46th Reconnaissance Squadron
 | This articleneeds additional citations forverification.(August 2021) |
| 46th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron | |
|---|---|
 Crew of USAF Superfortress after record 30-hour, 15-minute flight on 17 July 1947[a] | |
| Active | 1943–1945; 1945–1947; 2003-2011; c. 2013–present |
| Country |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Air Force |
| Role | Reconnaissance |
| Part of | Air Combat Command |
| Garrison/HQ | Balad Air Base |
| Engagements | European Theater of Operations Mediterranean Theater of Operations |
| Decorations | Distinguished Unit Citation[1]Air Force Meritorious Unit Award Air Force Outstanding Unit Award[2] |
| Insignia | |
| 46th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Sq emblem |  |
| 719th Bombardment Squadron emblem(World War II)[3] |  |
| Patch with unofficial 46th/72d Reconnaissance Squadron emblem |  |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Reconnaissance | MQ-1,MQ-9 |
The46th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadronis an activeCentral Commandunit of theUnited States Air Force.
Thesquadronwas first activated as the719th Bombardment Squadronin May 1943. After training in the United States, the squadron deployed to theMediterranean Theater of Operations,where it participated in thestrategic bombing campaignagainst Germany. The squadron was awarded twoDistinguished Unit Citationsfor its actions during the war. FollowingV-E Day,the 716th returned to the United States and was inactivated in June 1945.
The squadron was activated again in September and trained withBoeing B-29 Superfortresses.It was redesignated the46th Reconnaissance Squadrontwo months later, becoming one of the first long range reconnaissance units inStrategic Air Command(SAC). In August 1946, the squadron deployed toLadd Field,Alaska Territory, where it conducted long rangeaerial reconnaissanceover the Arctic. The 46th squadron flew "Project Nanook" to assess the Soviet threat in theArcticat the beginning of theCold War.The unit developed the grid system of Navigation which made Arctic navigation routine. The squadron's F-13, serial 45-21848 was the first aircraft to fly over theNorth Poleon 16 October 1946. It was inactivated on 13 October 1947 and transferred its assets to the72d Reconnaissance Squadron.
The squadron was converted to provisional status and reformed in 2004 and deployed to Iraq and, later, to Afghanistan.
History[edit]
World War II[edit]
Thesquadronwas first activated in May 1943 atDavis-Monthan Field,Arizona as the719th Bombardment Squadron,one of the four original squadrons of the449th Bombardment Group.[1][4]It trained withConsolidated B-24 LiberatorsatAlamogordo Army Air Field,New Mexico andBruning Army Air Field,Nebraska before departing for theMediterranean Theater of Operationsin November 1943.[1]
The squadron assembled at its combat station,Grottaglie Airfieldin Southern Italy, in early January 1944, from which it operated primarily onstrategic bombing missions.It attackedoil refineries,communications centers, aircraft factories and industrial facilities in Italy, Germany, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, Albania and Greece. The squadron was awarded aDistinguished Unit Citation(DUC) for its actions on 4 April 1944, when the squadron, along with the other elements of the 449th Group, operated without fighter escort in an attack on railroadmarshalling yardsnearBucharest.The attacking group was heavily outnumbered by Germaninterceptor aircraft,but not only succeeded in destroying its assigned target, but inflicted heavy losses on the defending fighters. It was awarded a second DUC for an attack against oil refineries nearPloesti,attacking through heavy smoke that obscured the target area and despite intense enemy fire.[4]
The squadron attackedgun emplacementsto supportOperation Dragoon,the invasion of southern France in August 1944. It attacked troop concentrations, bridges and viaducts duringOperation Grapeshot,theFifteenth Army Groupoffensive in Northern Italy in the spring of 1945. Shortly afterV-E Day,in May 1945, the squadron returned to the United States.[1][4]
