197th Air Refueling Squadron

197th Air Refueling Squadron
File:197th Air Refueling Squadron emblem.jpg 197th Air Refueling Squadron Emblem
Active	19??-Present
Country	United States
Branch	Air National Guard
Type	Squadron
Role	Air Refueling
Part of	Arizona Air National Guard
Garrison/HQ	Sky Harbor Air National Guard Base, Phoenix, Arizona.
Nickname(s)	Copperheads
Aircraft flown
Tanker	KC-135 Stratotanker

The 197th Air Refueling Squadron (197 ARS) is a unit of the Arizona Air National Guard 161st Air Refueling Wing located at Sky Harbor Air National Guard Base, Phoenix, Arizona. The 197th is equipped with the KC-135R Stratotanker.

History

Lineage

• Constituted as 412th Fighter Squadron on 25 May 1943

Activated on 15 Aug 1943

Inactivated on 7 Nov 1945

• Re-designated: 197th Fighter Squadron and allotted to Arizona ANG on 24 May 1946

Extended federal recognition on 12 Dec 1946

Federalized and placed on active duty, 1 February 1951

Released from active duty and returned to Arizona state control, 1 November 1952

Re-designated: 197th Fighter-Bomber Squadron on 1 Nov 1952

Re-designated: 197th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron on 1 Mar 1954

Federalized and placed on active duty, 1 November 1961

Released from active duty and returned to Arizona state control, 15 August 1962

Re-designated: 197th Air Transport Squadron on 1 Oct 1962

Re-designated: 197th Military Airlift Squadron on 1 Jan 1966

Re-designated: 197th Aeromedical Transport Squadron on 16 Aug 1968

Re-designated: 197th Military Airlift Squadron on 1 Dec 1969

Re-designated: 197th Air Refueling Squadron on 1 Aug 1972

Assignments

• 373d Fighter Group, 15 Aug 1943-7 Nov 1945
• Arizona Air National Guard, 12 Dec 1946

Gained by: Fourth Air Force, Continental Air Command

• 127th Pilot Training Wing, 1 Feb 1951-1 Nov 1952
• Arizona Air National Guard, 1 November 1952

Gained by: Tactical Air Command

Gained by: 34th Air Division, Air Defense Command, 1 March 1954

• 161st Fighter-Interceptor Group, 2 Oct 1957
• 161st Air Transport Group, 1 Oct 1962
• 161st Military Airlift Group, 8 Jan 1966
• 161st Aero Medical Airlift Group, 16 Aug 1968
• 161st Military Airlift Group, 1 Dec 1969
• 161st Air Refueling Group, 1 Aug 1972-Present.

Stations

• Westover Field, Massachusetts, 15 August 1943
• Norfolk Airport, Virginia, 23 October 1943
• Richmond Army Air Base, Virginia, 15 February – 15 March 1944
• RAF Woodchurch (AAF-419), England, 4 April – 4 July 1944
• Tour-en-Bessin Airfield (A-13), France, 19 July 1944
• Saint James Airfield (A-29), France, 19 August 1944
• Reims/Champagne Airfield (A-62), France, 19 September 1944
• Le Culot Airfield (A-89), Belgium, 22 October 1944
• Venlo Airfield (Y-55), Netherlands, 11 March 1945

• Lippstadt Airfield (Y-98), Germany, 20 April 1945
• AAF Station Illesheim, Germany, 20 May–July 1945
• Sioux Falls Army Air Field, South Dakota, 4 August 1945
• Seymour Johnson Field, North Carolina, 20 August 1945
• Mitchel Field, New York, 28 September – 7 November 1945
• Luke Field, AZ, 12 Dec 1946
• Sky Harbor IAP, AZ, 1 Nov 1952

Designated: Sky Harbor Air National Guard Base, 1991-Present

Operated from: Ramstein AB, West Germany, Nov 1961-15 Aug 1962

Aircraft

• P-47 Thunderbolt, 1943–1945
• F-51D, 1947-1950, 1952-1954
• F-84B 1950-1951
• F-84E/G, 1951-1952
• F-86A, 1954-1958
• F-86L, 1958-1960

• F-104A/B, 1960-1962
• C-97G, 1962-1972
• KC-97L, 1972-1977
• KC-135A, 1977-1982
• KC-135E, 1982-2007
• KC-135R, 2007-Present

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

• 197th Air Refueling Squadron lineage and history
• Cornett, Lloyd H; Johnson, Mildred W (1980). A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization, 1946 - 1980. Peterson AFB, CO: Office of History, Aerospace Defense Center.
• Mauer, Mauer (1969), Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II, Air Force Historical Studies Office, Maxwell AFB, Alabama. ISBN 0-89201-097-5