59th Weather Reconnaissance Squadron
Encyclopedia
The 59th Weather Reconnaissance Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force
unit. Its last was assigned to the 9th Weather Reconnaissance Group, stationed at Goodfellow Air Force Base
, Texas
. It was inactivated on 8 May 1964.
. In March 1946, the three B-29s of the 59th had a variety of weather instruments installed at Tinker Field, and then departed for the Pacific and "Operation Crossroads
". On 25 May 1946, another F-13A of the 59th flew the first "synoptic" weather reconnaissance mission from Castle out over the northeastern Pacific. On 1 Jun 1947, the 59th moved to Ladd Field
, Alaska Territory
where it was inactivated on 15 Oct 1947; It's personnel and aircraft being absorbed into the SAC 72d Reconnaissance Squadron.
The squadron designation was reactivated at Kindley AFB, Bermuda, on 3 March 1955 as the 59th Weather Reconnaissance Flight under the 9th Weather Reconnaissance Group. Equipped with WB-50D Superfortresses, the mission of the 59th WRF was flying into tropical storms and hurricanes - Hurricane Hunting. On 1 April 1956, it was redesignated the 59th Weather Reconnaissance Squadron. The squadron remained at Kindley AFB until its deactivation on 18 March 1960 due to budgetary reductions.
In 1963, the 59th was reactivated for a short time at Goodfellow AFB, TX without personnel or aircraft. It was discontinued and inactivated on 8 May 1964.
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. Its last was assigned to the 9th Weather Reconnaissance Group, stationed at Goodfellow Air Force Base
Goodfellow Air Force Base
Goodfellow Air Force Base is a non-flying United States Air Force base located in San Angelo, Texas. As part of Air Education & Training Command , Goodfellow's main mission is cryptologic and intelligence training for the Air Force, Army, Navy and Marine Corps. Military firefighters are also...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. It was inactivated on 8 May 1964.
History
The 59th Reconnaissance Squadron, Very Long Range, Weather was originally activated at Will Rogers Field, Oklahoma on 10 Aug 1945, equipped with RB-17G Flying Fortresses reconnaissance aircraft. It quickly moved to Ardmore AAF, Oklahoma and then on to Drew Field, Florida, followed by MacDill Field, Florida -- all still in 1945. On 26 Jan 1946, the squadron moved to Castle Field, CA; then again moved to Fairfield-Suisun AAF, California on 22 Oct 1946, where the Flying Fortresses were replaced by F-13As for very long range weather reconnaissance flights. Three of the squadron's F-13A were earmarked for weather recon duties in support of the atomic bomb tests at Bikini AtollBikini Atoll
Bikini Atoll is an atoll, listed as a World Heritage Site, in the Micronesian Islands of the Pacific Ocean, part of Republic of the Marshall Islands....
. In March 1946, the three B-29s of the 59th had a variety of weather instruments installed at Tinker Field, and then departed for the Pacific and "Operation Crossroads
Operation Crossroads
Operation Crossroads was a series of nuclear weapon tests conducted by the United States at Bikini Atoll in mid-1946. It was the first test of a nuclear weapon after the Trinity nuclear test in July 1945...
". On 25 May 1946, another F-13A of the 59th flew the first "synoptic" weather reconnaissance mission from Castle out over the northeastern Pacific. On 1 Jun 1947, the 59th moved to Ladd Field
Ladd Field
Ladd Army Airfield is the military airfield located at Fort Jonathan Wainwright, located in Fairbanks, Alaska. It was originally called Fairbanks Air Base, but was renamed Ladd Field on 1 December 1939, in honor of Major Arthur K. Ladd, a pilot in the U.S. Army Air Corps who died in a plane crash...
, Alaska Territory
Alaska Territory
The Territory of Alaska was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from August 24, 1912, until January 3, 1959, when it was admitted to the Union as the State of Alaska...
where it was inactivated on 15 Oct 1947; It's personnel and aircraft being absorbed into the SAC 72d Reconnaissance Squadron.
The squadron designation was reactivated at Kindley AFB, Bermuda, on 3 March 1955 as the 59th Weather Reconnaissance Flight under the 9th Weather Reconnaissance Group. Equipped with WB-50D Superfortresses, the mission of the 59th WRF was flying into tropical storms and hurricanes - Hurricane Hunting. On 1 April 1956, it was redesignated the 59th Weather Reconnaissance Squadron. The squadron remained at Kindley AFB until its deactivation on 18 March 1960 due to budgetary reductions.
In 1963, the 59th was reactivated for a short time at Goodfellow AFB, TX without personnel or aircraft. It was discontinued and inactivated on 8 May 1964.
Lineage
- Constituted as 59th Reconnaissance Squadron, Long Range, Weather, on 1 Aug 1945
- Activated on 10 Aug 1945
- Redesignated as 59th Reconnaissance Squadron, VLR, Weather, 7 Dec 1945
- Inactivated 15 Oct 1947
- Activated as 59th Weather Reconnaissance Flight, 8 May 1955
- Redesignated as 59th Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, 1 Apr 1956
- Inactivated 18 Mar 1960
- Reactivated on 1 Jul 1963
- Organized on 8 Jul 1963
- Discontinued and inactivated 8 May 1964
Assignments
- Undetermined, 10 Aug 1945
- 311th Reconnaissance Wing, 7 Dec 1945
- Air Transport CommandAir Transport CommandAir Transport Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its mission was to meet the urgent demand for the speedy reinforcement of the United States' military bases worldwide during World War II, using an air supply system to supplement surface transport...
, 13 Mar 1946 - Air Weather Service, 20 Mar 1946
- 1st Air Weather Group (Provisional), 19 Jul 1946
- 308th Reconnaissance Group, Weather, 1 Jun-15 Oct 1947
- 9th Weather Group, 8 May 1955-18 Mar 1960
- 9th Weather Reconnaissance Group 1 Jul 1963-8 May 1964
Stations
- Will Rogers Field 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...
, 10 Aug 1945 - Ardmore 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...
, 1945 - Drew Field, FloridaFloridaFlorida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, 1945 - MacDill Army Airfield, FloridaFloridaFlorida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, 7 Dec 1945 - Castle Army Airfield, CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, 26 Jan 1946 - Fairfield-Suisun Army Airfield, CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, 22 Oct 1946 - Ladd Army Airfield, Alaska TerritoryAlaska TerritoryThe Territory of Alaska was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from August 24, 1912, until January 3, 1959, when it was admitted to the Union as the State of Alaska...
, 1 Jun-15 Oct 1947 - Kindley AFB, BermudaBermudaBermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
, 3 Mar 1955-18 Mar 1960 - Goodfellow AFB, TexasTexasTexas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
1 Jul 1963-8 May 1964
Aircraft
- RB-17/TB-17 Flying Fortress, 1945-1947
- B-25 MitchellB-25 MitchellThe North American B-25 Mitchell was an American twin-engined medium bomber manufactured by North American Aviation. It was used by many Allied air forces, in every theater of World War II, as well as many other air forces after the war ended, and saw service across four decades.The B-25 was named...
, 1946-1947 - F-13A/RB-29 Superfortress, 1946-1947, 1955-1956
- WB-50 Superfortress, 1955-1960.