The KC-135 first flew on August 31, 1956, becoming the U.S. military’s first all-jet aerial refueling aircraft. It remains an active part of the tanker fleet while the Air Force continues to introduce the KC-46 Pegasus.
For seven decades, the KC-135 has extended the range of U.S. and allied aircraft through aerial refueling. Its operational record has depended on generations of pilots, boom operators, maintainers and support personnel.
Retired Gen. Carlton D. Everhart II, a former commander of Air Mobility Command, said: “The KC-135 is a true power-projection platform that allows us to overcome the tyranny of distance. It remains essential to our global mobility, and its enduring legacy is a testament to the thousands of Airmen who have maintained and flown it over the decades.”
Former and serving KC-135 personnel attended the event alongside their families, local community members and retired Air Force general officers. The Altus Boom Association also held its annual ceremony honoring fallen aerial refueling boom operators.
The names of Tech. Sgt. Ashley Pruitt and Master Sgt. Tyler Simmons of Zeus 95 were added to the memorial in Wings of Freedom Park. They were the first boom operators added to the memorial since 2013.
Staff Sgt. Sage Ledet, president of the Altus Boom Association, said: “By adding the names of Tech Sgt. Pruitt and Master Sgt. Simmons to this memorial, we ensure their sacrifice is never forgotten. We carry their memory, along with that of all fallen boom operators, on every flight.”
The anniversary event included KC-135 simulators and static displays of the KC-135, KC-46 Pegasus and C-17 Globemaster III. The simulators reflected Air Education and Training Command’s use of advanced technologies to prepare mission-ready mobility crews.
Altus has hosted KC-135 training since 1957 and opened its dedicated training school in 1994. The 97th Air Mobility Wing has trained thousands of pilots and boom operators to sustain the fleet’s operational role.
Chief Master Sgt. Jonny Adams, command chief of the 97th Air Mobility Wing, said: “The KC-135 is an incredible aircraft, but it is the dedication of our Airmen—those who fly, fix, and support it—that truly keeps this mission in the air, and have done so for seven remarkable decades. Their professionalism, resilience, and commitment deliver global mobility to the Joint Warfighters whenever and wherever the nation calls.”
