349th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron

349th Air Refueling Squadron
349th Air Refueling Squadron Patch
Active	1 June 1942 – 1 December 1945 29 May 1947 – 27 June 1949 1 January 1956 – 1 June 1992 1 January 1994 - Present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Aerial refueling
Part of	Air Mobility Command 18th Air Force 22d Air Refueling Wing 22d Operations Group
Garrison/HQ	McConnell Air Force Base
Decorations	DCU AFOUA w/ V Device FCdG w/ Palm

The 349th Air Refueling Squadron (349 ARS) is part of the 22d Air Refueling Wing at McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas. It operates the KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft conducting aerial refueling missions.

Established as a B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bombardment squadron in mid-1942; trained initially under Third Air Force in the southeast, then transferring to Second Air Force in the Pacific Northwest. Operated as an Operational Training Unit (OTU) in the Midwest until being deployed to the European Theater of Operations (ETO), being assigned to VIII Bomber Command in England in June 1949.

Engaged in strategic bombardment operations over Occupied Europe and Germany, sustaining very heavy losses of personnel and aircraft while conducting many unescorted missions over enemy territory attacking airfields, industries, naval facilities and transportation hubs. During the summer of 1944, aircrews bombed enemy positions at Saint-Lô, followed by similar campaigns at Brest in August and September. In October 1944, the squadron attacked enemy and ground defenses in the allied drive on the Siegfried Line, then bombed marshaling yards, German occupied villages, and communication targets in the Ardennes during the Battle of the Bulge from December 1944 to January 1945. Attacked enemy targets in Germany during the spring of 1945, ending combat operations with the German Capitulation in May 1945.