38th Reconnaissance Squadron

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= 38th Reconnaissance Squadron


caption= 38th Reconnaissance Squadron Patch
dates= 15 January 1941 - 20 August 1946
15 March 1947 - 14 October 1949
1 November 1950 - 1 April 1970
1 April 1979–present
country= United States
allegiance=
branch=United States Air Force
type= Reconnaissance and Surveillance
role=
size=
command_structure= Air Combat Command
8th Air Force
55th Wing
55th Operations Group
current_commander=
garrison= Offutt Air Force Base
ceremonial_chief=
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nickname=
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The 38th Reconnaissance Squadron (38 RS) is part of the 55th Wing at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska. It operates the RC-135 aircraft conducting reconnaissance missions.

Mission

History

The 38th flew combat mission in the European Theater of Operations from, 15 October 1943-21 April 1945. It conducted photo-mapping of Borneo, Philippines, and Formosa from, April 1947-March 1949. The squadron flew worldwide strategic reconnaissance including in support of the Cuban Missile Crisis in October 1962, Operation Urgent Fury in October 1983, Operation El Dorado Canyon in April 1986, Operation Just Cause in December 1989, and Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm from January-February 1991. [http://afhra.maxwell.af.mil/rso/squadrons_flights_pages/0038recos.html AFHRA 38 RS Page] ]

=Operations=

*World War II
*Operation Urgent Fury
*Operation El Dorado Canyon
*Operation Just Cause
*Operation Desert Shield
*Operation Desert Storm

=Lineage=

*38th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) (1940 - 1942)
*38th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) (Twin Engine) (1942)
*38th Fighter Squadron (Twin Engine) (1942 - 1943)
*38th Fighter Squadron, Twin Engine (1943 - 1944)
*38th Fighter Squadron, Single Engine (1944 - 1947)
*38th Reconnaissance Squadron, Very Long Range, Mapping (1947 - 1949)
*38th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron, Photo-Mapping (1949 - 1950)
*38th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron, Medium, Photo (1950 - 1952)
*38th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron, Medium (1952 - 1956)
*38th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron (1966 - 1991)
*38th Reconnaissance Squadron (1991 - present)

=Assignments=

*55th Fighter Group (1941 - 1946)
*5th Reconnaissance Group (1947 - 1949)
*311th Air Division (1949)
**Attached: 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing (26 May - 1 June 1949)
*55th Strategic Reconnaissance Group (1949)
*55th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing (1950 - 1970)
**Attached: 91st Strategic Reconnaissance Wing (1 November 1950 - 6 January 1951)
**Attached: 3d Air Division (15 January - 28 May 1951)
**Attached: 7th Air Division (5 April - 9 August 1952)
*55th Wing (1979 - present)

=Bases stationed=

*Hamilton Field, California (1941)
*Columbia Airport, Oregon (1941)
*McChord Field, Washington (1941 - 1942)
*Paine Field, Washington (1942 - 1943)
*RAF Nuthampstead, England (1943 - 1944)
*RAF Wormingford, England (1944 - 1945)
*Kaufbeuren, Germany (1945 - 1946)
*Giebelstadt, Germany (1946)
*Clark Air Base, Luzon (1947 - 1949)
*Fairfield-Suisun Air Force Base, California (1949)
*Forbes Air Force Base, Kansas (1949)
*Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana (1950 - 1951)
*Ramey Air Force Base, Puerto Rico (1951 - 1952)
**Deployed: RAF Bassingbourn, England (15 January - 28 May 1951)
**Deployed: RAF Sculthorpe, England (5 April - 15 May 1952)
**Deployed: RAF Upper Heyford, England (15 May - 9 August 1952)
*Forbes Air Force Base, Kansas (1952 - 1966)
**Deployed: Benguerir Air Base, French Morocco (30 May - 6 August 1955)
*Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska (1966 - 1970, 1979 - present)

=Aircraft Operated=

*P-43 Lancer (1941)
*P-38 Lightning (1941 - 1944)
*P-47 Thunderbolt (1943)
*P-51 Mustang (1944 - 1946)
*P-80 Shooting Star (1946)
*A-26 Invader (1946)
*B-17 Flying Fortress (1947)
*FB/RB-17 (1947 - 1949)
*RC-45 Expeditor (1948 - 1949)
*C-46 Commando (1948 - 1949)
*C-47 Skytrain (1948 - 1949)
*B-29 Superfortress (1949)
*RB-50 (1950 - 1954)
*RB-47 (1954 - 1965)
*EB-47 (1957 - 1965)
*EC-135 (1966 - 1970)
*KC-135 Stratotanker (1966 - c. 1968)
*RC-135 (1979 - present)

References

Notes

Bibliography

* [http://afhra.maxwell.af.mil/rso/squadrons_flights_pages/0038recos.html AFHRA 38th Reconnaissance Squadron History]

ee also