The
46th Ferrying Squadron,
Air Transport Command, was activated on 2 December 1942 at
Wadi Seidna Airport, Anglo-Egyptian Sudan. The 46th was assigned to the 13th Ferrying Group which was responsible for a region spanning
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 24 March 1943. With the reorganization of the Africa Middle East Wing, the 46th was disbanded on 30 September 1943 when the group and squadron organizations of the Central African Sector were disbanded and replaced by stations. The 13th Transport Group, its assigned squadrons, and all personnel and equipment were absorbed by the newly created Station 20, Africa Middle East Wing at
Khartoum. Reconstituted and redesignated the
46th Air Transport Squadron, Medium,
Military Air Transport Service (MATS). The 46th began operations at
Kelly Air Force Base, 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 MATS personnel and to make them an integral part of the squadron. The 46th Air Transport Squadron inactivated on 8 April 1956. When the
923d Air Refueling Squadron was discontinued and inactivated on 1 April 1961, the
46th Air Refueling Squadron, Heavy was organized and gained the mission, personnel, and equipment of the 923d. Stationed at
K.I. Sawyer Air Force Base, Michigan the 46th flew regular, reflex, alert, and training refueling missions; its tankers refueled
Tactical Air Command 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
Boeing KC-135A Stratotanker as specified by higher headquarters until its inactivation. 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. ==Lineage==