72nd ARS adds campaign streamers Published March 14, 2006 By Capt. Brian Thompson 72nd Air Refueling Squadron Grissom Air Reserve Base, Ind -- The 72nd Air Refueling Squadron recently honored its history by having all of the unit's earned campaign and award streamers added to its squadron guidon. The commander of the 72nd, Lt. Col. Laen August, displayed the newly adorned unit flag to the troops during the March UTA. "I've been in the unit for over ten years and knew about all of the squadron's achievements during that time, but I knew virtually nothing about the 72nd's history before that." said Colonel August. "One of my goals as a new Commander was to become more familiar with our squadron's legacy and pass that on to the unit's members." As it turns out that history is pretty impressive. The 72 ARS traces its lineage back to the 72nd Troop Carrier Squadron that was formed during WWII flying C-47's. The unit fought in every major combat action in the European Theatre of Operations including the airborne assaults for the D-Day Invasion. Following the WWII victory, the unit returned to the states and flew C-119 "Boxcars" through the 50's and 60's. "The squadron also fought during the air campaigns of the Vietnam War as the 72nd Tactical Airlift Squadron and won battle honors for that conflict as well," said Colonel August. After a brief stint as a Special Operations Squadron in the mid -1970's flying A-37's, the unit was re-designated in 1977 as the 72nd Air Refueling Squadron, Heavy, flying KC-135 A's. The unit was transferred to the Air Force Reserve in 1978 and ultimately renamed the 72 Air Refueling Squadron, and remains so today flying KC-135 R's. During its illustrious history the 72nd has earned many award, campaign and battle streamers. "When I started researching the history of the unit, I was blown away. I thought - I've got to get this information to our folks and let them know what a special organization they are a part of,” explained Colonel August. “Coincidently, while I was talking to the AFRC historian about this, he informed me that our squadron had earned all of these battle honors and that the unit was entitled to display these on our flag.” "I couldn't think of a better way to share what I had learned about the squadron's history with our members than to get those streamers and put them on our flag,” he added. Shortly after that the commander procured the streamers for his unit's flag and there they proudly fly; a symbol of the unit's dedication and sacrifice. In all the 72nd has earned 22 streamers including many from WWII, Vietnam, Desert Storm, Kosovo and the Global War on Terror. "As I said to our folks, I don't think you can really know where you're going unless you know where you've been. Now, everyone in the 72 ARS knows a little more about the legacy of our unit and can have pride in the fact that they are part of an elite and historic Air Force flying squadron,” concluded Colonel August.
