The 45th Reconnaissance Squadron is a United States Air Force

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...

 unit. It is assigned to the 55th Operations Group

55th Operations Group

The 55th Operations Group is a component of the 55th Wing, assigned to the United States Air Force Air Combat Command. The group is stationed at Offut Air Force Base, Nebraska....

 and stationed at Offutt Air Force Base

Offutt Air Force Base

Offutt Air Force Base is a U.S. Air Force installation near Omaha, and lies adjacent to Bellevue in Sarpy County, Nebraska. It is the headquarters of the U.S...

, Nebraska.

Overview

The mission of the 45th Reconnaissance Squadron is to maintain, operate, and support OC/RC/TC/EC/WC-135 aircraft providing worldwide reconnaissance and treaty support to the National Command Authorities, warfighters, and international treaty members.

Squadron personnel fly world-wide reconnaissance and treaty missions on demand, often on extremely short notice. The 45th Reconnaissance Squadron provides data for the National Command Authorities, theater CINCs, and international treaty members.

World War II

Organized on August 17, 1943 as the 423d Night Fighter Squadron, the 45th Reconnaissance Squadron is one of the most colorful units in the Air Force, with a battle record composed of the great campaigns of three wars, and a peacetime record of vital contributions to world-wide reconnaissance, treaty monitoring, and pilot proficiency training.

The squadron was organized at Orlando Army Air Base, Florida, and was stationed at Kern County Airport, California, before heading overseas in January 1944.

On June 22, 1944, the 423d was redesignated the 155th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron. On December 3, 1945, the 155th was redesignated the 45th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, Night Photographic. The 155th participated in the Normandy invasion in June 1944, landed in France in August 1944, and fought its way across northern France into the Low Countries that winter. In December 1944, the 155th was involved in the Battle of the Bulge. The most notable geographic names associated with the 155th were Chormy Down and Chalgrove, England; Rennes, Chateaudun, and St. Dizier, France; LeCulot, Belgium; and Maastricht, Holland.

The squadron crossed into Germany at Kassel/Rothwestern in early July 1945, and was later stationed at Darmstadt, Furth, and Furstenfeldbruck. On July 1, 1948, the unit was redesignated the 45th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, Night Photographic and inactivated on March 25, 1949.

Cold War

As the focus of world attention shifted to the growing crisis in the Orient in 1950, the 45th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, Night Photographic was redesignated the 45th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron on September 19, 1950 and activated on September 26, 1950 at Itazuke, Japan.

When hostilities erupted December 27, 1950, the 45th was deployed to Taegu, Korea, and served in every major campaign throughout the war. In mid-summer 1951, the squadron shifted its base of operations to Kimpo, Korea. On January 1, 1953, the 45th was redesignated the 45th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, Photographic-Jet. The 45th remained at Kimpo until March 1955 when it relocated to Misawa Air Base, Japan.

The 45th remained at Misawa until the overthrow of President Diem of South Vietnam in November 1962. A detachment of the 45th had earlier been deployed to Thailand due to the turmoil in South Vietnam. In December 1962, the unit deployed to Tan Son Nhut Airfield, Saigon, recalling the detachment deployed to Thailand. The unit was redesignated the 45th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron on January 1, 1967.

During its nine years in Vietnam, the 45th was involved in most major operations of the war. On May 31, 1971, the unit was deactivated at Tan Son Nhut. On October 5, 1971, the unit was activated at Bergstrom AFB, Texas, replacing the 4th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron. The 45th participated in various training exercises while at Bergstrom, including a 1973 deployment to RAF Alconbury, England for a NATO exercise dubbed CREEK BEE II. Later, the unit transferred its aircraft to Shaw AFB, South Carolina, and was inactivated on October 31, 1975.

The squadron was activated again on September 8, 1981 as the 45th Tactical Reconnaissance Training Squadron. It received the RF-4C aircraft from the 363rd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing at Shaw AFB, South Carolina and began operations at Bergstrom AFB, Texas on April 1, 1982. The unit trained over 600 students and supported numerous operational deployments and exercises until it was inactivated on September 30, 1989, a result of national budgetary reductions.

