22d Bombardment Squadron

22d Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron
376th Expeditionary Operations Group KC-135 at Manas
Active	1939–1945; 1950–1962; 1963–1989; 1992–2002; 2003–Present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Air Refueling
Role	Aerial Refueling
Garrison/HQ	Transit Center at Manas, Kyrgyz Republic
Nickname(s)	Mules
Engagements	South West Pacific Theatre of World War II China Burma India Theater of World War II War in Afghanistan
Decorations	Distinguished Unit Citation Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
Insignia
22d Air Refueling Squadron emblem (Approved 15 November 1994)
22d Air Refueling Squadron emblem (Approved 13 December 1960)
22d Bombardment Squadron emblem (Approved 19 March 1945)

The 22d Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron is a provisional United States Air Force unit, assigned to United States Air Forces Central. It is engaged in combat operations as part of the Global War on Terrorism in Afghanistan. Its current status and location are undetermined.

The squadron was previously designated as the 22d Air Refueling Squadron, and was an Air Mobility Command, Strategic Air Command, and Air Combat Command air refueling squadron, established in 1950.

During World War II, the 22d Bombardment Squadron was a heavy B-17 Flying Fortress and later, a medium B-25 Mitchell bomb squadron which fought in the Southwest Pacific and China-Burma-India theaters.

Formed in 1939 as a prewar bomb squadron, equipped with B-18 Bolos, later early model B-17 Flying Fortresses. Flew antisubmarine patrols off California coast, 8 December – c. 10 December 1941. Deployed to Southwest Pacific Theater and assigned to Fifth Air Force in Australia, engaging in combat, c. 13 January – c. 1 March 1942; detachment under control of United States Navy in combat from the Fiji Islands and Australia, 14 February – c. 14 March 1942. Surviving B-17 aircraft and personnel reassigned to other units in Australia, March 1942 and unit reassigned without personnel or equipment to the United States for re-equipping and remanning as medium bomber squadron.

Re-equipped as a B-25 Mitchell bomb squadron and deployed to Tenth Air Force for combat in the China-Burma-India theater, 14 December 1942 – 25 July 1945. Deployed to Karachi, India; Chakulia, India; and Yangkai, China. While in Calcutta, India, the unit converted to the A-26 Invader Attack Bomber. During World War II, the unit earned two Distinguished Unit Citations and participated in nine separate campaigns. Personnel demobilized in India after the war, and the 22d was inactivated as a paper unit in the United States in November 1945.