46th Air Refueling Squadron The 46th Air Refueling Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit . It was last assigned to the 410th Operations Group , stationed at K . I . Sawyer AFB , Michigan . It was inactivated on 8 October 1993 . History . The 46th Ferrying Squadron , Air Transport Command , was activated on December 2 , 1942 at Wadi Seidna Airport , Anglo - Egyptian Sudan . The 46th was assigned to the 13th Ferrying Group who assigned area took in the territory from El Geneine , Anglo - Egyptian Sudan , to Karachi , India ( now Pakistan ) , and from Cairo , Egypt , to Tehran , Iran . The 46th was responsible for the aerial transportation of personnel , supplies and mail throughout this area . The squadron was redesignated the 46th Transport Squadron on March 24 , 1943 . With the reorganization of the Africa Middle East Wing ( AMEW ) , the 46th was disbanded on September 30 , 1943 when the group and squadron organizations of the Central African Sector ( CAS ) were disbanded and replaced by stations . The 13th Transport Group , its assigned squadrons , and all personnel and equipment were absorbed by the newly created ATC Station # 20 , AMEW - ATC , Khartoum . Reconstituted and redesignated the 46th Air Transport Squadron , Medium , Military Air Transport Service . The 46th began operations at Kelly AFB , Texas , in July 1954 . The 46th operated primarily as a training squadron until April 1955 , at which time it became a full strength squadron . The primary mission of the 46th was to provide air movement of personnel and supplies over almost two - thirds of the globe as designated by higher headquarters . The secondary mission was to train new Military Air Transport Service ( MATS ) personnel and to make them an integral part of the squadron . The 46th Air Transport Squadron inactivated on April 8 , 1956 . When the 923rd Air Refueling Squadron , Heavy , was discontinued and inactivated on April 1 , 1961 , the 46th Air Refueling Squadron , Heavy , was organized and gained the mission , personnel , and equipment of the 923rd . Stationed at K . I . Sawyer Air Force Base , Michigan the 46th flew regular , reflex , alert , and training refueling missions ; its tankers refueled TAC fighters being deployed or rotated overseas , and those returning to the United States . Aircrews of the 46th were deployed to assist in refueling operations during the Cuban Missile Crisis ; it also sent aircraft and crews to Southeast Asia to support combat missions of SAC bombers and TAC fighters . The 46th deployed aircraft and crews for tanker task forces operating out of Alaska , Spain , Labrador , and in the Great Lakes region . The squadron maintained operational readiness to conduct air refueling operations with the KC - 135A Stratotanker as specified by higher headquarters until its inactivation . The squadron commanders of the 46th Air Refueling Squadron from activation to inactivation were : Winfred H . Meibohm , C . Hunter Smith * * , Laurence Maher , Jr * * , Ronald L . Brumbaugh * * , Wilson W . Howard * * , Samuel E . Dyke * * , Bertram G . Brunner * * , Edward G . Palm * * , Martin D . Klena , Frank Elliott * * , Alvin W . Langford , Donald D . Luenenberg * * , Richard E . Ring , Donald S . Croston , Richard L . Trail , Robert L . Hohman , Ronald B . Childers , Dale R . Liesch , William G . Manire , Richard W . Salsbury , William E . Rutter , Brian W . Horst , Russell Deming , James Nakauchi Inactivated in 1993 as part of the post Cold War drawdown of the USAF and inactivation of the parent 410th Bombardment Wing and closure of K . I . Sawyer AFB , MI .