3d Reconnaissance Group
Encyclopedia
The 3d Reconnaissance Group is an inactive United States Air Force
unit. Its last assignment was with Twelfth Air Force, based at Pomigliano, Italy. It was inactivated on 12 September 1945
, Pantelleria
, Sardinia, and Sicily
. Reconnoitered airdromes, roads, marshalling yards, and harbors both before and after the Allied landings at Salerno
. Covered the Anzio
area early in 1944 and continued to support Fifth Army in its drive through Italy
by determining troop movements, gun positions, and terrain. Flew reconnaissance missions in connection with the Invasion of Southern France in August 1944. Received a DUC for a mission on 28 August 1944 when the group provided photographic intelligence that assisted the rapid advance of Allied ground forces. Also mapped areas in France and the Balkans
.
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 assignment was with Twelfth Air Force, based at Pomigliano, Italy. It was inactivated on 12 September 1945
History
Provided photographic intelligence that assisted the campaigns for TunisiaTunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
, Pantelleria
Pantelleria
Pantelleria , the ancient Cossyra, is an Italian island in the Strait of Sicily in the Mediterranean Sea, southwest of Sicily and just east of the Tunisian coast. Administratively Pantelleria is a comune belonging to the Sicilian province of Trapani...
, Sardinia, and Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
. Reconnoitered airdromes, roads, marshalling yards, and harbors both before and after the Allied landings at Salerno
Salerno
Salerno is a city and comune in Campania and is the capital of the province of the same name. It is located on the Gulf of Salerno on the Tyrrhenian Sea....
. Covered the Anzio
Anzio
Anzio is a city and comune on the coast of the Lazio region of Italy, about south of Rome.Well known for its seaside harbour setting, it is a fishing port and a departure point for ferries and hydroplanes to the Pontine Islands of Ponza, Palmarola and Ventotene...
area early in 1944 and continued to support Fifth Army in its drive through Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
by determining troop movements, gun positions, and terrain. Flew reconnaissance missions in connection with the Invasion of Southern France in August 1944. Received a DUC for a mission on 28 August 1944 when the group provided photographic intelligence that assisted the rapid advance of Allied ground forces. Also mapped areas in France and the Balkans
Balkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
.
Lineage
- Constituted as 3d Photographic Group on 9 June 1942 and activated on zo Jun
- Redesignated 3d Photographic Reconnaissance and Mapping Group in May 1943
- Redesignated 3d Photographic Group (Reconnaissance) in November 1943
- Redesignated 3d Reconnaissance Group in May 1945
- Inactivated in Italy on 12 September 1945
- Disbanded on 6 March 1947.
Assignments
- Second Air ForceSecond Air ForceThe 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....
, 20 June 1942 - Eighth Air ForceEighth Air ForceThe Eighth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana....
, 8 September 1942 - Twelfth Air Force, 10 December 1942 – 12 September 1945
- Attached to: 90th Photographic Wing, Reconnaissance90th Air DivisionThe 90th Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with First Air Force, based at Niagara Falls Airport, New York...
, c. 15 August 1943 – 1 October 1944
Components
- 5th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron5th Photographic Reconnaissance SquadronThe 5th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 3d Reconnaissance Group. It was inactivated at Pomigliano Airfield, Italy on 12 September 1945.-History:...
: 1 October 1942 – 21 January 1944 (Attached); 21 January 1944 – 12 September 1945
- Flight attached to: 5th Reconnaissance Group, 10 March – 5 May 1944
- 12th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron: 20 June 1942 – 12 September 1945
- 13th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron: 20 June 1942 – 7 July 1943
- Attached to: 1st Bombardment Wing1st Bombardment Wing (World War II)The 1st Bombardment Wing is an inactive United States Army Air Force unit. It was the first wing formed in the reorganized United States Army Air Service, created in August 1919 to control three groups patrolling the border with Mexico after revolution broke out there. Its last assignment was with...
