The story of the 79th Air Refueling Squadron began on the beaches of Normandy and continues today in the skies of the Pacific. From dropping paratroopers in 1944 to leading today’s KC-46A Pegasus modernization efforts, Reserve Airmen of the 79th carry forward a legacy of innovation, lethality, and service that has endured for more than 80 years.
Part of the 349th Air Mobility Wing at Travis Air Force Base, California, the “Fightin’ 79th” embodies the Air Force Reserve’s heritage and its future. By pioneering KC-46A night vision operations, launching self-directed Agile Combat Employment training, and reconnecting with its D-Day roots through the restoration of the Night Fright C-47, the squadron demonstrates how Reserve Airmen honor the past while modernizing for the next fight.
That legacy was on full display in May 2025, when squadron members walked the same runway at Royal Air Force Membury where their predecessors launched into history on D-Day. Today, the squadron’s KC-46A Pegasus tankers look very different from the C-47s that once flew over Normandy, but the mission is the same: deliver combat power when the nation calls.
FORGED IN HISTORY
The 79th traces its warrior DNA to June 6, 1944, when the 79th Troop Carrier Squadron dropped paratroopers of the 101st Airborne Division over Normandy. One of those aircraft, nicknamed 'Night Fright', was nearly lost to history until a group of dedicated restoration experts in the United Kingdom began returning it to flying condition
In May 2025, 79th ARS Reserve Airmen had the rare chance to step inside that aircraft during a heritage visit to England. For many, it was a moment of living history.
“When we visited the old RAF Membury runway where the 79th launched from the UK on D-Day— and walked inside the 79th’s D-Day operated C-47 nicknamed Night Fright—we were able to touch living history and further reinforce the inspiration that our warrior Reserve Airmen appreciate,” said Lt. Col. John R. Cuellar, 79th ARS commander.
Charlie Walker, owner of the aircraft, called the restoration “a living, breathing, flying memorial.” He and his team expect Night Fright to return to the skies by 2026, with a standing invitation to appear at the Travis AFB Air Show on April 25–26.
That return will connect the community, the unit, and the public with a tangible reminder of the sacrifices and warrior ethos that continue to shape the 79th today.
RESERVE AIRMEN IN TODAY’S FIGHT
Heritage alone is not enough. For the 79th, legacy is the foundation for innovation.
“As Reserve Airmen we juggle our family time, civilian jobs, and Air Force careers,” Cuellar said. “Our adversaries do not care if we are part time. At the 79th, we understand it’s our job to be ready to execute at the highest levels regardless of what status we are on.”
That mindset has carried into the KC-46A Pegasus era. The 79th became the first Air Reserve Component squadron to qualify and maintain Night Vision Goggle operations on the new tanker—a critical capability for surviving and fighting in contested environments.
“It wasn’t about accolades or being called ‘the first,’” Cuellar said. “It was about being able to provide a combat credible, effective, and survivable force to bolster strategic deterrence— and if called upon like the 79th was on D-Day, defeat our adversaries.”
BREAKING BARRIERS WITH NVG TRAINING
Lt. Col. Gregg Boulanger, an instructor pilot and chief of training, was the first Reserve Airman in AFRC to complete the KC-46 night vision goggle Academic Instructor Course. His qualification allowed him to train not only Reserve Airmen, but also active-duty partners at Travis.
“Lt. Col. Boulanger is not only training Reserve Airmen but also training the active duty on NVGs,” said Cuellar. “He went from being a Reserve Airman to embodying that Total Force model. It really shows one Team Travis, one fight.”
Senior Master Sgt. Mike Parks, a boom operator with the 79th, called the transition bold and necessary. “To go into a new airframe with a new mindset and new operation of reality, bold steps must be taken,” he said. “The focus in this squadron has been about taking those bold steps in areas that are tactically relevant.”
Chief Master Sgt. Matthew Fisher, senior enlisted leader, summed up the squadron’s approach: “The 79th is not just blocking and tackling—we’re pushing beyond the basics to fully leverage the weapon system’s capabilities, to include NVGs. Even while still in conversion, the 79th is setting the standard and leading AFRC.”
INNOVATION THROUGH “BELLEROPHON WAYFINDER”
That willingness to take risks and “fail forward” led to an entirely new type of exercise for the squadron.
In 2025, the 79th launched Bellerophon Wayfinder, a self-initiated Agile Combat Employment event named after the mythological hero who tamed Pegasus. The exercise brought together Reserve maintainers from the 749th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, aeromedical specialists from the active-duty 60th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron, and survival specialists from the 60th Operations Support Squadron.
Maj. Michael Warzinski, the mission commander and squadron liaison with the Royal Australian Air Force, emphasized the importance of coalition integration. “Being able to land on a remote island airfield, ruck to establish a camp site with a small footprint, rest, refuel, and then fly thousands of miles to join up on-time with the Royal Australian Air Force for a mid-mission refueling of their fighters and electronic attack aircraft all on the premise of a squadron training sortie proves our mate ship and integration capabilities,” he said.
“Our team decided that if we claim to be the gateway to the Pacific, we need to truly explore and own the Pacific,” Cuellar said. That vision was carried forward by Lt. Col. Mark Garrison, the aircraft commander, along with planners Tech. Sgt. Matthew Johnson, Staff Sgt. Samuel Nolan, and Master Sgt. Glenn Brakel.
Johnson noted that the personal connections were as important as the operational achievements. "The only part of the mission that outshined the training accomplishments were the relationships built both between our different Travis Squadrons and with our RAAF friends down under," he said.
Together, the team designed an island-hopping campaign that took Reserve and active-duty Airmen to Wake Island where they camped in tents while conducting water survival and Aeromedical Evacuation training, trained with Royal Australian Air Force EA-18G Growler crews off the coast of Brisbane, and integrated into Australia’s ANZAC Day commemorations. They conducted special fueling operations in American Samoa and returned to Travis with NVG landings at night.
None of it came from higher headquarters tasking. The idea started in the squadron’s heritage room during a conversation about what ACE in the Pacific might look like.
“That warrior spirit, ingenuity, and proactive problem solving can be traced back to the 79th origins of WWII,” Cuellar said. “It’s derived from a need, not a luxury.”
HONORING THE PAST, READY FOR THE FUTURE
For Col. Joseph C. Romeo, 349th Operations Group commander, the lesson is clear: heritage, innovation, and Reserve Airmen culture are inseparable.
“Our Reserve Airmen are the connective tissue between past and future,” Romeo said. “From Normandy to night vision, the 79th has always answered the call. Their heritage reminds us of what’s at stake, and their modernization ensures we remain ready to fight tonight.”
These efforts reflect the Air Force Reserve’s enduring value: Ready Now! and Transforming for the Future. Reserve Airmen bring surge capacity, experience, and lethality at one-third the cost of the active component. Nearly 70 percent arrive with prior service experience, providing depth and expertise that strengthens Joint and Total Force integrated operations. Exercises like Bellerophon Wayfinder demonstrate how international partnerships and Reserve-led ACE training ensure the survivability of aircraft and crews in a near-peer fight—proof that the Reserve is efficient, experienced, accessible, and lethal.
The squadron’s journey—from Night Fright to the KC-46A Pegasus—underscores the Air Force Reserve’s enduring value. As the Travis community looks ahead to the 2026 air show and the return of a D-Day legend, the 79th continues to live its creed: Always Ready, Always Lethal, with Excellence in Reserve!