	Air National Guard
Type	Squadron
Role	Air Refueling
Part of	Kansas Air National Guard
Garrison/HQ	Forbes Field Air National Guard Base, Topeka, Kansas.
Nickname(s)	"Kansas Coyotes"
Insignia
117th Air Refueling Squadron emblem

The 117th Air Refueling Squadron (117 ARS) is a unit of the Kansas Air National Guard 190th Air Refueling Wing located at Forbes Field Air National Guard Base, Topeka, Kansas. The 117th is equipped with the KC-135R Stratotanker.

Established in mid-1942 as the 440th Bombardment Squadron; equipped with B-26 Marauder medium bombers. Trained in the Southeastern United States under III Bomber Command. Was deployed to North Africa in late 1942 as part of Twelfth Air Force, operated from desert airfields in Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. The squadron attacked enemy railroads, airfields, harbor installations, and shipping along the Mediterranean Coast. Moved to Sicily and Italy and participated in the Italian Campaign, attacking targets in Italy supporting the Fifth Army advanced in the Cassino and Anzio areas. The squadron later attacked targets in the Rome area, then moved to Corsica to support the Allied landings in Southern France. Remaining in Corsica, the squadron later hit railroad bridges in Northern Italy and late in the year attacked railroad lines through the Brenner Pass that connected Germany and Austria with Italy.

In January 1945, the squadron returned to the United States, where it began to train with A-26 Invader aircraft for operations in the Pacific Theater. Between May and July 1945, moved by ship to Okinawa, and on 16 July flew its first mission against Japan. From then until the end of the fighting in early August, the squadron attacked enemy targets such as airfields and industrial centers on Kyūshū and occupied Shanghai area of China, and shipping around the Ryukyu Islands and in the East China Sea. In November and December 1945, the squadron returned to the United States and was inactivated.