74th Reconnaissance Group
 | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1942–1945, 1946-1949 |
| Country |
 United States |
| Branch |
 United States Air Force |
| Role | Reconnaissance |
| Part of | Continental Air Command |
| Battle honours | American Theater of World War II |
The 74th Reconnaissance Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 91st Air Division at Stewart AFB, New York.
History[]
The uniit was first activated at Lawson Field, Georgia in February 1942 as the 74th Observation Group, shortly after the United States entered into World War II.[1] However, the group's first operational squadrons, the 11th, the newly activated 13th, and the 22d Observation Squadrons were not assigned until the following month.[2][3][4] The unit flew reconnaissance, mapping, artillery adjustment, bombing, dive bombing, and strafing missions to support ground units in training or on maneuvers.[1] It trained personnel in aerial reconnaissance, medium bombardment, and fighter techniques throughout the war until it was inactivated in November 1945.[1]
The group was reactivated in the reserves in 1946 at Stewart Field (later Stewart Air Force Base), New York. It was inactivated on 27 June 1949
Lineage[]
- Constituted as 74th Observation Group on 5 February 1942
- Activated on 27 February 1942
- Redesignated as 74th Reconnaissance Group on 2 April 1943
- Redesignated as 74th Tactical Reconnaissance Group oon 11 August 1943
- Inactivated on 7 November 1945.
- Redesignated 74th Reconnaissance Group, allotted to the reserve, and activated, on 27 December 1946
- Inactivated on 27 June 1949.
Components[]
- 5th Observation Squadron (later 5th Liaison Squadron):[5] 8 Aug 1942 - 25 Jan 1943; 2 Apr 1943 - 11 August 1943 (attached 11 August 1943 - 15 Sep 1943)[6]
- 8th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron: 15 July 1945 - 7 November 1945[7]
- 11th Observation Squadron (later 11th Reconnaissance Squadron, 11th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron): 21 March 1942 – 7 November 1945[2]
- 13th Observation Squadron (later 13th Reconnaissance Squadron, 13th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron): 2 March 1942 – 7 November 1945[3]
- 21st Reconnaissance Squadron: 1 October 1947 – 27 June 1949[8]
- 22d Observation Squadron (later 22d Reconnaissance Squadron, 22d Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron): 12 March 1942– 29 January 1945[4]
- 22d Reconnaissance Squadron:[9] 23 October 1947 – 27 June 1949[10]
- 31st Reconnaissance Squadron (later 33d Reconnaissance Squadron): 13 November 1947– 27 June 1949[11]
- 28th Reconnaissance Squadron (later 36th Photographic Mapping Squadron): 21 October 1943 – 29 March 1944[12]
- 101st Bombardment Photographic Squadron: 29 January 1945 - 7 November 1945[13]
Assignments[]
- 5th Air Support Command, 27 February 1942
- 3d Air Support Command (later III Ground Air Support Command, III Air Support Command), ca. April 1942
- IV Air Support Command, 28 December 1942
- III Reconnaissance Command (later III Tactical Air Command), ca. September 1943
- XIX Tactical Air Command, 25 October 1945 - 7 November 1945[14]
- 91st Reconnaissance Wing (later 91st Air Division), 27 December 1946 – 27 June 1949[15]
Stations[]
- Lawson Field, Georgia, 27 February 1942
- DeRidder Army Air Base, Louisiana, C. 14 April 1942
- Esler Field, Louisiana, c. 13 December 1942
- Desert Center Army Air Field, California, c. 28 December 1942
- Morris Field, North Carolina, September 1943
- Camp Campbell AAF, Kentucky, November 1943
- DeRidder Army Air Field, Louisiana, April 1944
- Stuttgart Army Air Field, Arkansas, February-7 November 1945
- Stewart Field, New York, 27 December 1946 – 27 June 1949.
Aircraft[]
- A-26, 1945
- B-18, 1942-1943
- F-6 (P-51), 1945
- F-10 (B-25), 1944-1945
- L-1, 1942-1943
- L-3, 1942-1943
- L-4, 1942-1943
- L-5, 1944-1945
- L-6, 1942-1943
- O-52, 1942-1943
- P-39, 1943
- P-40, 1943-1944
- P-43, 1942-1943
Sources[16] Equipped at various times withA-20's,
Awards[]
References[]
Notes[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Maurer, Maurer, ed (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. p. 140. ISBN 0-912799-02-1. http://www.airforcehistory.hq.af.mil/Publications/fulltext/af_combat_units_wwii.pdf.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 AFHRA Factsheet, 11th Reconnaissance Squadron (retrieved Dec 3, 2012)
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 AFHRA Factsheet, 29th Attack Squadron (retrieved Dec 3, 2012)
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 117-119
- ↑ This squadron is not related to the 5th Observation Squadron that is currently the 5th Reconnaissance Squadron
- ↑ Maurer, Maurer, ed (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. pp. 35–36. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. http://www.airforcehistory.hq.af.mil/Publications/fulltext/combat_sq_of_the_af_wwii.pdf.
- ↑ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 49
- ↑ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 111-112
- ↑ This squadron is not related to the one previously listed. During World War II it was designated the 22d Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron
- ↑ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 117
- ↑ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 184-185
- ↑ AFHRA Factsheet, 36th Intelligence Squadron (retrieved Dec 3, 2012)
- ↑ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 333
- ↑ Abstract, Final History of 74th Tactical Reconnaissance Group (retrieved Dec 4, 2012)
- ↑ AFHRA Factsheet, 91st Air Division (retrieved Dec 4, 2012)
- ↑ Aircraft flown are based on the sources cited for individuall squadrons. Not all squadrons flew the same aircraft while assigned to the group
Bibliography[]
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.
- Maurer, Maurer, ed (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-02-1. http://www.airforcehistory.hq.af.mil/Publications/fulltext/af_combat_units_wwii.pdf.
- Maurer, Maurer, ed (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. http://www.airforcehistory.hq.af.mil/Publications/fulltext/combat_sq_of_the_af_wwii.pdf.
The original article can be found at 74th Reconnaissance Group and the edit history here.