USAF Patch Air Refueling d 4050 AREFW Air Refueling Wing u AEMRON

USAF Patch 4050 AREFW Air Refueling Wing AEMRON Armament and Electronic Maintenance Squadron 1950s KC 97 KC 135 Stratotanker Westover AFB Embroidered on twill cut edge 115mm by 103mm four and one half inches by four inches.

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Squadron History 

4050 Air Refueling Wing was activated by Strategic Air Command at Westover Air Force Base Massachusetts on 1 April 1955 at the same time as the base was transferred from Military Air Transport Service to SAC. 4050 AREFW was assigned to Eighth Air Force and became the host organization for Westover AFB. The Wing with newly activated 4060 AREFW at Dow AFB formed the Westover Dow Tanker Task Force to provide sustained air to air refueling operations for Eighth Air Force B 47s transiting the Atlantic from either the United States or returning from SAC’s Reflex bases in Europe and North Africa.

The Wing was assigned the newly activated 384 Air Refueling Squadron and 26 Air Refueling Squadron previously located at Lockbourne AFB equipped with KC 97 Stratotankers three maintenance squadrons and an air base group.

With the arrival of 99 Bombardment Wing transitioning from B 36 to B 52 bombers at Westover AFB on 4 September 1956 4050 AREFW was reassigned from Eighth Air Force to 57 Air Division relinquished its base host responsibilities with 4050 Air Base Group inactivated and its personnel equipment and mission transferred to the Divisions 814 Air Base Group.

4050 Air Refueling Wing was assigned the newly activated 99 Air Refueling Squadron on 1 July 1957 which moved in from Turner AFB with its KC 135 Stratotanker aircraft in August to replace 26 Air Refueling Squadron which was reassigned to Plattsburgh AFB.

SAC assigned 4050 AREFW responsibility for SAC air refueling squadrons in forward positions in the mid Atlantic at bases hosted by other Major Commands with 305 Air Refueling Squadron reassigned to the wing in January 1960 the when it moved from MacDill AFB Florida to McGuire AFB New Jersey and 11 Air Refueling Squadron at Dover AFB Delaware in June 1960. In addition 19 Air Refueling Squadron at Otis AFB Massachusetts was assigned to the Wing in April 1960 on the inactivation of 4060 Air Refueling Wing at Dow AFB Maine. With five Air Refueling Squadrons assigned the 4050 AREFW became the largest operational wing in SAC.

The Wing was assigned 303 Air Refueling Squadron at Kindley AFB Bermuda in April 1961 and transferred 19 AREFS to 4038 Strategic Wing at the same time.

SAC received authority to discontinue its Major Command Controlled MAJCON four digit unit designations in order to provide a sustained lineage and history for its units utilising inactive bombardment units with illustrious World War II records.

4050 Air Refueling Wing was redesignated 499 Air Refueling Wing on 1 January 1963.

This patch dates from the 1950s