8th Reconnaissance Group
Encyclopedia
The 8th Reconnaissance Group is an inactive United States Air Force
unit. Its last duty station was at Camp Kilmer
, New Jersey
, where it was inactivated on 5 November 1945.
The group operated as an umbrella support organization, with its component flying squadrons operating independently over a wide area in the China Burma India Theater of World War II
, supporting local tactical ground forces near the front lines, frequently moving from one airfield to another.
Component Squadrons and Flights were stationed at numerous airfields in India
, Burma and China (See below)
Non-Flying ground support squadrons
Moved to India, February–March 1944 and assigned to Tenth Air Force
. Equipped with F-5, F-6, and F7 aircraft. Conducted photographic reconnaissance, photographic, mapping, and visual reconnaissance missions. Products created ranged from maps, mosaics, terrain models, to target charts of areas in Burma, China, French Indochina, and Thailand. Personnel also bombed and strafed enemy installations and provided escort for bombardment units, since the photographic aircraft were dual-capable as bombers.
Redesignated 8th Reconnaissance Group in June 1945. Returned to the US, October–November 1945. Inactivated on 5 November 1945.
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 duty station was at Camp Kilmer
Camp Kilmer
Camp Kilmer, New Jersey is a former United States Army camp that was activated in June 1942 as a staging area and part of an installation of the New York Port of Embarkation. The camp was organized as part of the Army Service Forces Transportation Corps. Troops were quartered at Camp Kilmer in...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New 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...
, where it was inactivated on 5 November 1945.
The group operated as an umbrella support organization, with its component flying squadrons operating independently over a wide area in the China Burma India Theater of World War II
China Burma India Theater of World War II
China Burma India Theater was the name used by the United States Army for its forces operating in conjunction with British and Chinese Allied air and land forces in China, Burma, and India during World War II...
, supporting local tactical ground forces near the front lines, frequently moving from one airfield to another.
Lineage
- Constituted as 8th Photographic Reconnaissance Group on 15 September 1943
- Activated on 1 October 1943
- Redesignated 8th Reconnaissance Group in June 1945
- Inactivated on 5 November 1945
- Disbanded on 6 March 1947
- Reconstituted 31 July 1985 and redesignated 318th Electronic Warfare Group
- Redesignated 318th Information Operations Group318th Information Operations GroupThe United States Air Force's 318th Information Operations Group is an United States Air Force information operations unit located at Lackland AFB, Texas.-Mission:...
, 1 July 2000
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....
, 1 October 1943 – 12 February 1944 - Tenth Air ForceTenth Air ForceThe Tenth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Reserve Command . It is headquartered at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas....
, 31 March 1944 – 7 October 1945 - Army Service ForcesArmy Service ForcesThe Army Service Forces were one of the three autonomous components of the Army of the United States during World War II, the others being the Army Air Forces and Army Ground Forces. They were created on February 28, 1942 by Executive Order Number 9082 "Reorganizing the Army and the War Department"...
, 3–5 November 1945
Stations
Headquarters:- Peterson FieldPeterson 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...
, 1 October 1943 - Gainesville Army Airfield, Texas, 26 October 1943 – 12 February 1944
- BallyBally, HowrahBally is a city, municipality in Howrah District, West Bengal, India. It is a part of the area covered by Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority. It is a town of historical importance...
, India, (Ground echelon HQ), 31 March 1944 – 7 October 1945 - Camp KilmerCamp KilmerCamp Kilmer, New Jersey is a former United States Army camp that was activated in June 1942 as a staging area and part of an installation of the New York Port of Embarkation. The camp was organized as part of the Army Service Forces Transportation Corps. Troops were quartered at Camp Kilmer in...
, 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...
, 3–5 November 1945
Component Squadrons and Flights were stationed at numerous airfields in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, Burma and China (See below)
Components
- 9th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, 25 April 1944 – 7 October 1945
- Assigned to (prior to 25 April 1944):
- Tenth Air ForceTenth Air ForceThe Tenth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Reserve Command . It is headquartered at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas....
, 29 March 1942 (flight attached to Fourteenth Air ForceFourteenth Air ForceThe Fourteenth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Space Command . It is headquartered at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California....
, 10 March – 12 July 1943) - AAF India-Burma Sector, 30 October 1943 (attached to 5306th Photographic and Reconnaissance Group [Prow], 30 October 1943 – 17 January 1944, and to Tenth Air ForceTenth Air ForceThe Tenth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Reserve Command . It is headquartered at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas....
, 17 January-7 March 1944) - Tenth Air ForceTenth Air ForceThe Tenth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Reserve Command . It is headquartered at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas....