The squadron reformed atSioux Falls Army Air Field,South Dakota at the end of May. The 449th Group began training withBoeing B-29 Superfortressvery heavy bombers. However, very heavy bomber groups were authorized three squadrons, rather than the four squadrons of heavy bomber groups, and the squadron was inactivated In June 1945.[1][4]
Arctic reconnaissance[edit]
Media related to46th Reconnaissance Squadronat Wikimedia Commons
The squadron was reactivated in September 1945Grand Island Army Air Field,and began training on the B-29. It was redesignated the46th Reconnaissance Squadronin June 1946.[1]Its new mission was to provide very long range reconnaissance as part of the newly establishedStrategic Air Command(SAC). The 46th Reconnaissance Squadron was SAC's first operational unit.[5]The squadron was equipped with eighteen reconnaissance-modified Superfortresses. Eight of the aircraft were modified into the F-13A reconnaissance configuration, being fitted with special camera installations for photographic mapping andaerial reconnaissancework. The F-13As carried three K-17B, two K-22 and one K-18 cameras with provisions for others. However, the standard B-29 bombing equipment and defensive armament were retained.[citation needed]
Simultaneously with its redesignation, the squadron moved toLadd Field,Alaska with a mission to fly reconnaissance and photographic mapping missions over theArcticand perform reconnaissance along the northern border of Soviet territory in the Arctic, as well as deep-penetration reconnaissance flights. All of its missions were classified as Top Secret, the classification wasn't dropped until 2001.[citation needed]In August, the squadron was transferred from SAC toAlaskan Air Command.[1]
The squadron flew its first operational mission on 2 August 1946 from its base at Ladd, eventually flying more than 5,000 hours in the Arctic and over 1,000,000 miles in its first year of operations, testing material and the limits of flying personnel in the Arctic. It made the first aircraft flight over the GeographicNorth Poleon 16 October 1946, eventually accomplishing over 100 flights to the pole and its immediate vicinity. It performed photo mapping of 5,500,000 square miles of the Arctic, including areas for the strategic location of defense components, and future locations of radar sites along the northern Canadian region. Exploratory flights were made to obtain information necessary to establish commercial airline service over the Arctic.[citation needed]
When the squadron arrived in Alaska, large areas of the territory and northern Canada were largely unexplored. The squadron developed means of polar navigation necessary due to the unreliability of magnetic compasses, and many existing maps of the region were unreliable. The grid system of navigation was developed which enabled navigators to navigate to locations within one mile of accuracy.[citation needed]
The squadron was inactivated on 13 October 1947.[1]Its mission, personnel and equipment were transferred to the72d Reconnaissance Squadron,which was simultaneously activated. The 72d continued the arctic reconnaissance mission until moving to the United States in June 1949.[6]The two units are sometimes referred to as the 46th/72d Reconnaissance Squadron and a former alumni group was titled the 46th/72d Recon Association.[7]
Expeditionary operations[edit]
The squadron was converted to provisional status as the46th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadronand was assigned to the332d Expeditionary Operations Group.[8]It deployed toTallil Air Base,Iraq with theGeneral Atomics MQ-1 Predatoras part ofOperation Iraqi Freedomunder the command of the332d Air Expeditionary Wing.Sometime between then and June 2004 the unit moved toJoint Base Balad.Sometime between June 2004 and 2009 the unit was renamed to "46th Expeditionary Reconnaissance and Attack Squadron". During May 2016 the unit was noticed operating from Ali Al Salem Airbase, Kuwait, against Da'esh as part of theMilitary intervention against ISILoperating overIraqandSyriaunder the386th Air Expeditionary Wing.
