69th Reconnaissance Group
The 69th Reconnaissance Group is an active United States Air Force unit. It is part of Air Combat Command stationed at Grand Forks AFB, North Dakota. The group served in the American and European Theaters of World War II as a reconnaissance unit until returning to the United States where it was inactivated. It was reactivated in the fall of 2011 as an unmanned aircraft reconnaissance group.
History
The group was activated in the fall of 1941 as the 69th Observation Group with two squadrons assigned.[2] The group flew antisubmarine patrols along the Pacific coast after the Attack on Pearl Harbor.[2]
The group engaged primarily in air to ground training during 1943 and 1944 while it was successively designated 69th Reconnaissance Group and 69th Tactical Reconnaissance Group. It began training with North American F-6 Mustangs in January 1945 for duty overseas. The 69th moved to France in February to March 1945 where it was assigned to Ninth AF. It flew visual and photographic reconnaissance missions to provide intelligence for ground and air units. It was again designated the 69th Reconnaissance Group in June 1945. The group returned to the United States in July and August 1945. There it trained with F-6 Mustangs and Douglas A-26 Invader aircraft. The group was inactivated on 29 July 1946.[2]
The 69th was once again activated on 19 September 2011 to conduct reconnaissance with unmanned aerial vehicles.[1]
The 69th Reconnaissance Group is currently commanded by Col Christopher Larson.
Lineage
- Constituted as 69th Observation Group on 21 August 1941
- Activated on 3 September 1941
- Redesignated: 69th Reconnaissance Group on 15 April 1943
- Redesignated: 69th Tactical Reconnaissance Group on 11 August 1943
- Redesignated: 69th Reconnaissance Group on 15 June 1945
- Inactivated on 29 July 1946
- Activated 19 September 2011[1]
Assignments
Components
Stations
- Paso Robles Airport, California, 3 September 1941
- Salinas Army Air Base, California, c. 3 October 1941
- San Bernardino Army Air Field, California, December 1941
- Ontario Army Air Field, California, c. 1 June 1942
- Laurel Army Air Field, Mississippi, November 1942
- Esler Field, Louisiana, March 1943
- Abilene Army Air Field, Texas, September 1943
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- Esler Field, Louisiana, November 1943
- Key Field, Mississippi, January–February 1945
- Toul/Ochey Airfield (A-96),[13] France, c. 22 March 1945
- Haguenau Airfield (Y-39),[13] France, c. 2 April-c. 30 June 1945
- Drew Field, Florida, August 1945
- Stuttgart Army Air Field, Arkansas, November 1945
- Brooks Field, Texas, December 1945-29 July 1946.
- Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota - 19 September 2011.
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Aircraft
Awards
References
Notes
- 1 2 3 4 5 Robertson, Patsy (April 9, 2012). "Factsheet 69 Reconnaissance Group (ACC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved January 16, 2013.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. pp. 136–137. ISBN 0-912799-02-1.
- ↑ Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. pp. 57–58. ISBN 0-405-12194-6.
- ↑ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 117-119
- ↑ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 155
- ↑ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 333
- ↑ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 287-288
- ↑ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 334-335
- ↑ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 340-341
- ↑ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 344-345
- ↑ AFHRA Factsheet, 348th Reconnaissance Squadron 7/30/2012 (retrieved Jan 16, 2013)
- ↑ AFHRA Factsheet, 18th Intelligence Squadron 4/6/12 (retrieved Jan 16, 2013)
- 1 2 Station Designators in Europe are from Johnson, 1st Lt. David C. (1988). U.S. Army Air Forces Continental Airfields (ETO) D-Day to V-E Day (PDF). Maxwell AFB, AL: Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center.
Bibliography
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.
- Johnson, 1st Lt. David C. (1988). U.S. Army Air Forces Continental Airfields (ETO) D-Day to V-E Day (PDF). Maxwell AFB, AL: Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center.
- Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-02-1.
- Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6.
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