36th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron
Encyclopedia
The 36th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron is the former designation of an active unit, the 36th Intelligence Squadron, of the United States Air Force
. Its current assignment is to the Air Force Targeting Center based at Langley AFB, VA. The text that follows describes the unit's history and lineage from its constitution in 1942 to its inactivation in 1946.
During World War II
, the squadron operated primarily in the Southwest Pacific Theater, providing aerial reconnaissance and intelligence information over a wide area of the theater in numerous campaigns. The squadron earned the Philippine Presidential Unit Citation for its combat operations during the Liberation of the Philippines in 1944–1945.
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
. Its current assignment is to the Air Force Targeting Center based at Langley AFB, VA. The text that follows describes the unit's history and lineage from its constitution in 1942 to its inactivation in 1946.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the squadron operated primarily in the Southwest Pacific Theater, providing aerial reconnaissance and intelligence information over a wide area of the theater in numerous campaigns. The squadron earned the Philippine Presidential Unit Citation for its combat operations during the Liberation of the Philippines in 1944–1945.
Lineage
- Constituted 28th Observation Squadron on 1 July 1942
- Activated on 17 July 1942
- Redesignated: 28th Reconnaissance Squadron (Fighter) on 2 April 1943
- Redesignated: 28th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron on 11 August 1943
- Redesignated: 36th Photographic Mapping Squadron on 9 October 1943
- Redesignated: 36th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron on 29 March 1944
- Inactivated on 20 February 1946
Assignments
- 73d Observation (later Reconnaissance; Tactical Reconnaissance) Group10th Tactical Reconnaissance GroupThe 10th Tactical Reconnaissance Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was to the 10th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, stationed at Spangdahlem Air Base, West Germany...
, 17 July 1942 - 76th Tactical Reconnaissance Group76th Reconnaissance GroupThe 76th Reconnaissance Group was a World War II United States Army Air Forces organization. It served primarily in the American Theatre.The unit was constituted on 5 February 1942 and activated on 27 February. The group was a Third Air Force training unit for Reconnaissance and Observation...
, 9 October 1943
- Attached to 73d Tactical Reconnaissance Group10th Tactical Reconnaissance GroupThe 10th Tactical Reconnaissance Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was to the 10th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, stationed at Spangdahlem Air Base, West Germany...
to 3 November 1943- 74th Tactical Reconnaissance Group74th Reconnaissance GroupThe 74th Reconnaissance Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the Continental Air Forces, based at Stewart AFB, New York.-History:...
, 21 October 1943 - I (later III) Tactical Air Division, 29 March 1944
- Far East Air Forces, November 1944
- 74th Tactical Reconnaissance Group
- Thirteenth Air ForceThirteenth Air ForceThe Thirteenth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Pacific Air Forces . It is headquartered at Hickam Air Force Base on the island of Oahu, Hawaii. 13 AF has never been stationed in the continental United States...
, 2 December 1944 - Fifth Air ForceFifth Air ForceThe Fifth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Pacific Air Forces . It is headquartered at Yokota Air Base, Japan....
, 7 December 1944 - 6th Photographic (later Reconnaissance) Group6th Reconnaissance GroupThe 6th Reconnaissance Group is an inactive unit of the United States Air Force. Its last assignment was with Fifth Air Force, stationed at Irumagawa Air Base, Japan...
, 23 December 1944 - Seventh Air ForceSeventh Air ForceThe Seventh Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Pacific Air Forces . It is headquartered at Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea....
, 20 October 1945 - V Fighter CommandV Fighter CommandThe V Fighter Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to Fifth Air Force, based at Fukuoka AB, Japan. It was inactivated on 31 May 1946....
, 29 November 1945 - Far East Air Forces (later Pacific Air Command, US Army), 3 December 1945 – 20 February 1946
Stations
- Godman Field, KentuckyKentuckyThe Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, 17 July 1942 - Campbell Army AirfieldCampbell Army AirfieldCampbell Army Airfield is a military airport at Fort Campbell, which is located near Hopkinsville, a city in Christian County, Kentucky, United States. Previously Campbell Air Force Base, a U.S. Air Force installation from 1947 to 1959, this U.S. Army airfield has two asphalt paved runways: 5/23...
, KentuckyKentuckyThe Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, 25 June 1943 - Muskogee Army Airfield OklahomaOklahomaOklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
, to April-31 October 1944 - Hollandia Airfield Complex, Netherlands East Indies, 15 December 1944
- Mokmer Airfield, BiakBiakBiak features a tropical rainforest climate with nearly identical temperatures throughout the course of the year. The average annual temperature in the city is 27 degrees celsius, which is also generally the average temperature of each day in Biak...
, Netherlands East Indies, 26 December 1944
- Clark Field, LuzonLuzonLuzon is the largest island in the Philippines. It is located in the northernmost region of the archipelago, and is also the name for one of the three primary island groups in the country centered on the Island of Luzon...
, Philippines, c. 28 April – 26 July 1945
- Air echelon at Clark Field, LuzonLuzonLuzon is the largest island in the Philippines. It is located in the northernmost region of the archipelago, and is also the name for one of the three primary island groups in the country centered on the Island of Luzon...
, to September 1945- Motobu AirfieldMotobu AirfieldMotobu Airfield is a World War II airfield on the Motobu Peninsula of Okinawa, near the East China Sea coast. The airfield was deactivated after 1945.-History:...
, Okinawa, 4 August 1945 - Chofu AirportChofu Airportis an airport located northwest Chōfu, Tokyo, Japan, west of central Tokyo. It is administered by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. The airport's main commercial activity is New Central Airlines commuter flights to the islands south of Tokyo....
, Japan, October 1945 - Fort William McKinleyFort William McKinleyFort William McKinley, was established in the Philippines during the Philippine–American War in 1901 when the whole land south of Pasig River down to Alabang was declared a U.S. Military Reservation. During the World War II era, it was where USAFFE had its headquarters for the Philippine Department...
, LuzonLuzonLuzon is the largest island in the Philippines. It is located in the northernmost region of the archipelago, and is also the name for one of the three primary island groups in the country centered on the Island of Luzon...
, Philippines, December 1945 – 20 February 1946
- Motobu Airfield
Aircraft
- P-39, 1942–1943, 1943, 1943–1944
- B-25, 1943–1944
- Included A-20, A/RA-29, B-34, DB-7, L-1, L-2, L-4, L-5, 0–47, 0–52, P-43, and P-51 during period 1942 – 1944
- P-38/F-5, 1944, 1945.