page_title: 106th Air Refueling Squadron
section_title: Vietnam and late Cold War era
hierarchical_section_title: 106th Air Refueling Squadron / History / Alabama Air National Guard / Vietnam and late Cold War era
caption_attribution_description: English: RF-84 of the Alabama Air National Guard.
context_page_description: The 106th Air Refueling Squadron is a unit of the Alabama Air National Guard 117th Air Refueling Wing. It is assigned to Birmingham Air National Guard Base, Alabama and is equipped with the KC-135R Stratotanker aircraft.
  The squadron is a descendant organization of the World War I 106th Aero Squadron, established on 27 August 1917. It was reformed on 21 January 1922. After several designation changes, it was re-designated the 106th Observation Squadron on 16 January 1924 and is one of the 29 original National Guard Observation Squadrons of the United States Army National Guard formed before World War II.
context_section_description: After the squadron re-formed in Birmingham, the 106th TRS was again re-equipped with RF-84Fs from active-duty squadrons that were receiving the McDonnell RF-101 Voodoo.   It continued to fly the Thunderstreak reconnaissance aircraft throughout the 1960s.
  As the RF-84F was not used during the Vietnam War, the 117th TRG was not activated for duty in Southeast Asia, although some pilots from the 106th went through transition training to the RF-101C and RF-4C and were deployed for combat duty.
  In November 1971 the Thundersteaks were retired as they reached the end of their service life and the 117th TRG was chosen to be the first Air National Guard squadron to receive the RF-4C Phantom II tactical reconnaissance aircraft.   The squadron received aircraft directly being withdrawn from Southeast Asia as part of the United States pullout from the Vietnam War.
  At Nellis AFB, sixty-seven members of the 106th TRS obtained realistic combat training against the 64th Tactical Fighter Training Aggressor Squadron, equipped with F-5E Tiger II aggressor aircraft which simulated Soviet Air Force MiG-21 air defense fighters.
  Many awards were earned by the 117th; for having the best National Guard Publication; for achieving flying milestones; for service to the United States Secret Service; and for outstanding accomplishments on Operational Readiness Inspections. The 117th also earned awards for having the best ANG flying unit in the United States.
caption: Republic RF-84F-30-RE Thunderflash of the 106th TRS, Alabama Air National Guard, 52-7425
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