69th Reconnaissance Group

69th Reconnaissance Group
Active 1941–1946; 2011- current
Country  United States
Branch  United States Air Force
Role Reconnaissance
Garrison/HQ Grand Forks Air Force Base, ND
Motto(s) Semper Vigilantes
Engagements American Theater of World War II European Theater of Operations
Insignia
69th Reconnaissance Group emblem (Approved 19 May 2014)[1]
(Insignia Design & Artwork by Capt Sam Hicks, TSgt Jason M. Estes)
Aircraft flown
Reconnaissance RQ-4B Global Hawk

The 69th Reconnaissance Group is an active United States Air Force that is part of Air Combat Command. A geographically-separated unit f the 9th Reconnaissance Wing at Beale Air Force Base, California, the group is stationed at Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota where it is a tenant of the 319th Air Base Wing.

The group served in the American and European Theaters of World War II as a reconnaissance unit flying a variety of aircraft until returning to the United States where it was inactivated. It was reactivated in the fall of 2011 as an unmanned aircraft reconnaissance group.

History

The group was activated in the fall of 1941 as the 69th Observation Group with two squadrons assigned.[2] The group flew antisubmarine patrols along the Pacific coast after the Attack on Pearl Harbor.[2]

The group engaged primarily in air to ground training during 1943 and 1944 while it was successively designated 69th Reconnaissance Group and 69th Tactical Reconnaissance Group. It began training with North American F-6 Mustangs in January 1945 for duty overseas. The 69th moved to France in February to March 1945 where it was assigned to Ninth AF. It flew visual and photographic reconnaissance missions to provide intelligence for ground and air units. It was again designated the 69th Reconnaissance Group in June 1945. The group returned to the United States in July and August 1945. There it trained with F-6 Mustangs and Douglas A-26 Invader aircraft. The group was inactivated on 29 July 1946.[2]

The 69th was once again activated on 19 September 2011 to conduct reconnaissance with unmanned aerial vehicles,[1] specifically as the second group level organization with associated reconnaissance squadrons flying the Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk.

The 69th Reconnaissance Group is currently commanded by Col Christopher Larson.

Lineage

  • Constituted as 69th Observation Group on 21 August 1941
Activated on 3 September 1941
Redesignated: 69th Reconnaissance Group on 15 April 1943
Redesignated: 69th Tactical Reconnaissance Group on 11 August 1943
Redesignated: 69th Reconnaissance Group on 15 June 1945
Inactivated on 29 July 1946
Activated 19 September 2011[1]

Assignments

Components

Stations

Aircraft

Awards

References

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Robertson, Patsy (September 17, 2015). "Factsheet 69 Reconnaissance Group (ACC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Archived from the original on 27 September 2015. Retrieved September 20, 2017.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Maurer, Combat Units, pp. 136–137
  3. ↑ Haulman, Daniel L. (29 May 2015). "7 Reconnaissance Squadron (ACC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 1 October 2017.
  4. ↑ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 57–58
  5. ↑ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 117-119
  6. ↑ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 155
  7. ↑ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 333
  8. ↑ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 287-288
  9. ↑ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 334-335
  10. ↑ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 340-341
  11. ↑ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 344-345
  12. ↑ Robertson, Patsy (March 16, 2015). "Factsheet 348 Reconnaissance Squadron (ACC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Archived from the original on September 27, 2015. Retrieved September 20, 2017.
  13. ↑ Dollman, TSG David (October 18, 2016). "Factsheet 18 Intelligence Squadron (ACC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved September 20, 2017.
  14. 1 2 Station Designators in Europe are from Johnson.

Bibliography

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.

  • Johnson, 1st Lt. David C. (1988). U.S. Army Air Forces Continental Airfields (ETO) D-Day to V-E Day (PDF). Maxwell AFB, AL: Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 September 2015.
  • Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-02-1.
  • Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6.
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