, 7 March 1944
- Tenth Air Force
- Stationed at:
- Karachi Airport, India, 24 July 1942
- Flight at Kunming Airport, China, November 1942-12 July 1943
- Detachment thereof operating from Kweilin Airfield, China, c. February-12 July 1943
- Flight at Kunming Airport, China, November 1942-12 July 1943
- Chakulia Airfield, India, 30 November 1942
- Detachment operated from Dinjan AirfieldDinjan AirfieldDinjan Airfield was a World War II airfield, located approximately seven miles northeast of Chabua, in the state of Assam, India.It was abandoned after the war and, though unused, is part of an Indian Air Force base.-History:...
, India, 18 March–July 1943
- Detachment operated from Dinjan Airfield
- Pandaveswar AirfieldPandaveswar AirfieldPandaveswar Airfield is a former wartime United States Army Air Forces airfield in India used during the Burma Campaign 1944-1945. It is now abandoned.-History:...
, India, 3 January 1943- Detachment operated from Dinjan AirfieldDinjan AirfieldDinjan Airfield was a World War II airfield, located approximately seven miles northeast of Chabua, in the state of Assam, India.It was abandoned after the war and, though unused, is part of an Indian Air Force base.-History:...
, India, September 1943-20 May 1944
- Detachment operated from Dinjan Airfield
- Barrackpore Airfield, India, 29 October 1943
- Detachment operated from Tingkawk Sakan AirfieldTingkawk Sakan AirfieldTingkawk Sakan Airfield is a former wartime United States Army Air Forces airfield in Burma used during the Burma Campaign 1944-1945. It is now abandoned.-History:...
, Burma, 16 August-30 November 1944 - Detachment operated from Myitkyina Airfield, Burma, 27 November-c. 5 December 1944
- Detachment Operated from Chittagong Airfield, India, c. 9 October-21 December 1944
- Detachment operated from Tingkawk Sakan Airfield
- Myitkyina Airfield, Burma, c. 5 December 1944
- Piardoba AirfieldPiardoba AirfieldPiardoba Airfield is an abandoned airfield in India, located 6.6 miles S of Bishnupur, West Bengal, Bankura District in the state of West Bengal, India.-History:...
, India, c. 1 May 1945 - Malir Airfield, IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, October-c. 14 November 1945
- Karachi Airport, India, 24 July 1942
- 20th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, 25 April 1944 – 7 October 1945
- Assigned to (prior to 25 April 1944):
- AAF India-Burma Sector, 26 December 1943 (attached to 5306th Photographic and Reconnaissance Group [Prow], 26 December 1943 – 17 January 1944, and to Tenth Air ForceTenth Air ForceThe Tenth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Reserve Command . It is headquartered at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas....
, 17 January-7 March 1944) - Tenth Air Force, 7 March 1944 (attached to 5320th Air Defense Wing [Prov], March–May 1944)
- AAF India-Burma Sector, 26 December 1943 (attached to 5306th Photographic and Reconnaissance Group [Prow], 26 December 1943 – 17 January 1944, and to Tenth Air Force
- Stationed at:
- Guskhara AirfieldGuskhara AirfieldGuskhara Airfield is a former wartime United States Army Air Forces airfield in India used during the Burma Campaign 1944-1945. It is now abandoned.-History:...
, India, 5 January 1944- Flight operated from Kisselbari Airfield, India, after 6 March 1944
- Kisselbari Airfield, IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, 26 March 1944- Operated from Dinjan AirfieldDinjan AirfieldDinjan Airfield was a World War II airfield, located approximately seven miles northeast of Chabua, in the state of Assam, India.It was abandoned after the war and, though unused, is part of an Indian Air Force base.-History:...
, India, 1 May – 20 June 1944- Detachment thereof operating from Tingkawk Sakan AirfieldTingkawk Sakan AirfieldTingkawk Sakan Airfield is a former wartime United States Army Air Forces airfield in Burma used during the Burma Campaign 1944-1945. It is now abandoned.-History:...
, Burma, after 21 May 1944
- Detachment thereof operating from Tingkawk Sakan Airfield
- Operated primarily from Tingkawk Sakan AirfieldTingkawk Sakan AirfieldTingkawk Sakan Airfield is a former wartime United States Army Air Forces airfield in Burma used during the Burma Campaign 1944-1945. It is now abandoned.-History:...
