74th Reconnaissance Group
74th Reconnaissance Group
 | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1942–1945, 1946-1949 |
| Country |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Air Force |
| Role | Reconnaissance |
| Part of | Continental Air Command |
| Battle honours | American Theater of World War II |
The 74th Reconnaissance Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 91st Air Division at Stewart AFB, New York.
History
[edit]The unit was first activated at Lawson Field, Georgia in February 1942 as the 74th Observation Group, shortly after the United States entered into World War II.[1] However, the group's first operational squadrons, the 11th, the newly activated 13th, and the 22d Observation Squadrons were not assigned until the following month.[2][3][4] The unit flew reconnaissance, mapping, artillery adjustment, bombing, dive bombing, and strafing missions to support ground units in training or on maneuvers.[1] It trained personnel in aerial reconnaissance, medium bombardment, and fighter techniques throughout the war until it was inactivated in November 1945.[1]
The group was reactivated in the reserves in 1946 at Stewart Field (later Stewart Air Force Base), New York. It was inactivated on 27 June 1949
Lineage
[edit]- Constituted as 74th Observation Group on 5 February 1942
- Activated on 27 February 1942
- Redesignated as 74th Reconnaissance Group on 2 April 1943
- Redesignated as 74th Tactical Reconnaissance Group on 11 August 1943
- Inactivated on 7 November 1945.
- Redesignated 74th Reconnaissance Group, allotted to the reserve, and activated, on 27 December 1946
- Inactivated on 27 June 1949.
Components
[edit]- 5th Observation Squadron (later 5th Liaison Squadron):[5] 8 Aug 1942 – 25 Jan 1943; 2 Apr 1943 – 11 August 1943 (attached 11 August 1943 – 15 Sep 1943)[6]
- 8th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron: 15 July 1945 – 7 November 1945[7]
- 11th Observation Squadron (later 11th Reconnaissance Squadron, 11th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron): 21 March 1942 – 7 November 1945[2]
- 13th Observation Squadron (later 13th Reconnaissance Squadron, 13th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron): 2 March 1942 – 7 November 1945[3]
- 21st Reconnaissance Squadron: 1 October 1947 – 27 June 1949[8]
- 22d Observation Squadron (later 22d Reconnaissance Squadron, 22d Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron): 12 March 1942– 29 January 1945[4]
- 22d Reconnaissance Squadron:[9] 23 October 1947 – 27 June 1949[10]
- 31st Reconnaissance Squadron (later 33d Reconnaissance Squadron): 13 November 1947– 27 June 1949[11]
- 28th Reconnaissance Squadron (later 36th Photographic Mapping Squadron): 21 October 1943 – 29 March 1944[12]
- 101st Bombardment Photographic Squadron: 29 January 1945 – 7 November 1945[13]
Assignments
[edit]- 5th Air Support Command, 27 February 1942
- 3d Air Support Command (later III Ground Air Support Command, III Air Support Command), ca. April 1942
- IV Air Support Command, 28 December 1942
- III Reconnaissance Command (later III Tactical Air Command), ca. September 1943
- XIX Tactical Air Command, 25 October 1945 – 7 November 1945[14]
- 91st Reconnaissance Wing (later 91st Air Division), 27 December 1946 – 27 June 1949[15]
Stations
[edit]- Lawson Field, Georgia, 27 February 1942
- DeRidder Army Air Base, Louisiana, C. 14 April 1942
- Esler Field, Louisiana, c. 13 December 1942
- Desert Center Army Air Field, California, c. 28 December 1942
- Morris Field, North Carolina, September 1943
- Camp Campbell AAF, Kentucky, November 1943
- DeRidder Army Air Field, Louisiana, April 1944
- Stuttgart Army Air Field, Arkansas, February-7 November 1945
- Stewart Field, New York, 27 December 1946 – 27 June 1949.
Aircraft
[edit]- A-26, 1945
- B-18, 1942-1943
- F-6 (P-51), 1945
- F-10 (B-25), 1944-1945
- L-1, 1942-1943
- L-3, 1942-1943
- L-4, 1942-1943
- L-5, 1944-1945
- L-6, 1942-1943
- O-52, 1942-1943
- P-39, 1943
- P-40, 1943-1944
- P-43, 1942-1943
Sources[16] Equipped at various times with A-20s,
Awards
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References
[edit]Notes
[edit]- ^ a b c Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. p. 140. ISBN 0-912799-02-1.
- ^ a b AFHRA Factsheet, 11th Reconnaissance Squadron Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine (retrieved 3 Dec 2012)
- ^ a b AFHRA Factsheet, 29th Attack Squadron Archived 26 February 2013 at the Wayback Machine (retrieved 3 Dec 2012)
- ^ a b Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 117-119
- ^ This squadron is not related to the 5th Observation Squadron that is currently the 5th Reconnaissance Squadron
- ^ 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. 35–36. ISBN 0-405-12194-6.
- ^ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 49
- ^ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 111-112
- ^ This squadron is not related to the one previously listed. During World War II it was designated the 22d Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron
- ^ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 117
- ^ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 184-185
- ^ AFHRA Factsheet, 36th Intelligence Squadron Archived 26 February 2013 at the Wayback Machine (retrieved 3 Dec 2012)
- ^ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 333
- ^ Abstract, Final History of 74th Tactical Reconnaissance Group (retrieved 4 Dec 2012)
- ^ AFHRA Factsheet, 91st Air Division Archived 28 September 2012 at the Wayback Machine (retrieved 4 Dec 2012)
- ^ Aircraft flown are based on the sources cited for individual squadrons. Not all squadrons flew the same aircraft while assigned to the group
Bibliography
[edit]
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. 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.
External links
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