323d Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron
Encyclopedia
The 323d Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force
unit. Its last was assigned to the 91st Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, stationed at Lockbourne Air Force Base, Ohio
. It was inactivated on 8 November 1957.
in the southeastern United States with final training under Second Air Force
in Washington. Deployed to European Theater of Operations (ETO), assigned to VIII Bomber Command
in England, being one of the first heavy bomb squadrons arriving in England. The 322d was one of the most highly decorated strategic heavy bomb squadrons in the European Theater, flying combat missions over Nazi Germany and Occupied Europe until the German capitulation in May 1945. Most personnel demobilized in England immediately after the end of the war in Europe, Squadron returned to the United States with a small headquarters staff and was planned to be re-equipped and remanned as a B-29 Superfortress
squadron. Japanese capitulation canceled plans and was inactivated as a paper unit in the United States during November 1945.
Reactivated in 1947 as a Strategic Air Command long-range strategic reconnaissance squadron; not manned or equipped until July 1948. Used B-17 and B-29 bombers refitted for reconnasissance missions. Deployed to Japan in 1950, and performed strategic reconnaissance missions over Korea, and the Northern Pacific coast of Communist China
and the Soviet Union
. Re-equipped with RB-45C Tornado jet reconnaissance aircraft, flying reconnaissance and mapping combat missions over Korea until being assigned to the United States in mid 1952. Re-equipped with RB-47E Stratojets, performed various reconnaissance missions on a worldwide scale until inactivation in 1957.
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
unit. Its last was assigned to the 91st Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, stationed at Lockbourne Air Force Base, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
. It was inactivated on 8 November 1957.
History
Established as a B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bomb squadron in early 1942; trained under Third Air ForceThird Air Force
The Third Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Forces in Europe . It is headquartered at Ramstein Air Base, Germany....
in the southeastern United States with final training under Second Air Force
Second Air Force
The Second Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Air Education and Training Command . It is headquartered at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi....
in Washington. Deployed to European Theater of Operations (ETO), assigned to VIII Bomber Command
VIII Bomber Command
The VIII Bomber Command is an inactive United States Army Air Forces unit that is better known as the later appellation Eighth Air Force, as was popularized in post-World War II filmsand is frequently called the First Eighth Air Force by its veterans and successors in the services.The command was...
in England, being one of the first heavy bomb squadrons arriving in England. The 322d was one of the most highly decorated strategic heavy bomb squadrons in the European Theater, flying combat missions over Nazi Germany and Occupied Europe until the German capitulation in May 1945. Most personnel demobilized in England immediately after the end of the war in Europe, Squadron returned to the United States with a small headquarters staff and was planned to be re-equipped and remanned as a B-29 Superfortress
B-29 Superfortress
The B-29 Superfortress is a four-engine propeller-driven heavy bomber designed by Boeing that was flown primarily by the United States Air Forces in late-World War II and through the Korean War. The B-29 was one of the largest aircraft to see service during World War II...
squadron. Japanese capitulation canceled plans and was inactivated as a paper unit in the United States during November 1945.
Reactivated in 1947 as a Strategic Air Command long-range strategic reconnaissance squadron; not manned or equipped until July 1948. Used B-17 and B-29 bombers refitted for reconnasissance missions. Deployed to Japan in 1950, and performed strategic reconnaissance missions over Korea, and the Northern Pacific coast of Communist China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
and the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. Re-equipped with RB-45C Tornado jet reconnaissance aircraft, flying reconnaissance and mapping combat missions over Korea until being assigned to the United States in mid 1952. Re-equipped with RB-47E Stratojets, performed various reconnaissance missions on a worldwide scale until inactivation in 1957.
Lineage
- Constituted 323d Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 28 January 1942
- Activated on 15 April 1942
- Inactivated on 7 November 1945
- Redesignated 323d Reconnaissance Squadron on 11 June 1947
- Activated on 1 July 1947
- Redesignated: 323d Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron on 10 November 1948
- Redesignated: 323d Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron (Medium) on 6 July 1950
- Inactivated on 8 November 1957
Assignments
- 91st Bombardment Group91st Operations GroupThe 91st Operations Group is the operational component of the 91st Missile Wing, assigned to the Air Force Global Strike Command Twentieth Air Force. It is stationed at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota....
, 15 April 1942-7 November 1945 - 91st Reconnaissance (later Strategic Reconnaissance) Group91st Operations GroupThe 91st Operations Group is the operational component of the 91st Missile Wing, assigned to the Air Force Global Strike Command Twentieth Air Force. It is stationed at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota....
, 1 July 1947 - 91st Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, 28 May 1952-8 November 1957
Stations
- Harding Army Air Field, LouisianaLouisianaLouisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, 15 April 1942 - MacDill Field, FloridaFloridaFlorida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, 16 May 1942 - Walla Walla Army Air Base, Washington, c. 28 June-24 August 1942
- RAF KimboltonRAF KimboltonRAF Kimbolton is a former World War II airfield in England, located 8 miles west of Huntingdon in Cambridgeshire.-USAAF use:The airfield was originally built in 1941 for RAF Bomber Command, then expanded to Class A airfield standards for use by American heavy bombers during 1942. Kimbolton was...
(AAF-117), EnglandEnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, 13 September 1942 (ground echelon), early October 1942 (air echelon) - RAF BassingbournRAF BassingbournRAF Bassingbourn is a former military airbase located in Cambridgeshire approximately north of Royston, Hertfordshire and south west of Cambridge. During World War II it served first as an RAF station and then as a bomber base of the U.S. Eighth Air Force...
(AAF-121), EnglandEnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, 14 October 1942-23 June 1945 - Drew Field, FloridaFloridaFlorida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, 3 July-7 November 1945 - Andrews Field, MarylandMarylandMaryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, 1 July 1947 - McGuire AFB, New JerseyNew JerseyNew Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, 19 July 1948 - Barksdale AFB, LouisianaLouisianaLouisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, 1 October 1949
- Deployed to Johnson AB and Yokota AB, JapanJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
6 July 1950-28 May 1952- Lockbourne AFB, OhioOhioOhio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, 11 September 1951-8 November 1957
- Lockbourne AFB, Ohio
Aircraft
- B-17 Flying Fortress, 1942–1945
- RB-17 Flying Fortress, 1948–1949
- RB-29 Superfortress, 1949–1950
- RB-45C TornadoB-45 TornadoThe North American B-45 Tornado was the United States Air Force's first operational jet bomber, and the first jet aircraft to be refueled in the air. The B-45 was an important part of the United States's nuclear deterrent for several years in the early 1950s, but was rapidly succeeded by the Boeing...
, 1950–1953 - RB-47E Stratojet, 1953–1957