72nd Air Refueling Squadron

72d Air Refueling Squadron
72d Air Refueling Squadron Patch
Active	9 February 1943 – 31 July 1946 1 August 1947 – 1 October 1973 1 July 1978 - Present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Aerial refueling
Size	8 KC-135R and approximately 50 Personnel
Part of	Air Force Reserve Command 4th Air Force 434th Air Refueling Wing 434th Operations Group
Garrison/HQ	Grissom Joint Air Reserve Base
Nickname(s)	The Darkside
Colors	Blue and Gold
Engagements	Operation Overlord Operation Market Garden Battle of the Bulge Operation Plunder
Decorations	DUC AFOUA French CdG w/ Palm French Fourragère RVGC w/ Palm
Commanders
Current commander	Lt Col Erik Aufderheide
Aircraft flown
Tanker	KC-135 Stratotanker

The 72d Air Refueling Squadron (72 ARS) is a United States Air Force Reserve squadron, assigned to the 434th Operations Group, stationed at Grissom Joint Air Reserve Base, Indiana.

The 72d Air Refueling Squadron's primary mission is to provide Global Reach by force extending through aerial refueling operations for the United States Military and its allies. Additionally the unit is tasked with aeromedical evacuation support, airlift, and passenger transport.

The 72d Air Refueling Squadron originated as the 72d Troop Carrier Squadron on 3 January 1943. The squadron was activated on 9 February 1943 at Alliance Army Airfield, Nebraska assigned to the 434th Troop Carrier Group. In September 1943 equipped with C-47s, the unit moved to Fort Wayne, Indiana at Baer Field, which today is the Fort Wayne International Airport. Shortly thereafter the squadron deployed to the European theatre in support of the Allied Forces in World War II. During its World War II tour in the European Theater of Operations, the squadron staged out of Fullbeck, England, Aldermaston and finally out of Mourmelon-le-Grand, France. It participated in airborne assaults on Normandy, the Netherlands, and Germany and the relief of Bastogne. It was credited with participation in the Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace, and Central Europe campaigns. It earned the Distinguished Unit Citation and French Croix de Guerre with Palm for its participation in the airborne assault on Normandy, and later earned the French Fourragere. In addition to the C-47, the squadron also flew Horsa gliders, as well as CG-4 gliders during the war. After the war the 72d returned to Baer Field, in August 1945 and then back to Alliance Army Airfield in September 1945. In October 1945 the unit moved to George Field, Illinois, and finally in February 1946 it moved to Greenville AAB, SC where it was inactivated on 31 July 1946. On 1 August 1947 the unit was re-activated as the 72d Troop Carrier Squadron in the Reserves at Baer Field, IN. It was assigned to the 434th Troop Carrier Group, equipped with C-47s.