The squadron replaced its Predators withGeneral Atomics MQ-9 Reapers,becoming the46th Expeditionary Attack Squadron.It carried out its first mission with the Block 5 Reaper in support ofOperation Inherent Resolveon 20 October 2017. Squadron members prepare its UAVs for missions and control their takeoff and landing, During flight, they are handed off to pilots and sensor operators in the United States for control through satellite systems.[9]Local control by the 46th is required during takeoff and landing due to the short delay inherent in the satellite based communications links used by controllers atCreech Air Force Base,Nevada.[10]
Lineage[edit]
- Constituted as the719th Bombardment Squadron(Heavy) on 6 April 1943
- Activated on 1 May 1943
- Redesignated719th Bombardment Squadron,Very Heavy on 7 September 1945
- Inactivated on 11 June 1945
- Redesignated719th Bombardment Squadron,Very Heavy on 7 September 1945
- Activated on 17 September 1945
- Redesignated46th Reconnaissance Squadron(Very Long Range, Photographic) on 1 June 1946
- Inactivated on 13 October 1947[11]
- Converted to provisional status and redesignated:46th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadronc. 2003
- Activated c. 10 September 2003
- Inactivated c. 2011
- Redesignated46th Expeditionary Attack Squadron
- Activated c. 2013
Assignments[edit]
- 449th Bombardment Group, 1 May 1943 – 11 June 1945
- 449th Bombardment Group, 17 September 1945
- Fifteenth Air Force(SAC), 4 August 1946
- Alaskan Air Command,19 August 1946
- Yukon Sector, Alaskan Air Command, 1 October 1946 – 13 October 1947[11]
- 332d Expeditionary Operations Group,10 September 2003 – c. 2011[8]
- 386th Air Expeditionary Wing,unknown - present
Stations[edit]
- Davis-Monthan Field, Arizona, 1 May 1943
- Alamogordo Army Air Field, New Mexico, 5 July 1943
- Bruning Army Air Field, Nebraska, 12 September–26 November 1943
- Grottaglie Airfield, Italy, 3 January 1944 – 15 May 1945
- Sioux Falls Army Air Field, South Dakota, 29 May-11 June 1945
- Grand Island Army Air Field, Nebraska, 17 September 1945
- Ladd Field,Alaska, 1 June 1946 – 13 October 1947[11]
- Ali Air Base,Iraq, c. 10 September 2003
- Balad Air Base,Iraq, June 2004 - c. 2011
- Ali Al Salem Air Base,Kuwait, c. 2013 – present[12]
Aircraft[edit]
- Consolidated B-24 Liberator, 1943–1945
- Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress,1945
- Boeing B-29 Superfortress,1945–1947[11]
- Boeing F-13 Superfortess, 1945–1947[11]
- General Atomics MQ-1 Predator,2004–present
- General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper, unknown-present
Awards and campaigns[edit]
| Award streamer | Award | Dates | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
Distinguished Unit Citation | 4 April 1944 | Bucharest, Rumania 719th Bombardment Squadron[1] |
|
Distinguished Unit Citation | 9 July 1944 | Ploesti, Rumania 719th Bombardment Squadron[1] |
 |
Air Force Meritorious Unit Award | 1 June 2009-31 May 2010 | 46th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron[13] |
|
Air Force Meritorious Unit Award | 1 June 2010-31 May 2011 | 46th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron[13] |
|
Air Force Meritorious Unit Award | 1 June 2011-19 December 2011 | 46th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron[13] |
|
Air Force Meritorious Unit Award | 1 June 2011-31 May 2012 | 46th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron[13] |
|
Air Force Meritorious Unit Award | 1 June 2015-31 May 2016 | 46th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron[13] |
| Campaign Streamer | Campaign | Dates | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
American Theater without inscription | 1 May 1943 – 26 November 1943 | 719th Bombardment Squadron[1] |
 |
Air Offensive, Europe | c. 6 January 1944 – 5 June 1944 | 719th Bombardment Squadron[1] |
|
Naples-Foggia | c. 6 January 1944 – 21 January 1944 | 719th Bombardment Squadron[1] |
|
Air Combat, EAME Theater | c. 6 January 1944 – 11 May 1945 | 719th Bombardment Squadron[1] |
|
Anzio | 22 January 1944 – 24 May 1944 | 719th Bombardment Squadron[1] |
|
Rome-Arno | 22 January 1944 – 9 September 1944 | 719th Bombardment Squadron[1] |
|
Central Europe | 22 March 1944 – 21 May 1945 | 719th Bombardment Squadron[1] |
|
Normandy | 6 June 1944 – 24 July 1944 | 719th Bombardment Squadron[1] |
|
Northern France | 25 July 1944 – 14 September 1944 | 719th Bombardment Squadron[1] |
|
Southern France | 15 August 1944 – 14 September 1944 | 719th Bombardment Squadron[1] |
|
North Apennines | 10 September 1944 – 4 April 1945 | 719th Bombardment Squadron[1] |
|
Rhineland | 15 September 1944 – 21 March 1945 | 719th Bombardment Squadron[1] |
|
Po Valley | 3 April 1945 – 8 May 1945 | 719th Bombardment Squadron[1] |
 |
Iraqi Governance | 29 June 2004 – 15 December 2005 | 46th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron[14] |
|
National Resolution | 16 December 2005 – 9 January 2007 | 46th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron[14] |
|
Iraqi Surge | 10 January 2007 – 31 December 2008 | 46th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron[14] |
|
Iraqi Sovereignty | 1 January 2009 – 31 August 2010 | 46th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron[14] |
|
New Dawn | 1 September 2010 – 31 December 2011 | 46th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron[14] |
|
Consolidation III | 1 December 2006 – 30 June 2011 | 46th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron[15] |
 |
Global War on Terror Expeditionary Medal | 46th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron[16] |
See also[edit]
References[edit]
This article incorporatespublic domain materialfrom theAir Force Historical Research Agency
Citations[edit]
- Explanatory notes
- ^Aircraft is Boeing B-29-100-BW Superfortress, serial 45-21869,Ladies Delight.Later modified as EB-29.Baugher, Joe (23 May 2023)."1945 USAF Serial Numbers".Joe Baugher.Retrieved1 June2023.
