The first predecessor of the squadron, the 28th Ferrying Squadron was activated at Hamilton Field, California in 1942. It soon moved to Long Beach Army Air Field, California, near the production facilities of Douglas Aircraft. It ferried aircraft within the United States until a major reorganization of the Army Air Forces in 1944 replaced the squadron and other Air Transport Command units at Long Beach with an AAF Base Unit. Shortly after this, the second predecessor of the squadron, the 328th Ferrying Squadron was activated in Italy to ferry aircraft in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations. It continued operations until shortly after the end of World War II, when it was inactivated. It was disbanded in October 1948.
During the Cold War, the 28th Air Refueling Squadron was assigned to the 28th Bombardment Wing at Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota. It was inactivated on 15 March 1994. The squadron was formed from the personnel and equipment of the 928th Air Refueling Squadron, which was simultaneously inactivated, on 1 October 1960. The 28th supported the 28th Bombardment Wing providing refueling to its Boeing B-52 Stratofortress aircraft with Boeing KC-135 Stratotankers between 1960 and the retirement of the wing's "Buffs" in 1990. In 1962, SAC organized four Post-Attack Command and Control System squadrons and equipped them with Boeing EB-47 Stratojets. The establishment of Boeing EC-135airborne command post aircraft at SAC headquarters and at each of its Numbered Air Forces resulted in the inactivation of the less capable B-47 units by 1965. The communications relay mission of the B-47 units was assumed by the 28th and 906th Air Refueling Squadrons, which received a variety of EC-135s for this mission. By the mid-1960s, improved accuracy of Soviet ballistic missiles made underground Minuteman missile launch control centers more vulnerable, so the Airborne Launch Control System was created to provide a survivable launch capability. The ALCS was eventually installed aboard all PACCS aircraft assigned to the 28th. Launch crews came from the 68th Strategic Missile Squadron. In April 1970, the squadron's ALCS aircraft were transferred to the new 4th Airborne Command and Control Squadron at Ellsworth. In 1985 the 28th Air Refueling Squadron was consolidated with the 28th Ferrying Squadron and the 328th Ferrying Squadron. The 28th continued its air refueling mission as part of the 28th Operations Group at Ellsworth until Strategic Air Command was inactivated in June 1992. The squadron was reassigned to the 43d Operations Group of Air Mobility Command at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana until 1994.
The squadron was reactivated as a provisional KC-135 organization as part of the Global War on Terrorism approximately 2002. The squadron has taken part in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. It may have inactivated in 2006. The squadron was reactivated under the command of LtCol. Menola Guthrie and joined the 379th Expeditionary Operations Group at Al Udeid Air Base.
Lineage
28th Ferrying Squadron
Constituted as the 28th Ferrying Squadron c. 9 July 1942
Reconstituted on 19 September 1985 and consolidated with the 328th Ferrying Squadron and 928th Air Refueling Squadron as the 928th Air Refueling Squadron
328th Ferrying Squadron
Constituted as the 328th Ferrying Squadron
Reconstituted on 19 September 1985 and consolidated with the 28th Ferrying Squadron and 928th Air Refueling Squadron as the 928th Air Refueling Squadron
28th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron
Constituted as the 28th Air Refueling Squadron, Heavy on 19 April 1960 and activated
Consolidated on 19 September 1985 with the 28th Ferrying Squadron and 328th Ferrying Squadron
Assignments
Domestic Wing, Air Transport Command: 10 July 1942
6th Ferrying Group: September 1942 – 31 March 1944
Mediterranean Air Transport Service: c. 1 June 1944 – c. June 1946
Strategic Air Command: 19 April 1960
28th Bombardment Wing: 1 October 1960
28th Operations Group: 1 September 1991
43d Operations Group: 1 June 1992 – 15 May 1994
Air Mobility Command to activate or inactivate as needed, 12 June 2002
