69th Reconnaissance Group
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The 69th Reconnaissance Group is an inactive
United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal ...
that was part of
Air Combat Command Air Combat Command (ACC) is one of nine Major Commands (MAJCOMs) in the United States Air Force, reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force (HAF) at the Pentagon. It is the primary provider of air combat forces for the Air Force, and i ...
, the
group A group is a number of persons or things that are located, gathered, or classed together. Groups of people * Cultural group, a group whose members share the same cultural identity * Ethnic group, a group whose members share the same ethnic iden ...
was stationed at
Grand Forks Air Force Base Grand Forks Air Force Base (AFB) is a United States Air Force installation in northeastern North Dakota, located north of Emerado and west of Grand Forks. The host unit is the 319th Reconnaissance Wing (319 RW) assigned to the Air Combat C ...
, North Dakota where it was a tenant of the 319th Air Base Wing. The
group A group is a number of persons or things that are located, gathered, or classed together. Groups of people * Cultural group, a group whose members share the same cultural identity * Ethnic group, a group whose members share the same ethnic iden ...
served in the
American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...
and European Theaters of World War II as a
reconnaissance In military operations, reconnaissance or scouting is the exploration of an area by military forces to obtain information about enemy forces, terrain, and other activities. Examples of reconnaissance include patrolling by troops (skirmisher ...
unit flying a variety of aircraft 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 A group is a number of persons or things that are located, gathered, or classed together. Groups of people * Cultural group, a group whose members share the same cultural identity * Ethnic group, a group whose members share the same ethnic iden ...
was activated in the fall of 1941 as the 69th Observation Group with two squadrons assigned.Maurer, ''Combat Units'', pp. 136–137 The group flew antisubmarine patrols along the Pacific coast after the
Attack on Pearl Harbor The attack on Pearl HarborAlso known as the Battle of Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service upon the United States against the naval base at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii, j ...
. 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 Mustang The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang is an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II and the Korean War, among other conflicts. The Mustang was designed in April 1940 by a team headed by James ...
s 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 In military operations, reconnaissance or scouting is the exploration of an area by military forces to obtain information about enemy forces, terrain, and other activities. Examples of reconnaissance include patrolling by troops (skirmisher ...
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 The Douglas A-26 Invader (designated B-26 between 1948 and 1965) is an American twin-engined light bomber and ground attack aircraft. Built by Douglas Aircraft Company during World War II, the Invader also saw service during several major Col ...
aircraft. The group was inactivated on 29 July 1946. The 69th was once again activated on 19 September 2011 to conduct reconnaissance with unmanned aerial vehicles, specifically as the second group level organization with associated reconnaissance squadrons flying the
Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk The Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk is a high-altitude, remotely-piloted surveillance aircraft of the 1990s–2020s. It was initially designed by Ryan Aeronautical (now part of Northrop Grumman), and known as Tier II+ during development. Th ...
. It was inactivated in June 2019 and its personnel and equipment were transferred to the 319th Operations Group, which was simultaneously activated.


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 * Inactivated on 28 June 2019


Assignments

* 4th Air Support Command (later IV Ground Air Support Command) 3 September 1941 *
Second Air Force The Second Air Force (2 AF; ''2d Air Force'' in 1942) is a USAF numbered air force responsible for conducting basic military and technical training for Air Force enlisted members and non-flying officers. In World War II the CONUS unit defended ...
, 21 August 1942 * II Ground Air Support Command (later
II Air Support Command The II Air Support Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to Third Air Force at Biggs Field, Texas, as the II Tactical Air Division, where it was inactivated on 22 December 1945. The command was organized in S ...
), 7 September 1942 * III Air Support Command (later
III Reconnaissance Command The III Reconnaissance Command is a disbanded United States Army Air Forces unit. Its last assignment was with Third Air Force stationed at Rapid City Army Air Base, South Dakota, where it was inactivated on 8 April 1946. After transferring to ...
, 6 August 1943 *
Third Air Force The Third Air Force (Air Forces Europe) (3 AF) is a numbered air force of the United States Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa (USAFE-AFAFRICA). Its headquarters is Ramstein Air Base, Germany. It is responsible for all U.S. air forces in E ...
, 9 October 1943 * III Tactical Air Division, 18 April 1944 *
XII Tactical Air Command The XII Tactical Air Command was a formation of the United States Army Air Forces. Its last assignment was with the United States Air Forces in Europe at Bad Kissingen, Germany, where it was inactivated on 10 November 1947. History The 12th Gr ...
, 27 March 1945 * Ninth Air Force, 20 May 1945 * Third Air Force, 9 July 1945 *
Tactical Air Command Tactical Air Command (TAC) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was a Major Command of the United States Air Force, established on 21 March 1946 and headquartered at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia. It was inactivated on 1 J ...
21 March 1946 – 29 July 1946 *
9th Reconnaissance Wing The 9th Reconnaissance Wing (9 RW) is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Combat Command and Sixteenth Air Force. It is stationed at Beale Air Force Base, California. The wing is also the host unit at Beale. Its mission is to ...
19 September 2011 – 28 June 2019