Modern era

On July 1, 1994, the squadron was reactivated at Offutt AFB, Nebraska, as the 45th Reconnaissance Squadron. It assumed the mission of the former 24th Reconnaissance Squadron, which was inactivated on June 30, 1994. 45th Reconnaissance Squadron personnel are members of a professional team dedicated to the maintenance, operation, and support of the RC/OC/WC/EC/TC-135 aircraft.

Lineage

• Constituted as 423d Night Fighter Squadron on 17 Aug 1943

Activated on 1 Oct 1943

Re-designated as: 155th Photo Reconnaissance Squadron on 22 Jun 1944

Re-designated as: 45th Reconnaissance Squadron, Night Photographic, on 3 Dec 1945

Re-designated as: 45th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, Night Photographic, on 1 Jul 1948

Inactivated on 25 Mar 1949

• Re-designated 45th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron on 19 Sep 1950

Activated on 26 Sep 1950

Re-designated as: 45th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, Photographic-Jet, on 1 Jan 1953

Re-designated as: 45th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron on 1 Jan 1967

Inactivated on 31 May 1971

• Activated on 15 Oct 1971

Inactivated on 31 Oct 1975

• Re-designated as 45th Tactical Reconnaissance Training Squadron on 8 Sep 1981

Activated on 1 Apr 1982

Inactivated on 30 Sep 1989

• Re-designated as 45th Reconnaissance Squadron on 24 Jun 1994

Activated on 1 Jul 1994.

Assignments

• Air Defense Department, AAF School of Applied Tactics

Attached to 481st Night Fighter Operational Training Group, 1 Oct 1943

• 481st Night Fighter Operational Training Group, 1 Nov 1943
• IX Tactical Air Command
  IX Tactical Air Command
  The IX Tactical Air Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the Ninth Air Force, based at Camp Shanks, New York...
  
  , 18 Apr 1944
• 10th Photographic Group, 17 May 1944
• IX Tactical Air Command
  IX Tactical Air Command
  The IX Tactical Air Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the Ninth Air Force, based at Camp Shanks, New York...
  
  , 16 Feb 1945
• 67th Tactical Reconnaissance Group, 21 Feb 1945

Attached to 9th Tactical Reconnaissance Group [Provisional], 25 Apr-23 May 1945

• 363d Tactical Reconnaissance Group, 23 May 1945
• IX Tactical Air Command
  IX Tactical Air Command
  The IX Tactical Air Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the Ninth Air Force, based at Camp Shanks, New York...
  
  , 12 Jul 1945
• 64th Fighter Wing, 1 Aug 1945
• 10th Reconnaissance Group, 24 Nov 1945
• 86th Composite Group, 15 May 1947
• United States Air Forces in Europe
  United States Air Forces in Europe
  The United States Air Forces in Europe is the United States Air Force component of U.S. European Command, a Department of Defense unified command, and is one of two Air Force Major Commands outside of the continental United States, the other being the Pacific Air Forces...
  
  , 14 Jan 1948
• 7300th Air Force Composite Wing, 1 Jul 1948
• United States Air Forces in Europe
  United States Air Forces in Europe
  The United States Air Forces in Europe is the United States Air Force component of U.S. European Command, a Department of Defense unified command, and is one of two Air Force Major Commands outside of the continental United States, the other being the Pacific Air Forces...
  
  

Attached to 36th Fighter Wing, 13 Aug 1948-25 Mar 1949

• 543d Tactical Support Group, 26 Sep 1950

• 314th Air Division
  314th Air Division
  The 314th Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Pacific Air Forces, based at Osan AB, South Korea. It was inactivated in September 1986....
  
  , 1 Dec 1950

Attached to 49th Fighter-Bomber Wing, 27 Dec 1950-24 Feb 1951

• 67th Tactical Reconnaissance Group, 25 Feb 1951

Attached to 67th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, 1 Jun-25 Nov 1954 and 1 Jul-30 Sep 1957

• 67th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, 1 Oct 1957
• 39th Air Division, 25 Apr 1960

Attached to 460th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, 8 Jul 1966- [as Detachment 1, 45 TRS]

• 475th Tactical Fighter Wing, 15 Jan 1968

Remained attached to 460th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing [as Detachment 1, 45 TRS] to 31 Dec 1970

• Fifth Air Force
  Fifth Air Force
  The 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....
  
