38th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron
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| 38th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron | |
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Philippine Presidential Unit Citation[1] | |
| Insignia | |
| Patch with 38th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron emblem |  |
| 38th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron emblem[note 2][1] |  |
The 38th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron is an inactive unit of the
26th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing (26 TRW), stationed at Zweibrücken Air Base
, Germany.
The squadron deployed to Incirlik Air Base Turkey during Operation DESERT STORM and flew combat operations while assigned to the 7440th Combat Wing. It returned to Zweibrucken after the war and inactivated 3 weeks later.
It was inactivated along with the 26 TRW in mid-1991.
History
World War II
Established in 1944 as a photo-reconnaissance squadron, the unit trained under the
Netherlands East Indies and the Philippines
. These flights were extremely hazardous, being flown without escort, they obtained intelligence about enemy fortifications, armored units, infantry concentrations and other tactical intelligence.
The squadron was inactivated in January 1946.
United States Air Forces in Europe
Reactivated in 1952 as a NATO tactical reconnaissance squadron, it was designated to be based in France as a result of the United States
RF-80A Shooting Star aircraft, and trained for daylight reconnaissance missions. The squadron, however, was stationed at Fürstenfeldbruck Air Base in West Germany due to the uncompleted facilities at Toul-Rosières Air Base. Weather conditions in Germany severely restricted the training operations of the assigned RF-80As. The squadron frequently deployed to Nouasseur Air Base, Morocco
during the winter of 1952–53 where the photo conditions were far better.
The squadron moved to
MiG-15
.
In January 1958, the squadron was moved to
RF-101C Voodoos
, which were the fastest tactical reconnaissance aircraft ever flown by the USAF. The last reconnaissance Voodoos were withdrawn from ANG service in 1979.
Routine training operations were flown from
26th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing
, which was being formed at Toul Air Base. On 7 March 1966, French President General Charles De Gaulle announced that France would withdraw from NATO's military structure but not leave the political organization. He gave NATO forces one year (until 1 April 1967) to depart France.
As a result, the 26 Tactical Reconnaissance Wing was relocated to
RF-4C Phantom II. The 38th operated from Ramstein until 1973, when in a NATO realignment, the 26th was reassigned to Zweibrücken Air Base
. It remained at Zweibrücken until being inactivated in 1991 after the end of the Cold War, and the phasing-out of the RF-4C.
The squadron was relieved from assignment to the 26 TRW on 1 April 1991, and was probably inactivated as of that date.
Lineage
- Constituted as the 38th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron on 29 March 1944
- Activated 1 May 1944
- Inactivated on 15 January 1946
- Redesignated 38th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron (Photographic) on 25 June 1952
- Activated on 10 July 1952
- Redesignated 38th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron c. 1 October 1966[2]
- Inactivated c. 31 July 1991[citation needed]
Assignments
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Stations
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Aircraft
- B-25 Mitchell, 1944
- P-38/F-5 Lightning, 1944, 1945
- RF-80 Shooting Star, 1952–1956
- RF-84F Thunderflash, 1955–1958
- RF-101 Voodoo, 1958–1965
- RF-4C Phantom II, 1965–1991
References
Notes
- Explanatory notes
- Citations
Bibliography
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
- Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. LCCN 61060979. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
- Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. OCLC 72556.
- Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947-1977 (PDF). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
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