Components

* 7th Reconnaissance Squadron, 15 May 2015 – 28 June 2019 * 10th Observation Squadron (later 10th Reconnaissance Squadron, 10th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron), 2 March 1942 – 31 March 1946 *
12th Reconnaissance Squadron The 12th Reconnaissance Squadron is a United States Air Force squadron, assigned to the 319th Operations Group at Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota, and operates from Beale Air Force Base, California. The squadron traces its lineage to t ...
1 March 2013 – 28 June 2019 * 22d Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, 29 January 1945 – 29 July 1946 * 31st Observation Squadron (later 31st Reconnaissance Squadron, 31st Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron): 29 March 1942 – 20 March 1945 (attached ''ca''. 8 December 1941 – 29 March 1942) * 39th Reconnaissance Squadron (later 101st Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, 101st Bombardment Photographic Squadron), 11 April 1944 – 29 January 1945, (attached 7 November 1945 – 25 December 1945) * 82d Observation Squadron: 3 September 1941 – 5 April 1942 * 102d Observation Squadron (later 102d Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron): 29 March 1942 – 5 April 1944 * 111th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron: 20 April 1945 – 2 July 1945 * 115th Observation Squadron (later 115th Liaison Squadron): 3 September 1941 – 11 August 1943 *
348th Reconnaissance Squadron The 348th Reconnaissance Squadron is an active United States Air Force squadron, assigned to the 319th Operations Group. It was activated at Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota on 19 September 2011. It currently operations the RQ-4 Global ...
: 19 September 2011 – 28 June 2019 * 5th Photo Lab Section (later 5th Photographic Technical Unit, 18th Photographic Technical Unit), 19 April 1944 – 23 June 1945


Stations

*
Paso Robles Airport Paso Robles Municipal Airport is four miles (6 km) northeast of downtown Paso Robles, in San Luis Obispo County, California, United States. Facilities The airport covers 1,300 acres (5.3 km²) and has two runways and one helipad: * 1 ...
, California, 3 September 1941 *
Salinas Army Air Base Salinas Municipal Airport is an airport in Monterey County, California, United States, three miles (4.8 km) southeast of Downtown Salinas. It is included in the 2017–21 National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems as a regional general a ...
, California, c. 3 October 1941 * San Bernardino Army Air Field, California, December 1941 *
Ontario Army Air Field Ontario Air National Guard Station is a former California Air National Guard facility located alongside Ontario International Airport in Ontario, California. Origins in World War II Ontario Army Air Field was established before World War II. It i ...
, California, c. 1 June 1942 * Laurel Army Air Field, Mississippi, November 1942 *
Esler Field Esler Field, also known as Esler Regional Airport , is a military and public use airfield in Rapides Parish, Louisiana, United States, near the Pineville, Louisiana, City of Pineville. It is located 10 nautical miles (12 statute miles, 19 ki ...
, Louisiana, March 1943 *
Abilene Army Air Field Dyess Air Force Base (AFB) is a United States Air Force (USAF) base located about southwest of downtown Abilene, Texas, and west of Fort Worth, Texas. The host unit at Dyess is the 7th Bomb Wing assigned to the Global Strike Command Eig ...
, Texas, September 1943 * Esler Field, Louisiana, November 1943 *
Key Field Meridian Regional Airport is a joint civil-military public use airport located at Key Field, a joint-use public/military airfield. It is located southwest of Meridian, a city in Lauderdale County, Mississippi, United States. The Meridian Airpo ...
, Mississippi, January–February 1945 * Toul/Ochey Airfield (A-96),Station Designators in Europe are from Johnson. France, c. 22 March 1945 *
Haguenau Airfield Haguenau Airport is an airport in France, located about 2 miles southeast of Haguenau (Département du Bas-Rhin, Alsace); 15 miles north of Strasburg and 250 miles east of Paris. The airport supports general aviation, with no commercial airlin ...
(Y-39), France, c. 2 April-c. 30 June 1945 *
Drew Field Tampa International Airport is an international airport west of Downtown Tampa, in Hillsborough County, Florida, United States. The airport is publicly owned by Hillsborough County Aviation Authority (HCAA)., effective December 30, 2021. The ...
, Florida, August 1945 *
Stuttgart Army Air Field : ''for the airport's World War II history, see Stuttgart Army Airfield (Arkansas), Stuttgart Army Airfield'' Stuttgart Municipal Airport is in Prairie County, Arkansas, Prairie County, Arkansas. It is eight miles north of Stuttgart, Arkansas, St ...
, Arkansas, November 1945 * Brooks Field, Texas, December 1945-29 July 1946 *
Grand Forks Air Force Base Grand Forks Air Force Base (AFB) is a United States Air Force installation in northeastern North Dakota, located north of Emerado and west of Grand Forks. The host unit is the 319th Reconnaissance Wing (319 RW) assigned to the Air Combat C ...
, North Dakota – 19 September 2011 – 28 June 2019


