6th Photographic Squadron
Encyclopedia
The 6th Photographic Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force
unit. It was last assigned to the 311th Photographic Wing
. It was inactivated at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri
on 1 January 1945.
. Trained with F-4 reconnaissance version of P-38 Lightning
in northwest United States, however squadron never reached operational readiness. Reassigned to HQ Army Air Forces and assigned to administrative duties supporting 1st AAF Motion Picture unit in Culver City, California (November 1942 – March 1943).
Reassigned to Third Air Force
under control of HQ USAAF. Received film from aerial reconnaissance units deployed around the world in combat areas, using photogrammetric equipment developing detailed maps and charts of foreign areas. The squadron was a very elite, specialized unit in which most personnel had a minimum of 2 years of university education in aerial photograhy analysis; also many personnel with backgrounds in cartography and commercial photography and art. Squadron produced many maps of formerly uncharted areas and provided much intelligence information to commanders in deployed combat areas with highly accurate and detailed maps of landing beaches and rear areas held by enemy forces around the world.
Assigned to 311th Photographic Wing and alerted for reassignment to China-Burma-India Theater in late 1944, however unit never deployed due to difficulties and reluctance in moving much sensitive and classified equipment to primitive facilities and inherent difficulties of supporting the unit deployed overseas. Unit was inactivated on 1 January 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...
unit. It was last assigned to the 311th Photographic Wing
311th Air Division
The 311th Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Strategic Air Command, being stationed at Forbes Air Force Base, Kansas...
. It was inactivated at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
on 1 January 1945.
History
Squadron activated in early 1942 under Second Air ForceSecond Air Force
The Second Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Air Education and Training Command . It is headquartered at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi....
. Trained with F-4 reconnaissance version of P-38 Lightning
P-38 Lightning
The Lockheed P-38 Lightning was a World War II American fighter aircraft built by Lockheed. Developed to a United States Army Air Corps requirement, the P-38 had distinctive twin booms and a single, central nacelle containing the cockpit and armament...
in northwest United States, however squadron never reached operational readiness. Reassigned to HQ Army Air Forces and assigned to administrative duties supporting 1st AAF Motion Picture unit in Culver City, California (November 1942 – March 1943).
Reassigned to Third Air Force
Third Air Force
The Third Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Forces in Europe . It is headquartered at Ramstein Air Base, Germany....
under control of HQ USAAF. Received film from aerial reconnaissance units deployed around the world in combat areas, using photogrammetric equipment developing detailed maps and charts of foreign areas. The squadron was a very elite, specialized unit in which most personnel had a minimum of 2 years of university education in aerial photograhy analysis; also many personnel with backgrounds in cartography and commercial photography and art. Squadron produced many maps of formerly uncharted areas and provided much intelligence information to commanders in deployed combat areas with highly accurate and detailed maps of landing beaches and rear areas held by enemy forces around the world.
Assigned to 311th Photographic Wing and alerted for reassignment to China-Burma-India Theater in late 1944, however unit never deployed due to difficulties and reluctance in moving much sensitive and classified equipment to primitive facilities and inherent difficulties of supporting the unit deployed overseas. Unit was inactivated on 1 January 1945.
Lineage
- Constituted 6th Photographic Squadron on 19 January 1942
- Activated on 28 January 1942
- Redesignated: 6th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron on 9 June 1942
- Redesignated: 6th Photographic Squadron (Photographic Compilation) on 28 November 1942
- Disbanded on 1 January 1945
Assignments
- Second Air ForceSecond Air ForceThe Second Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Air Education and Training Command . It is headquartered at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi....
, 28 January 1942 - II Air Support CommandII Air Support CommandThe II Air Support Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to Second Air Force, based at Biggs Field, Texas...
, 29 March 1942 - 2d Photographic Group, 7 May 1942
- Army Air Forces, 28 November 1942
- Third Air ForceThird Air ForceThe Third Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Forces in Europe . It is headquartered at Ramstein Air Base, Germany....
, 8 March 1943 (under operational direction of HQ, Army Air Forces) - 1st Photographic Charting Group1st Photographic GroupThe 1st Photographic Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 311th Photographic Wing, stationed at Buckley Field, Colorado. It was inactivated on 5 October 1944.-History:...
, 13 November 1943 - 311th Photographic Wing, 5 October 1944 – 1 January 1945
Stations
- Geiger Field, Washington, 28 January 1942
- Felts Field, Washington, 2 February 1942
- Colorado Springs Army Air Base, ColoradoColoradoColorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, 14 May 1942 - Jefferson Barracks, MissouriMissouriMissouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, 14 December 1944 – 1 January 1945