By Herb Harper
551st Strategic Missile Squadron Bombardment, Detachment IV 98th Veterans Association: 1949 - Present
98th AIR REFUELING SQUADRON
The 98th Air Refueling Squadron and the lineage of the MIGHTY FIGHTIN' WOODPECKERS has its beginning in 1942 as the 8th Reconnaissance Squadron. Shortly afterward, it was re-designated as the 398th Bomb Squadron and flew B-25 and B-26 bombers. It was disbanded in October 1943. In March 1944, it was reactivated as the 398th Bomb Squadron, Very Heavy, and flew B-17s. In December 1944 the 398th converted to B-29s, and moved to Tinian. The squadron earned five Distinguished Unit citations for their missions against Kamikaze bases on Okinawa and Japan. It was inactivated on 15 June 1946.
On 16 August 1950 the unit was reactivated as the 98th Air Refueling Squadron at Spokane Air Force Base, Washington and assigned to the 98th Bombardment Group, Medium, while flying the KB-29. It was inactivated again on 8 April 1952. From 1952 to 1963, the squadron was activated and deactivated several times and moved from base to base.
The 98th Air Refueling Squadron (SAC) was formed at Lincoln AFB, Nebraska in 1954. Made up of former members of the 55th ARS from Forbes AFB, Kansas.
On 23 March 1955, Walter Lantz Productions, Inc. authorized the use of WOODY WOODPECKER as the unit's emblem. The company "recreated" the character, carrying a gasoline can and copyrighted it for use by the squadron. NOTE: there might be some differences in the claim for the origin of the design of the Woody Woodpecker. It is contended that it come to Lincoln from the 55th ARS by one source.
In 1985, after 22 years of inactivation, the 98th ARS was reactivated and consolidated with the 398th Bombardment Squadron. It was re-designated the 98th Air Refueling Squadron, HEAVY on 19 September 1986 and then renamed the 98th Air Refueling Squadron on 1 April 1994 at Fairchild AFB, Washington, flying KC-135T aircraft. The 98th ARS was again deactivated in 1998.