Aircraft

*
Douglas O-38 The Douglas O-38 was an observation airplane used by the United States Army Air Corps. Between 1931 and 1934, Douglas built 156 O-38s for the Air Corps, eight of which were O-38Fs. Some were still in service at the time of the Pearl Harbor Attack ...
*
Douglas O-46 The Douglas O-46 was an observation aircraft used by the United States Army Air Corps and the Philippine Army Air Corps.
*
North American O-47 The North American O-47 is an American observation fixed-wing aircraft monoplane designed in the mid-1930s and used by the United States Army Air Corps during the Second World War. It has a low-wing configuration, retractable landing gear, and a t ...
*
Curtiss O-52 Owl The Curtiss O-52 Owl was an observation aircraft used by the United States Army Air Corps before and during World War II. Design and development Developed in 1939, the Curtiss O-52 was the last "heavy" observation aircraft developed for the US ...
* Stinson L-1 Vigilant *
Taylorcraft L-2 The Taylorcraft L-2 Grasshopper is an American observation and liaison aircraft built by Taylorcraft Aircraft, Taylorcraft for the United States Army Air Forces in World War II. Design and development In 1941 the United States Army Air Forces ...
*
Aeronca L-3 The Aeronca L-3 group of observation and liaison aircraft were used by the United States Army Air Corps in World War II. The L-3 series were adapted from Aeronca's pre-war Tandem Trainer and Chief models. Design and development In 1941, the ...
*
Piper L-4 Cub The Piper J-3 Cub is an American light aircraft that was built between 1938 and 1947 by Piper Aircraft. The aircraft has a simple, lightweight design which gives it good low-speed handling properties and short-field performance. The Cub is Pi ...
*
Stinson L-5 Sentinel The Stinson L-5 Sentinel is a World War II-era liaison aircraft used by the United States Army Air Forces, U.S. Army Ground Forces, U.S. Marine Corps and the British Royal Air Force. It was produced by the Stinson Division of the Vultee Aircr ...
(earlier O-49) *
Bell P-39 Airacobra The Bell P-39 Airacobra is a fighter produced by Bell Aircraft for the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. It was one of the principal American fighters in service when the United States entered combat. The P-39 was used by the ...
*
Curtiss P-40 Warhawk The Curtiss P-40 Warhawk is an American single-engined, single-seat, all-metal fighter and ground-attack aircraft that first flew in 1938. The P-40 design was a modification of the previous Curtiss P-36 Hawk which reduced development time an ...
*
North American B-25 Mitchell The North American B-25 Mitchell is an American medium bomber that was introduced in 1941 and named in honor of Major General William "Billy" Mitchell, a pioneer of U.S. military aviation. Used by many Allied air forces, the B-25 served in e ...
*
Douglas A-20 Havoc The Douglas A-20 Havoc (company designation DB-7) is an American medium bomber, attack aircraft, Intruder (air combat), night intruder, night fighter, and reconnaissance aircraft of World War II. Designed to meet an Army Air Corps requirement f ...
* Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk * North American F-6 Mustang * Douglas A-26 Invader


Awards

* *
American Theater of World War II The American Theater was a theater of operations during World War II including all continental American territory, and extending into the ocean. Owing to North and South America's geographical separation from the central theaters of ...
* Campaign: Antisubmarine * *
European Theater of World War II The European theatre of World War II was one of the two main theatres of combat during World War II. It saw heavy fighting across Europe for almost six years, starting with Germany's invasion of Poland on 1 September 1939 and ending with the ...
* Campaign: Central Europe


References


Notes


Bibliography

* * * {{Tactical Air Command, state=autocollapse Military units and formations established in 2011 069 0069 Military units and formations in North Dakota 1941 establishments in California 1946 disestablishments in Texas 2011 establishments in North Dakota