page_title: 340th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron
section_title: Strategic Air Command
hierarchical_section_title: 340th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron / History / Strategic Air Command
caption_attribution_description: Boeing B-47A Stratojet 49-1902 refueled by Boeing KC-97. (U.S. Air Force photo)
context_page_description: The 340th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron is a provisional United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the 379th Expeditionary Operations Group at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar. It has supported combat operations in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria from this location.
  The squadron was first activated during World War II as the 340th Fighter Squadron, a Republic P-47 Thunderbolt unit that engaged in combat in the Southwest Pacific Theater, where it earned two Distinguished Unit Citations for action in the Philippines. Following V-J Day, it served in the occupation forces in Japan until inactivating in 1946.
  The 340th Air Refueling Squadron was formed in 1952 at Castle Air Force Base, California, where it trained with the 93d Bombardment Wing. After becoming combat ready, it moved to Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, where it served with the 340th Bombardment Wing, a Strategic Air Command Boeing B-47 Stratojet wing, until inactivating in 1962. The squadron was consolidated with the 340th Fighter Squadron in 1985, but the combined squadron was not activated until being converted to provisional status as the 340th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron.
context_section_description: The 340th Air Refueling Squadron was activated on 20 October 1952 as part of the 340th Bombardment Wing, which was activated the same day.  However the squadron was activated at Castle Air Force Base, California where it drew its cadre from, and trained under the supervision of the 93d Bombardment Wing after receiving its initial manning in January 1953. It was not until January 1954 that it joined its parent wing at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri. The move to Whiteman was without personnel or equipment, with its planes and manpower being transferred to the 90th Air Refueling Squadron. When it arrived at Whiteman, the 340th Wing was just beginning to receive its aircraft and the squadron did not become operational again until August 1954.
  The squadron flew the Boeing KC-97 Stratofreighter, providing air refueling to USAF units until it was inactivated in October 1962.  In 1961, the squadron was selected to represent Second Air Force in Strategic Air Command's annual bombing competition.
caption: KC-97 refueling a B-47
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