18th Air Refueling Squadron
The 18th Air Refueling Squadron is a United States Air Force Reserve squadron, assigned to the 931st Air Refueling Wing at McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas. It operates the Boeing KC-135R Stratotanker aircraft conducting air refueling missions. If mobilized the squadron would be gained by Air Mobility Command. The squadron was first activated during World War II as the 18th Transport Squadron. After training in the United States, the squadron deployed to the Mediterranean Theater of Operations, where, as the 18th Troop Carrier Squadron, it participated in all major airborne assault operations and earned a Distinguished  Unit Citation. From April until June of 1944, it deployed to the China Burma India Theater to augment forces in Burma. Following V-E Day, the squadron served under Air Transport Command in the Caribbean returning American soldiers to the United States. The squadron was again briefly active in the Caribbean area during the later 1940s. The squadron was active again from 1952, when it absorbed the resources of a reserve unit that had been mobilized for the Korean War. It was again active from 1961 until 1972, when it participated in military exercises, provided airlift, and trained aircrew for  deployment to Southeast Asia. Mission. The squadron operates the KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft, conducting aerial refueling missions. History. "During World War II the 18th flew airborne assaults on Sicily, Myitkyina, Burma, and Southern France in addition to supporting partisans in Northern Italy from January to May 1945 and conducting aerial transportation in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations (MTO) and briefly in the China-Burma-India Theater (CBI). It flew strategic and tactical airlift missions from 1948 to 1954 and 1962 to 1967. The squadron provided tactical airlift training for US and subsequently South Vietnamese pilots and crews from 1969 to 1972 . This unit has flown worldwide air refueling missions since 1995."