25th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing

25th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing

25th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing Douglas RB-66B-DL Destroyer Serial 54-0419, converted to EB-66E on the runway at Chambley-Bussieres Air Base, France.
Active 1940–45, 1965–1966
Country United States
Branch United States Air Force
Motto(s) Guard With Power
Insignia
25th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing emblem

The 25th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing (TRW) is an inactive United States Air Force wing. Its last duty assignment was at Chambley-Bussieres Air Base, France.

History

The wing's lineage and honors can be traced not just through its own history, but through the history of two World War II organizations, the 25th Bombardment Group (Heavy) and the 25th Bombardment Group, Reconnaissance.

World War II

25th Bombardment Group (Medium)

The air echelon consisted of:

25th Bombardment Group, Reconnaissance

Emblem of the 25th Reconnaissance Wing postwar
Consolidated B-24J-401-CF Liberator Serial 42-50578 of an unknown Bomb Squadron.
Martin B-26G-1-MA Marauder Serial 43-34195 painted black for night recon missions of the 654th Bomb Squadron.
A British de Havilland Mosquito XVI of the 654th Bomb Squadron.

The 25th Bombardment Group (Reconnaissance) was formed at RAF Cheddington, England as the 8 Reconnaissance Group (Special)(Provisional) on 22 March, then changed to 802d Reconnaissance Group (Special)(Provisional) on 30 March 1944, and transferred to Watton on 12 April 1944. On 9 August 1944, the 802 RG(P) was redesignated as the 25th BG(R). Assigned squadrons were:

Cold War

The 25th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing was activated on 1 July 1965 at Chambley-Bussieres Air Base, France as part of USAFE. Upon activation, the wing absorbed the 19th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron and 42d Electronic Countermeasures Squadron. The squadrons were transferred from Toul-Rosieres AB, where they operated as a detachment of the 10th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, based at RAF Alconbury, UK.

The 25th flew variants of the B-66 "Destroyers" on photo reconnaissance and electronic warfare missions. The 42d flew RB-66Cs that had a seven-man crew. Its primary mission was electronic reconnaissance, commonly called "Ferret" operations; the ECM operators were known as "Ravens" The 19th flew RB-66Bs with a three-man crew and the mission of day and night photography. Both squadrons flew its aircraft with a natural aluminum finish, the differences being that the 19th carried a red band on the engine nacelle; the 42d carrying a blue band. The 19th operated 20 aircraft; the 42d operated 12.

Having been reassigned from other wings, both the 19th and 42d were familiar with their missions and aircraft. But the wing was kept busy training newly assigned support personnel to operate and maintain the base. One major drawback of the B-66 was pilot training. It was always a problem because the B-66 was a single pilot aircraft and dual checkout was impossible. A large B-66 analog electronic flight-crew simulator built by Curtis Wright was very useful for checkout of the flight deck crew: pilot, navigator/camera operator, and gunner. Training the RB-66C ECM operators was more difficult since the USAF had not purchased a comparable electronic warfare simulator for their ground training. Thorough training in the RB-66B camera system was critical to accomplish the mission. The system was complex, involving three cameras, camera compartment temperature and pressure controls, flash bomb and camera shutter intervalometers, a universal camera control unit, a stabilized camera mount, and flash bomb bay operation. Later electronic warfare jamming transmitters were added to the RB-66s, increasing the mission workload.

Day and night photographic training was hindered by the 1965 ruling made by the French government that prohibited aerial photography over their country. This forced photo missions to West Germany and Great Britain. Night photography was limited since suitable ranges for dropping the M-120, and M-122 photo flash bombs were not available after the close of the USAFE Moroccan air bases.

The escalation of the conflict in Southeast Asia prompted the establishment of Detachment 1 of the 42d Electronic Countermeasures Squadron at Takhli RTAFB during February 1966. 6 of its B-66's were deployed on Temporary Duty to Thailand from Chambley to this new theater of operations.

