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1 Reconnaissance Squadron

1 Reconnaissance Squadron		 Unit Insignia

  • Description: A Brown cave man wearing a Black breech clout standing on a Black mound, looking to dexter with right hand shielding his eyes, left hand holding a spear horizontally, in front of a rising sun, against a Blue background; all within a Black bordered Gold annulet bearing thirteen Black crosses patee. Approved on 14 Jul 1931.


Lineage

Organized as 1st Provisional Aero Squadron on 5 Mar 1913. Redesignated: 1st Aero Squadron on 8 Dec 1913; 1st Squadron (Observation) on 14 Mar 1921; 1st Observation Squadron on 25 Jan 1923; 1st Bombardment Squadron on 1 Mar 1935; 1st Bombardment Squadron (Medium) on 6 Dec 1939; 1st Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 20 Nov 1940; 1st Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy, on 28 Mar 1944; 1st Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron, Photographic, on 10 Oct 1948; 1st Bombardment Squadron, Heavy, on 1 Apr 1950; 1st Bombardment Squadron, Medium, on 2 Oct 1950; 1st Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron on 25 Jun 1966; 1st Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron (Training) on 1 Jul 1990; 1st Reconnaissance Squadron (Training) on 1 Sep 1991; 1st Reconnaissance Squadron on 1 Jul 1994.

Assignments

Unkn, 5 Mar 1913–Apr 1918; I Corps Observation Group, Apr–Nov 1918; unkn, Nov 1918–1 Oct 1919; 1st Army Observation (later, 7th Observation) Group, 1 Oct 1919 (attached to 1st Provisional Air Brigade for operations, 6 May–3 Oct 1921); 2d Wing, 30 Aug 1921; Second Corps Area, 30 Sep 1921; 9th Observation (later, 9th Bombardment) Group, assigned 1 Aug 1922, attached 24 Mar 1923, and assigned 15 Feb 1929; 311th Air Division, 10 Oct 1948 (attached to 55th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, 10–26 Oct 1948, and to 55th Strategic Reconnaissance Group, 27 Oct 1948–31 May 1949); 9th Strategic Reconnaissance (later, 9th Bombardment) Group, 1 Jun 1949 (attached to 9th Bombardment Wing, 10 Feb 1951–15 Jun 1952); 9th Bombardment (later, 9th Strategic Aerospace; 9th Strategic Reconnaissance) Wing, 16 Jun 1952; 9th Operations Group, 1 Sep 1991–.

Stations

Texas City, TX, 5 Mar 1913; San Diego, CA, c. 28 Nov 1913 (detachment operated from Ft Crockett, TX, 30 Apr–13 Jul 1914; from Brownsville, TX, 17 Apr–c. 24 May 1915); Ft Sill, OK, 29 Jul 1915 (detachment operated from Brownsville, TX, 18 Aug–c. Dec 1915); Ft Sam Houston, TX, 26 Nov 1915; Columbus, NM, 15 Mar 1916; Casas Grandes, Mexico (operated from Colonia Dublan), 19 Mar 1916; San Geronimo, Mexico, 5 Apr 1916; San Antonio, Mexico, 9 Apr 1916; Satevo, Mexico, 11 Apr 1916; Namiquipa, Mexico, 17 Apr 1916; Columbus, NM, 22 Apr 1916–5 Aug 1917 (detachments operated from Colonia Dublan and El Valle, Mexico, until c. Jan 1917); Avord, France, 13 Sep 1917; Issoudun, France, 20 Sep 1917; Amanty, France, 19 Oct 1917; Ourches, France, 4 Apr 1918; Saints, France, 29 Jun 1918; Francheville, France, 6 Jul 1918; Moras Ferme (near La Ferte-sous-Jouarre), France, c. 22 Jul 1918; May-en-Multien, France, 5 Aug 1918; Coincy, France, 10 Aug 1918; Chailly-en-Brie, France, 13 Aug 1918; Toul, France, 22 Aug 1918; Remicourt, France, 21 Sep 1918; Julvecourt, France, 5 Nov 1918; Mercy-le-Bas, France, 21 Nov 1918; Trier, Germany, 6 Dec 1918; Weissenthurm, Germany, 21 Jan–14 Jul 1919; Park Field, TN, 4 Aug 1919; Mitchel Field, NY, 10 Oct 1919–6 Nov 1940 (operated from Langley Field, VA, 6 May–26 Oct 1921); Rio Hato, Panama, 13 Nov 1940; Piarco Aprt, Trinidad, 24 Apr 1941; Waller Field, Trinidad, 29 Oct 1941; Edinburgh Field, Trinidad, 23 Aug 1942; Orlando AB, FL, 31 Oct 1942; Brooksville, FL, 15 Dec 1942; Orlando AB, FL, 25 Feb 1944; Dalhart AAFld, TX, c. 3 Mar 1944; McCook AAFld, NE, 19 May–18 Nov 1944; North Field, Tinian, 28 Dec 1944–7 Mar 1946; Clark Field, Luzon, 14 Mar 1946; Harmon Field, Guam, 9 Jun 1947–10 Oct 1948; Topeka AFB, KS, 10 Oct 1948; Fairfield–Suisun (later, Travis) AFB, CA, 1 Jun 1949; Mountain Home AFB, ID, 1 May 1953 (deployed at Fairford RAF Station, England, 22 May–8 Jul 1955); Beale AFB, CA, 25 Jun 1966–.