, 2 December 1942 – 16 February 1943 - Attached to: Eighth Air ForceEighth Air ForceThe Eighth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana....
, 16 February – 7 July 1943- 14th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron: 20 June 1942 – 7 July 1943
- Attached to: Second Air ForceSecond Air ForceThe 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....
, 31 August 1942 - Attached to: United States Army Air ForcesUnited States Army Air ForcesThe United States Army Air Forces was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II, and the direct predecessor of the United States Air Force....
, 6 October 1942 - Attached to: Eighth Air ForceEighth Air ForceThe Eighth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana....
, 5 May – 7 July 1943- 15th Photographic Mapping (later Photographic, Combat Mapping, Photographic Reconnaissance) Squadron: 20 June 1942 – 21 June 1944
- Attached to: 5th Reconnaissance Group, 21 November 1943 – 21 June 1944
- 23d Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron: 15 July – 8 September 1943; 9 February – 9 March 1944; 23 August – 15 November 1944 (All attached); 15 November 1944 – 12 September 1945
Stations
- Colorado Springs AABPeterson FieldPeterson Field is a public-use airport located three nautical miles northeast of the central business district of Plains, a city in Sumter County, Georgia, United States. It is privately owned by G. Thomas Peterson.- Facilities and aircraft :...
, ColoradoColoradoColorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, 20 June – 13 August 1942 - RAF MemburyRAF MemburyRAF Station Membury is a former World War II airfield built in the civil parish of Lambourn in Berkshire, England. The airfield is located approximately mi north-northwest of Hungerford, at the Membury services stop of the M4 motorway; about miles west-southwest of London...
, England, 8 September 1942 - RAF Steeple MordenRAF Steeple MordenRAF Steeple Morden is a former World War II airfield in England. The field was located 3½ miles W of Royston in Cambridgeshire, near the village of Steeple Morden.-RAF Bomber Command use:...
, England, 26 October – 22 November 1942 - Oran Es Sénia AirportOran Es Sénia AirportOran Es Sénia Airport is an airport located 4.7 nm south of Oran, near Es Sénia, in Algeria.-History:During World War II, La Sénia Airport was first used by the French Air Force as a military airfield, first by the Armée de l'Air, and after June 1940, by the Armistice Air Force of the Vichy...
, Oran, Algeria, 10 December 1942 - Maison Blanche Airport, Algiers, Algeria, 25 December 1942
- La Marsa Airfield, Tunisia, 13 June 1943
- San Severo Airfield, Italy, 8 December 1943
- Pomigliano AirfieldPomigliano AirfieldPomigliano Airfield was a military airfield and base in Pomigliano d'Arco, southern Italy. It was attacked on several occasions by the United States Army Air Force...
, Italy 4 January 1944 - Nettuno AirfieldNettuno AirfieldNettuno Airfield is an abandoned World War II military airfield in Italy, which is located approximately 4 km east of Nettuno; about 50 km south-southeast of Rome....
, Italy, 16 June 1944 - Viterbo AirfieldRome Viterbo AirportRome Viterbo Airport Rome Viterbo Airport Rome Viterbo Airport (Italian: Aeroporto di Roma-Viterbo is a proposed re-use of Viterbo Air Force Base, a civilian, commercial and military airport about 80 kilometers north of Rome, Italy....
, Italy, 26 June 1944 - CorsicaCorsicaCorsica is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is located west of Italy, southeast of the French mainland, and north of the island of Sardinia....
, c. 14 July 1944 - Rosia AirfieldRosia AirfieldRosia Airfield is an abandoned World War II military airfield in Italy, which is located approximately 13 km southwest of Siena; 180 km northwest of Rome....
, Italy, C. September 1944 - Florence Airfield, Italy, 17 January 1945
- Pomigliano AirfieldPomigliano AirfieldPomigliano Airfield was a military airfield and base in Pomigliano d'Arco, southern Italy. It was attacked on several occasions by the United States Army Air Force...
, Italy, 26 August – 12 September 1945