384th Air Refueling Squadron
The 384th Air Refueling Squadron is an active United States Air Force unit, stationed at Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington, where it is assigned to the 92d Operations Group and operates the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft conducting air refueling missions.
| 384th Air Refueling Squadron | |
|---|---|
KC-135 Stratotankers at McConnell AFB in 2014 | |
| Active | 1943–1946; 1955–1966; 1973–present |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | United States Air Force |
| Role | Air refueling |
| Part of | Air Mobility Command |
| Nickname(s) | Squarepatchers |
| Colors | Maroon/Silver |
| Engagements | European Theater of Operations Global War on Terror |
| Decorations | Distinguished Unit Citation Meritorious Unit Award Air Force Outstanding Unit Award French Croix de Guerre with Palm |
| Insignia | |
| 384th Air Refueling Squadron emblem | |
| 384th Air Refueling Squadron emblem (approved 30 June 1959) | |
| Patch with 584th Bombardment Squadron emblem | |
| World War II fuselage code | K5 |
The first predecessor of the squadron is the 584th Bombardment Squadron, a Martin B-26 Marauder unit that served in the European Theater of Operations, where it earned a Distinguished Unit Citation and a French Croix de Guerre with Palm. After V-E Day, it served with the occupation forces in Germany until inactivating in 1946.
The 384th was activated in 1955 at Westover Air Force Base, Massachusetts, where it served as a Strategic Air Command air refueling unit until inactivating in 1966. It was activated again in 1973 and has performed global refueling missions since then. The two squadrons were consolidated into a single unit in 1985.