When Did The KC-135 Retire?

As recently as 2022, there was a quintet of US military aircraft that were still doggedly soldiering on after 50+ years of faithful service to the US Air Force and/or Navy. This high-flying pantheon consisted of the B-52 Stratofortress (AKA the “B.U.F.F.”), the C-130 Hercules, the U-2 spy plane (affectionately known to her pilots as “The Dragon Lady.”), the P-3 Orion, and last but not least, the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker.