421st Air Refueling Squadron

World War II The 421st Bombardment Squadron was activated on paper in March 1944 at Dalhart Army Air Field, Texas as a Boeing B-29 Superfortress very heavy bombardment squadron. Once the squadron competed training, it moved to North Field, Tinian in the Mariana Islands of the central Pacific area in January 1945 and became part of the XXI Bomber Command of Twentieth Air Force. and other points in the Carolines and Marianas. The squadron began combat missions over Japan on 25 February 1945, with a firebombing mission over northeast Tokyo. The 421st continued to participate in wide area firebombing attack, but the first ten-day blitz resulted in the command running out of incendiary bombs. After that, the squadron flew conventional bombing missions using high explosive bombs. The squadron earned two Distinguished Unit Citations for its attack on the industrial center of Yokohama in May 1945, and mining shipping lanes in the Shimonoseki Strait between Korea and Japan in July and August. The squadron inactivated and its mission was assumed by SAC Boeing KC-97 Stratofreighters and Boeing KC-135 Stratotankers. ==Lineage==

421st Bombardment Squadron • Constituted as 421st Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy on 28 February 1944 : Activated on 11 March 1944 : Inactivated on 15 June 1946 : Consolidated on 19 September 1985 with 421st Air Refueling Squadron as the 421st Air Refueling Squadron (remained inactive) 421st Air Refueling Squadron • Constituted c. 1 July 1953 as 421st Air Refueling Squadron, Medium : Activated on 8 July 1953 : Redesignated as 421st Air Refueling Squadron, Fighter-Bomber : Redesignated as 421st Air Refueling Squadron, Tactical on 1 July 1958 : Inactivated on 18 February 1965 : Consolidated on 19 September 1985 with 421st Bombardment Squadron as the 421st Air Refueling Squadron, Heavy Assignments • 504th Bombardment Group, 11 March 1944 – 15 June 1946 Stations • Dalhart Army Air Field, Texas, 11 March 1944 • Fairmont Army Air Field, Nebraska, 12 March-5 November 1944 • North Field, Tinian, Mariana Islands, 23 December 1944 • Clark Field, Luzon, Philippines, 13 March 1946 – 15 June 1946 • Yokota Air Base, Japan, 8 July 1953 – 18 February 1965 Aircraft • Boeing B-29 Superfortress, 1944–1946 • Boeing KB-29M Superfortress, 1954–1955 • Boeing KB-50J Superfortress, 1955–1965 Awards and campaigns == References ==