6091st Reconnaissance Squadron
Encyclopedia
The 6091st Reconnaissance Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force
unit. Its last was assigned to the 41st Air Division, stationed at Yokota Air Base
, Japan. It was inactivated on 1 July 1968.
The squadron was formed from elements of the Strategic Air Command
91st Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron which remained in Far East Air Force (FEAF) after the unit was reassigned after the 1953 Korean War Armistice. The activities of this unit during the 1950s and 1960s are still classified, however it is suspected that the unit was the Pacific Air Forces counterpart of the USAFE 7406th Support Squadron which participated in overt and covert reconnaissance throughout Europe during the Cold War. Indeed, the squadron operated the same type of aircraft as it's USAFE counterpart.
In 1957 the squadron was consolidated with its sister 6021st Reconnaissance Squadron
and took over the atmospheric sampling mission for Soviet nuclear explosion monitoring. It also presumably took over the mission of the inactivated MATS 581st Air Resupply Group
in PACOM. The 6091st was supported administrativley and logistically by the host units at Yokota Air Base, but was operationally controlled by Fifth Air Force
and HQ PACAF. In 1968 the unit was inactivated, its personnel and assets being absorbed by the 556th Reconnaissance Squadron which operated drones and other reconnaissance aircraft over Southeast
Asia during the Vietnam War
.
The squadron's present-day successor unit is the 556th Test and Evaluation Squadron
, which performs operational testing for unmanned surveillance aircraft (UAS) at Creech AFB, Nevada.
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 41st Air Division, stationed at Yokota Air Base
Yokota Air Base
, is a United States Air Force base in the city of Fussa, one of 26 cities in the Tama Area, or Western Tokyo.The base houses 14,000 personnel. The base occupies a total area of and has a runway...
, Japan. It was inactivated on 1 July 1968.
History
The 6091st participated in overt and covert reconnaissance throughout East Asia during the Cold War. It was formed at the end of the Korean War with the return of the Strategic Air Command 91st Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron to the United States to provide Far East Air Forces with a strategic reconnaissance and intelligence gathering capability.The squadron was formed from elements of the Strategic Air Command
Strategic Air Command
The Strategic Air Command was both a Major Command of the United States Air Force and a "specified command" of the United States Department of Defense. SAC was the operational establishment in charge of America's land-based strategic bomber aircraft and land-based intercontinental ballistic...
91st Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron which remained in Far East Air Force (FEAF) after the unit was reassigned after the 1953 Korean War Armistice. The activities of this unit during the 1950s and 1960s are still classified, however it is suspected that the unit was the Pacific Air Forces counterpart of the USAFE 7406th Support Squadron which participated in overt and covert reconnaissance throughout Europe during the Cold War. Indeed, the squadron operated the same type of aircraft as it's USAFE counterpart.
In 1957 the squadron was consolidated with its sister 6021st Reconnaissance Squadron
6021st Reconnaissance Squadron
The 6021st Reconnaissance Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last was assigned to the 67th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, stationed at Yokota Air Base, Japan. It was inactivated on 8 December 1957.-History:...
and took over the atmospheric sampling mission for Soviet nuclear explosion monitoring. It also presumably took over the mission of the inactivated MATS 581st Air Resupply Group
Air Resupply And Communications Service
The Air Resupply And Communications Service is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was assigned to Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland.- Mission :The mission of ARCS was:...
in PACOM. The 6091st was supported administrativley and logistically by the host units at Yokota Air Base, but was operationally controlled by Fifth Air Force
Fifth Air Force
The Fifth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Pacific Air Forces . It is headquartered at Yokota Air Base, Japan....
and HQ PACAF. In 1968 the unit was inactivated, its personnel and assets being absorbed by the 556th Reconnaissance Squadron which operated drones and other reconnaissance aircraft over Southeast
Southeast
Southeast or south east is the ordinal direction halfway between east and south, the opposite of northwest.Southeast or south east may also refer to:- Places :* South-East District, Botswana* Southeast Region, Brazil...
Asia during the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
.
The squadron's present-day successor unit is the 556th Test and Evaluation Squadron
556th Test and Evaluation Squadron
The 556th Test and Evaluation Squadron is a United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the 53d Test and Evaluation Group, Detachment. 4 at Creech Air Force Base, Nevada.-Overview:...
, which performs operational testing for unmanned surveillance aircraft (UAS) at Creech AFB, Nevada.
Lineage
- Established as the 6091st Reconnaissance Flight and activated on 1 December 1953
- Re-designated as 6091st Reconnaissance Squadron on 20 December 1954
- Inactivated on 1 July 1968
Assignments
- Fifth Air ForceFifth Air ForceThe Fifth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Pacific Air Forces . It is headquartered at Yokota Air Base, Japan....
, 1 December 1953 - 6007th Reconnaissance Group6007th Reconnaissance GroupThe 6007th Reconnaissance Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last was assigned to the 6007th Reconnaissance Wing, stationed at Yokota Air Base, Japan...
(Composite), 1 March 1955 - 6007th Reconnaissance Wing (Composite), 9 August-30 September 1957
- 67th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, attached 1 July-30 September 1957, assigned 1 October 1957
- 3d Bombardment Wing, 8 December 1960
- 41st Air Division, 8 December 1960 – 15 January 1968
Aircraft
- RB-29 Superfortress (Photo-Recon), 1954
- RB-50B Superfortress (Photo/Weather Recon), 1954-1961
- RB-50G Superfortress (ELINT/Radar Recon), 1954-1961
- RB-45C Tornado, 1954
- RB-57F Canberra, 1963-1968
- C-47 SkytrainC-47 SkytrainThe Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota is a military transport aircraft that was developed from the Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II and remained in front line operations through the 1950s with a few remaining in operation to this day.-Design and...
, 1954-1968 - C-119G Flying Boxcar, 1954-1968
- C-130A-II Hercules, 1961-1968
- EC-97G Stratofreighter, 19631968