, Burma, 21 June-c. l0 November 1944- Detachment thereof operating from Myitkyina Airfield, Burma, 10 July-c. 25 August 1944
- Operated primarily from Myitkyina Airfield, Burma, c. 9 November 1944
- Flight operated from Akyab Airfield, Burma, 12 April-22 May 1945
- Operated from Dinjan Airfield
- Nagaghuli Airfield, India, C. 20 April 1945
- Dergaon Airfield, India, 9 July 1945
- Piardoba AirfieldPiardoba AirfieldPiardoba Airfield is an abandoned airfield in India, located 6.6 miles S of Bishnupur, West Bengal, Bankura District in the state of West Bengal, India.-History:...
, India, September–November 1945
- Guskhara Airfield
- 24th Combat Mapping Squadron, 25 April 1944 – 7 October 1945
- Assigned to (prior to 25 April 1944):
- AAF, India-Burma Sector, 26 December 1943 (attached to 5306th Photographic and Reconnaissance Group [Prov], z6 December 1943-17 January 1944, and to Tenth Air ForceTenth Air ForceThe Tenth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Reserve Command . It is headquartered at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas....
, 17 January-7 March 1944) - Tenth Air ForceTenth Air ForceThe Tenth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Reserve Command . It is headquartered at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas....
, 7 March 1944
- AAF, India-Burma Sector, 26 December 1943 (attached to 5306th Photographic and Reconnaissance Group [Prov], z6 December 1943-17 January 1944, and to Tenth Air Force
- Stationed at:
- Guskhara Airfield, India, 5 January 1944
- Detachment operated from Hsinching Airfield, China, 17 March-9 April 1944
- Detachment operated from Jorhat Airfield, India, 9–22 April 1944
- Detachment operated from Hsinching Airfield, China, 27 April-c. 1 July 1944
- Detachment operated from Liuchow Airfield, China, 10 July-22 September 1944
- Detachment operated from Chanyi Airfield, China, 22 September 1944 – 17 February 1945
- Element at Hsinching Airfield, China, October–November 1944
- Element at Pengshan Airfield, China, November 1944
- Tulihal Airfield and Cox's Bazar Airfield, IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, February-c. 7 October 1945
- Guskhara Airfield, India, 5 January 1944
- 40th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, 18 July 1944 – 7 October 1945
- Guskhara AirfieldGuskhara AirfieldGuskhara Airfield is a former wartime United States Army Air Forces airfield in India used during the Burma Campaign 1944-1945. It is now abandoned.-History:...
, India, 18 July 1944 - Alipore Airfield, India, 9 August 1944
- Detachment at Cox's Bazar Airfield, IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, after c. 10 December 1944
- Detachment at Cox's Bazar Airfield, India
- Cox's Bazar Airfield, IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, 18 January 1945 - Akyab Airfield, Burma, 14 February 1945
- Alipore Airfield, India, C. 15 May 1945
- Kanchrapara Airfield, India, September–c. 4 October 1945
Non-Flying ground support squadrons
- 2nd Combat Camera Unit
- 3d Photo Technical Unit
- 7th Photo Technical Sq
- 10th Combat Camera Unit
- 17th AAF Photo Intelligence Det
- 958th Engineer Co (Avn) Topographic
Aircraft
- F-4 (P-38 LightningP-38 LightningThe Lockheed P-38 Lightning was a World War II American fighter aircraft built by Lockheed. Developed to a United States Army Air Corps requirement, the P-38 had distinctive twin booms and a single, central nacelle containing the cockpit and armament...
), 1944–1945 - F-5 (P-51 MustangP-51 MustangThe North American Aviation P-51 Mustang was an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II, the Korean War and in several other conflicts...
), 1944–1945 - F-7 (B-25 MitchellB-25 MitchellThe North American B-25 Mitchell was an American twin-engined medium bomber manufactured by North American Aviation. It was used by many Allied air forces, in every theater of World War II, as well as many other air forces after the war ended, and saw service across four decades.The B-25 was named...
), 1945
Operational history
Organized at Peterson Field, Colorado in October 1943, then trained to provide photographic intelligence for air and ground forces at Gainesville AAF, Texas.Moved to India, February–March 1944 and assigned to Tenth Air Force
Tenth Air Force
The Tenth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Reserve Command . It is headquartered at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas....
. Equipped with F-5, F-6, and F7 aircraft. Conducted photographic reconnaissance, photographic, mapping, and visual reconnaissance missions. Products created ranged from maps, mosaics, terrain models, to target charts of areas in Burma, China, French Indochina, and Thailand. Personnel also bombed and strafed enemy installations and provided escort for bombardment units, since the photographic aircraft were dual-capable as bombers.
Redesignated 8th Reconnaissance Group in June 1945. Returned to the US, October–November 1945. Inactivated on 5 November 1945.