74th Air Refueling Squadron

74thAir Refueling Squadron
74th Air Refueling Squadron Patch
Active	9 February 1943 – 31 July 1946 15 March 1947 – 2 May 1951 1 August 1992 - Present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Aerial refueling
Part of	Air Force Reserve Command 4th Air Force 434th Air Refueling Wing 434th Operations Group
Garrison/HQ	Grissom Joint Air Reserve Base
Engagements	Operation Overlord Operation Market Garden Battle of the Bulge Operation Plunder
Decorations	DUC AFOUA French CdG w/ Palm French Fourragère
Aircraft flown
Tanker	KC-135 Stratotanker

The 74th Air Refueling Squadron (74 ARS) is a United States Air Force Reserve squadron, assigned to the 434th Operations Group, stationed at Grissom Joint Air Reserve Base, Indiana.

The 74th ARS operates the KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft conducting aerial refueling missions.

Established in early 1943 as a C-47 Skytrain transport squadron under First Air Force, later trained under I Troop Carrier Command in the eastern United States. Deployed to England in late 1943, being assigned to Ninth Air Force in England, IX Troop Carrier Command to participate in the buildup of forces prior to the Allied landings in France during D-Day in June 1944.

Engaged in combat operations by dropping paratroops into Normandy on D-Day (6 June 1944) and releasing gliders with reinforcements on the following day. The unit received a Distinguished Unit Citation and a French citation for these missions.

After the Normandy invasion the squadron ferried supplies in the United Kingdom. The squadron also hauled food, clothing, medicine, gasoline, ordnance equipment, and other supplies to the front lines and evacuated patients to rear zone hospitals. It dropped paratroops near Nijmegen and towed gliders carrying reinforcements during the airborne attack on the Netherlands. In December, it participated in the Battle of the Bulge by releasing gliders with supplies for the 101st Airborne Division near Bastogne.