The 197th Air Refueling Squadron (197 ARS) is a unit of the Arizona Air National Guard 161st Air Refueling Wing located at Goldwater Air National Guard Base, Phoenix, Arizona. The 197th is equipped with the KC-135R Stratotanker. History World War II see: 373d Fighter Group for expanded World War II history Formed at Westover Field, Massachusetts, in August 1943. During World War II the 412th Fighter Squadron was assigned to the European Theater of Operations (ETO), Ninth Air Force in Western Europe. It was equipped with P-47 Thunderbolts. The 412th flew its first combat mission on 8 May 1944, a fighter sweep over Normandy. It then took part in preinvasion activities, e.g., escorting B-26 Marauders to attack airdromes, bridges and railroads in Occupied France. The squadron patrolled the air over the beachhead when the Allies launched the Normandy invasion on 6 June 1944, and hit troops, tanks, roads, fuel depots and other targets in the assault area until the end of the month. The 412th moved to the Continent in July 1944 where it struck railroads, hangars, boxcars, warehouses and other objectives to prevent reinforcements from reaching the front at St. Lo, where the Allies broke through on 25 July 1944. The squadron bombed such targets as troops in the Falaise-Argentan area in August 1944. During the Battle of the Bulge, December 1944 – January 1945, the 412th concentrated on the destruction of bridges, marshalling yards and highways. It flew reconnaissance missions to support ground operations in the Rhine Valley in March 1945, hitting airfields, motor transports, etc. The squadron continued tactical air operations until 4 May 1945. Returned to the United States and prepared for transfer to the Pacific Theater during the Summer of 1945, the Japanese Capitulation in August led to the squadron's inactivation in November 1945. Arizona Air National Guard The wartime 412th Fighter Squadron was reactivated and re-designated as the 197th Fighter Squadron, and was allotted to the Arizona Air National Guard, on 24 May 1946. It was organized at Luke AFB, Arizona and was extended federal recognition on 12 December 1946. The 197th Fighter Squadron was entitled to the history, honors, and colors of the 412th. The squadron was equipped with F-47D Thunderbolts and was allocated to the Fourth Air Force, Continental Air Command by the National Guard Bureau. During the Korean War, the 197th was federalized on 1 February 1951 and assigned to Air