Photo By Airman 1st Class Patrick ONeill | A crew salutes a KC-135 Stratotanker at McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas, April 25,...... read more read more
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MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan. – McConnell is the home of 18 KC-135 Stratotankers. Each one has its own story to tell, but one in particular has made its name in history. A record breaker, war hero, and valued member of Team McConnell – Cherokee Rose left McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas, on Friday, April 25, 2025.
The aircraft that would later be named Cherokee Rose was delivered to the United States Air Force in April 1963. One of the last KC-135s to leave the production line, Rose arrived at its first duty station, Lockbourne Air Force Base, Ohio, in May 1963.
“The original Cherokee Rose was KC-135A 61-283, assigned to the 4137th Strategic Wing,” said Justin Vergati, 22nd Air Refueling Wing (ARW) historian. “The name ‘Cherokee Rose’ was tacked on to honor the state flower of Georgia.”
This designation transferred to aircraft 62-3554 when it arrived from Lockbourne to Robins AFB, Georgia, during the KC-135A to KC-135R conversion and was assigned to the 19th Air Refueling Group.
The aircraft carried the name through the Gulf War, and was involved in Operations RESTORE HOPE, RESTORE HOPE II, SUPPORT JUSTICE, SUPPORT HOPE (Rwanda Relief), UPHOLD DEMOCRACY, DENY FLIGHT, DELIBERATE FORCE, ASSURED RESPONSE (Liberia evacuation), and DESERT STRIKE.
The jet also earned its place in history during the Cold War, when it surpassed records established in 1981 by the Soviet Union. Cherokee Rose was assigned to the 19th ARW at Robins in 1988, when it set 16 different Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) "time to climb" records over five different altitudes.
Not only did this record-breaking event demonstrate the dominance of the United States’ air power, but it also gave the KC-135A’s younger brother a chance to prove itself.
Rose is a KC-135R, which is the second iteration of the airframe. The preexisting fleet of KC-135As was already 20 years old when the R-model was born. Converting the A-models to R-models was expensive, which made winning these climbing records an important benchmark for the new variant’s success.
More recently, Cherokee Rose flew to support multiple Global War on Terrorism operations, including ENDURING FREEDOM, IRAQI FREEDOM, FREEDOM’S SENTINEL, ODYSSY DAWN, and INHERENT RESOLVE, among others.
Cherokee Rose is a primary tanker, and it does the same job at McConnell as it always has done. Another unique aspect of this aircraft is that it is part of the Special Operations Air Refueling (SOAR) mission. It also makes a unique impact on those who have worked with it.
“Robins was my first duty assignment,” said Chief Master Sgt. Craig Webb, 22nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron Aircraft Maintenance Unit senior enlisted leader. “It is where I met the airplane. Robins is where the airplane set all the records. Then the Air Force decided to move and consolidate its tankers, and part of that was moving those SOAR tankers to McConnell.”
Webb had the choice to move to either Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina, or McConnell, and he chose to follow Cherokee Rose here.
Webb has been with Cherokee Rose for his entire 22-year career. He has seen the aircraft undergo several major repairs, like when the tail was struck by lightning and fell off. On its way home from Afghanistan, the cargo door flew open during takeoff.
“Through superior airmanship, the crew was able to turn the plane around and get it back on the ground,” Webb said. He was even there to see the aircraft’s iconic emblem painted on the nose.
Webb reflected upon the hard work of all the men and women supporting the aircraft, fixing it, and flying it. While Team McConnell is sad to see Cherokee Rose leave, Webb was able to reach out to the gaining base and assure that Rose is going to a good home.
Cherokee Rose is a symbol of valor. The 60-year commitment to maintaining and supporting this aircraft shows the magnitude of its importance to global mobility and the refueling mission. A record breaker, war hero, and valued asset the U.S. Air Force – Cherokee Rose will continue refueling the fight from another home.
| Date Taken: | 04.28.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 04.28.2025 10:18 |
| Story ID: | 496312 |
| Location: | MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, KANSAS, US |
| Web Views: | 40 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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