page_title: 911th Air Refueling Squadron
section_title: Inter-war years
hierarchical_section_title: 911th Air Refueling Squadron / History / Inter-war years
caption_attribution_description: English: 21st Reconnaissance Squadron - B-18 Bolo at Miami Municipal Airport, Florida, 1940
context_page_description: The 911th Air Refueling Squadron is part of the 916th Air Refueling Wing at Seymour Johnson AFB, North Carolina. The squadron is the Air Force's very first active duty squadron that is under the command of a reserve wing. In October 2016, the 911th, formerly geographically separated from the 6th Air Mobility Wing at MacDill AFB, FL and operated as the active duty associate to the 916th Air Refueling Wing, became the first "I-Wing" or Integrated Wing.
  The squadron is one of the oldest in the United States Air Force. Its origins date to 15 May 1917, when it was organized at Kelly Field, Texas. The 21st Aero Squadron served in France as part of the 3d Aviation Instructional Center, American Expeditionary Forces, as a pilot training squadron during World War I.
  The squadron was activated as the 21st Observation Squadron in 1923, but received few, if any, personnel before being disbanded in 1933. In 1935 a new 21st Observation Squadron was organized at Langley Field, Virginia. In 1939, it moved to Florida and began to fly Neutrality Patrol missions over the adjacent waters.
  After the attack on Pearl Harbor it flew antisubmarine patrols in the Gulf of Mexico and off the Atlantic Coast.
context_section_description: On 24 March 1923, the 21st Aero Squadron was reconstituted as the 21st Observation Squadron of the United States Army Air Service. The Army activated the unit as a "Regular Army Inactive" squadron, meaning that although it was a Regular Army unit, it was manned with reserve personnel. It was assigned to the 9th Observation Group in the Sixth Corps Area. The 21st's designated Active Associate unit was the 15th Observation Squadron, at Chanute Field, Illinois, which was also its designated mobilization station. In 1927 it was withdrawn from the Sixth Corps Area and reassigned to the Fourth Corps Area. Its designated mobilization station during this period was Carlstrom Field, Florida, a training field. In 1928, it was moved to the Eighth Corps Area at Dodd Field, Texas, which was also designated as its mobilization station.   It was not organized at Dodd and it was disbanded on 1 October 1933.
  The 21st Observation Squadron (Long Range Amphibian) was activated on 1 March 1935 at Bolling Field, District of Columbia and was assigned to the 2d Wing.  In 1936 it was consolidated with the earlier 21st Observation Squadron. The 21st Observation Squadron flew light reconnaissance aircraft in support of Army maneuvers primarily in northern Virginia.  The squadron operated land-based aircraft as well as amphibian seaplanes using the Potomac River for landings and takeoffs.   In 1936 it moved to Langley Field, Virginia and was equipped with heavier attack aircraft as well as medium bombers.
  The squadron was redesignated a long range reconnaissance squadron and received early model Boeing B-17C/D Flying Fortresses and Douglas B-18 Bolos in 1939.  It moved to the 36th Street Airport, Miami, Florida, where it was attached to the Navy and began to fly Neutrality Patrol, sea search, and weather reconnaissance missions.  It operated from several locations along the Atlantic Coast, flying coastal patrol missions.  On 3 September 1941 it was attached to the 29th Bombardment Group at MacDill Field, Florida, flying antisubmarine patrols from various locations in south Florida over the Gulf of Mexico and the Florida Straits along the Atlantic Coast.
caption: Squadron members and a B-18 Bolo of the 21st Reconnaissance Squadron at Miami Municipal Airport, Florida, 1941
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