  , 15 Mar-31 May 1971
• 67th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, 15 Oct 1971-31 Oct 1975

Attached to 10th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, 13 Jun-7 Jul 1973

• 67th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, 1 Apr 1982-30 Sep 1989
• 55th Operations Group
  55th Operations Group
  The 55th Operations Group is a component of the 55th Wing, assigned to the United States Air Force Air Combat Command. The group is stationed at Offut Air Force Base, Nebraska....
  
  , 1 Jul 1994-Present

Stations

• Orlando Army Air Base, FL, 1 Oct 1943
• Kern County Airport, CA, 29 Jan-26 Mar 1944
• RAF Charmy Down
  RAF Charmy Down
  RAF Station Charmy Down is a former World War II airfield in Somerset, England. The airfield is located approximately north-northeast of Bath; about west of London...
  
   (AAF-487), England, 18 Apr 1944
• RAF Chalgrove (AAF-465), England, 20 May 1944
• Rennes Airfield (A-27), France, c. 10 Aug 1944
• Chateaudun Airfield (A-39), France, 28 Aug 1944
• St-Dizier Airfield (A-64), France, c. 12 Sep 1944
• Le Culot Airfield (A-89), Belgium, c. 13 Feb 1945
• Maastricht Airfield (Y-44), Holland, c. 4 Apr 1945
• AAF Station Kassel/Rothwesten, Germany, c. 10 Jul 1945
• AAF Station Darmstadt/Griesheim, Germany, 28 Sep 1945
• AAF Station Fürth, Germany, 24 Nov 1945
• Furstenfeldbruck AB, Germany, 26 Mar 1947-25 Mar 1949
• Itazuke AB, Japan, 26 Sep 1950
• Komaki AB, Japan, 23 Oct 1950

• Taegu AB (K-9), South Korea, 27 Dec 1950
• Kimpo AB (K-14), South Korea, 18 Aug 1951
• Misawa AB, Japan, 3 Mar 1955-31 May 1971

Detachment at: Don Muang RTAFB, Thailand, Nov 1961-1 May 1962 and 14 Nov-14 Dec 1962

Detachment at: Tan Son Nhut AB, South Vietnam, 14 Dec 1962-5 May 1963, 1 Nov 1963-3 May 1964, and 1 Feb-6 Nov 1965

Detachment at: Udorn RTAFB, Thailand, 1 Nov 1965-15 Aug 1966

Deployed at: Tan Son Nhut AB, South Vietnam, Jul 1966-31 Dec 1970

• Bergstrom AFB, TX, 15 Oct 1971-31 Oct 1975

Deployed at RAF Alconbury

RAF Alconbury

RAF Alconbury is an active Royal Air Force station in Cambridgeshire, England. The airfield is adjacent to the Stukeleys [Great and Little] and located about northwest of Huntingdon; about north of London....

, England, 13 Jun-7 Jul 1973

• Bergstrom AFB, TX, 1 Apr 1982-30 Sep 1989
• Offutt AFB, NE, 1 Jul 1994-Present

Aircraft

• P-70 Havoc, 1943-1944
• A-20 Havoc, 1943-1945
• F-3 Havoc, 1944-1945
• A-26 (later, B-26) Invader
  A-26 Invader
  The Douglas A-26 Invader was a United States twin-engined light attack bomber built by the Douglas Aircraft Co. during World War II that also saw service during several of the Cold War's major conflicts...
  
  , 1945-1949
• F-6 Mustang, 1946-1948
• B-17 Flying Fortress, 1948
• F-51 Mustang, 1950-1953
• F-80 Shooting Star, 1952-1955

• RF-80 Shooting Star, 1952-1955
• RF-84 Thunderstreak, 1955-1958
• RF-101 Voodoo, 1958-1970
• RF-4C Phantom II, 1971-1975; 1982-1989
• RC-135, 1994-Present
• WC-135, 1994-Present
• TC-135, 1994-Present
• OC-135, 1994-Present