On 7 March 1966, French President Charles De Gaulle announced that France would withdraw from NATO's integrated military structure. The United States was informed that it must remove its military forces from France by 1 April 1967. As a result of this, on 22 August 1966 the 42d Electronic Countermeasures Squadron was inactivated at Chambley and the majority of the aircrews, including sixteen EWOs and ten RB-66Cs were sent to the 432d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing based at Takhli RTAFB, Thailand. A few of the EB-66 aircraft were flown to Douglas Aircraft's Tulsa, Oklahoma plant for additional ECM equipment and camouflage painting before going to Southeast Asia.

About 1 August 1966 the 19th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron (Photo) was ordered to move its twenty RB-66Bs to Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, and was assigned to the 363d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing. It flew its RB-66Bs from Chambley to Moron AB, Spain, then after refueling, it flew nonstop to Shaw with the aid of three air-to-air refuelings. Officially the 19th TRS was to become another of USAFE's dual-based units (units based in the U.S. but available for operations in Europe). Actually the squadron and its RB-66Bs were needed to train aircrews for the expanding combat operations over the skies of Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War.

On 15 October 1966 USAFE inactivated the 25th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing at Chambley as part of the USAF pullout from France.

Lineage

25th Bombardment Group (Medium)

Activated 1 February 1940[1]
Redesignated: 25th Bombardment Group (Medium) on 7 May 1942[1]
Disbanded on 20 June 1944[1]
Reconstituted on 19 April 1965 and consolidated with 25th Bombardment Group, Reconnaissance as 25th Tactical Reconnaissance Group

25th Tactical Reconnaissance Group

Activated on 9 August 1944[2]
Inactivated on 8 September 1945[2]
Consolidated with 25th Bombardment Group (Medium) on 19 April 1965 as 25th Tactical Reconnaissance Group and activated
Organized on 1 July 1965.
Discontinued and inactivated on 1 October 1965
Consolidated with the 25th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing on 31 January 1984[3]

25th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing

Organized on 1 October 1965[4]
Inactivated on 15 October 1966[4]
Consolidated with the 25th Tactical Reconnaissance Group on 31 January 1984[3]

Assignments

Operational Squadrons

Attached: 26 April-1 August 1943
Assigned: 11 October 1943 – 20 June 1944[10]
Attached: 1 November 1940 – 25 February 1944
Assigned: 25 February – 20 June 1944[11]
Stationed at: Miami AAF, Florida; Deployed to: Carlsen Field, Trinidad
Stationed at: Miami AAF, Florida; Deployed to: Carlsen Field, Trinidad
Stationed at: Miami AAF, Florida; Deployed to: Carlsen Field, Trinidad

Stations

Major Aircraft Assigned

Notes and references

  1. 1 2 3 4 Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. pp. 75–76. ISBN 978-0-912799-02-5.
  2. 1 2 3 Mueller, Combat Units, pp. 76-77
  3. 1 2 Department of the Air Force/MPM Letter 539q, 31 January 1984, Subject: Consolidation of Units
  4. 1 2 3 Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947-1977 (PDF). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. pp. 46–47. ISBN 0-912799-12-9.
  5. ↑ Conaway, William. "VI Bombardment Command History". Planes and Pilots Of World War Two.
  6. ↑ Until 1 October, the wing was a paper organization. On 1 October the mission, personnel, and equipment of the group were transferred to the wing and the group was inactivated
  7. ↑ Conaway, William. "10th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy)". VI Bomber Command In Defense Of The Panama Canal 1941 - 45.
  8. ↑ Conaway, William. "12th Bombardment Squadron (Medium)". VI Bomber Command In Defense Of The Panama Canal 1941 - 45.
  9. ↑ Conaway, William. "35th Bombardment Squadron (Medium)". VI Bomber Command In Defense Of The Panama Canal 1941 - 45.
  10. ↑ Conaway, William. "59th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy)". VI Bomber Command In Defense Of The Panama Canal 1941 - 45.
  11. ↑ Conaway, William. "417th Bombardment Squadron (Medium)". VI Bomber Command In Defense Of The Panama Canal 1941 - 45.

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.

External links

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