174th Air Refueling Squadron
Description
The 174th Air Refueling Squadron (174th ARS) is a unit of the Iowa Air National Guard 185th Air Refueling Wing. It is assigned to Sioux City Air National Guard Base, Iowa and is equipped with the KC-135R Stratotanker aircraft. Its role is for air refueling, nicknamed "Bats" and has been active since 1943. Its first combat mission was in February 1944, it gradually converted from escorting Eight Air Force heavy bombers to their fighter-bomber mode under Ninth Air Force. It was instrumental in determining the maximum bomb loads for the P-47.