Aircraft

In addition to Wright C, 1913–1914, and Burgess H, 1913–1915, included Wright B, Burgess F, Burgess I-Scout, Burgess J-Scout, Curtiss D, Curtiss E, Curtiss H, Martin TT, and apparently Wright D-Scout, during period 1913–1915; JN–2 (JN–3), 1915–1916; N–8, 1916; in addition to R–2, 1916–1917, included (for field testing) H–2, H–3, Twin JN, R–Land, Sturtevant Adv Tr, V–1, D–5, and JN–4 during period 1916–1917; AR–1, 1917–1918; Spad XI, 1918; Salmson 2, 1918–1919; in addition to DH–4 apparently included 0–2 during period 1919–1928; in addition to O–1, c. 1928–1936, included O–13, Y1O–31, Y1O–35, O–39, Y1O–40, and B–6, during period 1930–1936; B–10, 1936–1938; B–18, 1939–1942; B–17, 1942–1944, 1948–1949; B–29, 1944–1947, 1948–1949, 1950–1954; RB–17, 1948–1949; RB–29, 1948–1949; B–36, 1949–1950; B–47, 1954–1966; SR–71, 1966–1990; T–38, 1969–; U–2, 1990–.

Operations

Organized in response to Mexican Revolution of Feb 1913; deployed detachments to Texas, for projected foreign service during Tampico-Vera Cruz crisis, Apr–Jul 1914, and for border patrol duty, Apr–May 1915, Aug–c. Dec 1915; served as reconnaissance and liaison unit with Punitive Expedition to Mexico, Mar 1916–c. Jan 1917; patrolled border until c. May 1917. Combat as corps observation unit with French XXXVIII Army Corps and American I Army Corps, 11 Apr–8 Nov 1918; served with III Army Corps as part of occupation forces, Nov 1918–Jul 1919. Participated in demonstrations of effectiveness of aerial bombardment on warships, Jun–Sep 1921. Antisubmarine patrols, and reconnaissance of Vichy French fleet at Martinique, Dec 1941–Oct 1942. Trained cadres for bombardment units, Nov 1942–Feb 1944. Combat in Western Pacific, 25 Jan–14 Aug 1945. Unmanned Apr 1947–10 Oct 1948. Photographic reconnaissance, Oct 1948–Apr 1950. Returned to bombardment training, Apr 1950–Jun 1966. Worldwide reconnaissance with SR–71 aircraft, Jun 1966–Jun 1990. Reconnaissance pilot training with U–2 aircraft, 1990–.

Service Streamers

None

Campaign Streamers

Mexico 1916–1917. World War I: Lorraine; Ile-de-France; Champagne; Champagne-Marne; Aisne-Marne; St Mihiel; Meuse-Argonne. World War II: Antisubmarine, American Theater; Air Offensive, Japan; Eastern Mandates; Western Pacific.

Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers

None

Decorations

Distinguished Unit Citations: Kawasaki, Japan, 15–16 Apr 1945; Japan, 13–28 May 1945. Presidential Unit Citation: 31 Mar–31 Dec 1968. Air Force Outstanding Unit Award With Combat "V" Device: 1 Jul 1972–30 Jun 1973. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Jan 1957–31 Jan 1958; 1 Jul 1967–30 Jun 1968; 1 Jul 1970–30 Jun 1971; 1 Jul 1971–30 Jun 1972; 1 Jul 1975–30 Jun 1977; 1 Jul 1981–30 Jun 1982; 1 Jul 1983–30 Jun 1984; 1 Jul 1985–30 Jun 1986; 1 Jul 1986–30 Jun 1987; 1 Jul 1989–30 Jun 1990; 1 Sep 1991–30 Jun 1993.