- ^The aircraft was a Boeing B-29-95-BW Superfortress, serial 45-21768, later modified as an F-13. The aircrew was rescued and the aircraft was abandoned. A restoration was performed on the aircraft in 1994/95 and the plane was given the civil registration N70887. An attempt was made to fly it from the crash site toThule Air Base,however a fire occurred during the takeoff attempt and the aircraft was destroyed. Baugher,1945 USAF Serial Numbers.
- Citations
- ^abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwMaurer,Combat Squadrons,p. 718
- ^"Air Force Personnel Services: Unit Awards".Air Force Personnel Center.Retrieved26 February2017.(search)
- ^Watkins, pp.92-93
- ^abcdMaurer,Combat Units,pp. 323-324
- ^Morton, Tyler (2019).From kites to cold war: the evolution of manned airborne reconnaissance.Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press. p. 158.ISBN978-1-68247-481-5.OCLC1090697780.
- ^Maurer,Combat Squadrons,pp. 264-265
- ^Pandia, Robert S. (8 March 2010)."46th/72nd Strategic Recon Squadrons 1946-1955".46th/72d Recon Association.Retrieved22 March2019.
- ^abRobertson, Patsy (3 November 2016)."Factsheet 332 Expeditionary Operations Group (ACC)".Air Force Historical Research Agency.Retrieved23 March2019.
- ^No byline (25 October 2017)."First Combat Mission for 386th Air Expeditionary Wing Block 5 MQ-9 Reaper".UAS Vision.Retrieved23 March2019.
- ^Church, Chris (4 April 2017)."Downrange operators keep drones flying over Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan".Stars and Stripes.Retrieved23 March2019.
- ^abcdeLineage, including aircraft, assignments and stations, through 1963 in Maurer,Combat Squadrons,p. 718
- ^Whitlock, Craig (26 August 2014)."U.S. relies on Persian Gulf bases for airstrikes in Iraq".UAS Vision.Retrieved23 March2019.
- ^abcde"Air Force Personnel Services: Unit Awards".Air Force Personnel Center.Retrieved25 March2019.(search)
- ^abcde"Special Order G-33995"(PDF).United States Air Forces Central Command. 14 July 2014.Retrieved19 January2019.
- ^"Special Order G-33993"(PDF).United States Air Forces Central Command. 14 July 2014.Retrieved21 February2016.
- ^"Special Order G-33994"(PDF).United States Air Forces Central Command. 14 July 2014.Retrieved21 February2016.
Bibliography[edit]
- Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961].Air Force Combat Units of World War II(PDF)(reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History.ISBN0-912799-02-1.LCCN61060979.Retrieved17 December2016.
- Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969].Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II(PDF)(reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History.ISBN0-405-12194-6.LCCN70605402.OCLC72556.Retrieved17 December2016.
- Watkins, Robert A. (2009).Insignia and Aircraft Markings of the U.S. Army Air Force In World War II.Vol. IV, European-African-Middle Eastern Theater of Operations. Atglen,PA: Shiffer Publishing, Ltd.ISBN978-0-7643-3401-6.
- White, Ken (1994) [1992].World in Peril; The Origin, Mission, and Scientific Findings of the 46th/72nd Reconnaissance Squadron(2nd, Revised ed.). Elkhart, IN: K.W. White & Assocs.ISBN1-883218-10-1.