43d Air Refueling Squadron

43d Air Refueling Squadron
43d Air Refueling Squadron
Active	1942-1991
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Air Refueling
Role	Aerial Refueling

The 43d Air Refueling Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 92nd Bombardment Wing, stationed at Fairchild AFB, Washington. It was inactivated on 1 September 1991.

Activated on 17 Aug 1942, the 43d Ferrying Squadron did not become operational at Accra Airport, British Gold Coast (now Ghana), Africa, until 4 December. As a unit of the 12th Ferrying Group, the 43d delivered combat and transport aircraft to British forces in the Middle East and later to U.S. forces in North Africa, but its major task was the transport of high priority cargo and personnel within the theater and as far east as Karachi, India. Redesignated the 43d Transport Squadron in March 1943, it disbanded on 30 Sep 1943 during a reorganization of Air Transport Command units in North Africa.

One of two refueling squadrons that the Strategic Air Command activated on 12 Jul 1948, the 43d Air Refueling Squadron, Medium, was the USAF’s first air refueling unit.

The 43d AREFS began operations in January 1949, flying KB-29M Superfortress tanker aircraft from Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona. The squadron refueled B-50s using the looped method developed by the British. In February 1949 supported the circumnavigation flight of the "Lucky Lady II", the first aircraft to fly non-stop around the world. During the Korean War, the 43d sent aircrews to Far East Air Force to refuel fighter aircraft, at that time an experimental procedure. Deployed 21 Mar-5 Jun 1953 to RAF Lakenheath, England. In 1953, the 43d AREFS completed transition to new aircraft, the KC-97 Stratotanker, equipped with the recently developed Boeing flying boom. Deployed 18 Sep-9 Dec 1954 to RAF Fairford, England.