407th Air Refueling Squadron

407th Air Refueling Squadron
Emblem of the 407th Air Refueling Squadron
Active	1942–1946; 1953–1990
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Bombardment/Air Refueling

The 407th Air Refueling Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last was assigned to the 42d Bombardment Wing, stationed at Loring Air Force Base, Maine. It was inactivated on 1 October 1990.

Activated as a B-17 Flying Fortress reconnaissance squadron in early 1942; trained by Third Air Force in the southeastern United States. Performed antisubmarine duty while training in Florida, March–July 1942.

Deployed to European Theater of Operations (ETO), being assigned to VIII Bomber Command in England, one of the first squadrons being assigned to the command. In the ETO, the squadron initially trained replacement crews for combat at RAF Bovingdon. Upon completion of its training mission, the 407th moved to RAF Alconbury on 6 January 1943 where it and its parent 92d Bombardment Group underwent reorganization. When they emerged in May 1943, the 92 BG and 407 BS were ready for combat. The group's B-17s, flew their first post-reorganization combat mission on 15 May 1943, and participated in the air offensive over Nazi Germany and Occupied Europe until German capitulation in May 1945.

Reassigned to Air Transport Command in June 1945 as part of Operation Green. Used B-17s as transports, flying demobilized personnel to ATC sites in Morocco and Azores from France. Aircraft turrets were removed and re-skinned, the bomb racks removed, flooring and seating installed to accommodate 30 passengers. The flight crew was reduced to pilot, co-pilot, navigator, flight engineer and radio operator. In addition the engineer and radio operator would act as stewards, to assist and calm the many first time flyers. Inactivated in February 1946.