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Designation as air division
2d Balloon Squadron disbanded at the end of its assignment to this command
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* [[1st Air Support Communications Squadron]], attached, c. 8 September 1943; assigned 3 November 1943 – 31 March 1944<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.afhra.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/433541/1-air-support-operations-group-acc/ |last1=Bailey|first1=Carl E.|title=Factsheet 1 Air Support Operations Group (ACC)|date=May 20, 2019|publisher=Air Force Historical Research Agency|access-date=January 14, 2022}}</ref>
* [[1st Air Support Communications Squadron]], attached, c. 8 September 1943; assigned 3 November 1943 – 31 March 1944<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.afhra.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/433541/1-air-support-operations-group-acc/ |last1=Bailey|first1=Carl E.|title=Factsheet 1 Air Support Operations Group (ACC)|date=May 20, 2019|publisher=Air Force Historical Research Agency|access-date=January 14, 2022}}</ref>
* [[2d Balloon Squadron]]: 1 September 1941 – 3 February 1942<ref>Maurer, ''Combat Squadrons'', p. 11</ref>
* [[2d Balloon Squadron]]: 1 September 1941 – 3 February 1942 (thereafter disbanded)<ref>Maurer, ''Combat Squadrons'', p. 11</ref>
* [[3d Observation Squadron]]: 1 September 1941 – 12 March 1942 (attached to the [[Fort Monroe#Coast Artillery School|Coast Artillery School]])<ref>Maurer, ''Combat Squadrons'', p. 24</ref>
* [[3d Observation Squadron]]: 1 September 1941 – 12 March 1942 (attached to the [[Fort Monroe#Coast Artillery School|Coast Artillery School]])<ref>Maurer, ''Combat Squadrons'', p. 24</ref>
* 5th Communications Squadron, Air Support (later [[5th Air Support Communications Squadron]]): 15 May 1942 – c. 13 June 1943<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.afhra.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/969564/5-air-support-operations-sq-acc/ |last1=Dollman|first1=TSG David|title=Factsheet 5 Air Support Operations Squadron (ACC)|date=May 15, 2017|publisher=Air Force Historical Research Agency|url-status=live |access-date=July 17, 2018}}</ref>
* 5th Communications Squadron, Air Support (later [[5th Air Support Communications Squadron]]): 15 May 1942 – c. 13 June 1943<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.afhra.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/969564/5-air-support-operations-sq-acc/ |last1=Dollman|first1=TSG David|title=Factsheet 5 Air Support Operations Squadron (ACC)|date=May 15, 2017|publisher=Air Force Historical Research Agency|url-status=live |access-date=July 17, 2018}}</ref>

Revision as of 08:30, 9 February 2022

This article is about the III Reconnaissance Command of 1945-1946. For the III Reconnaissance Command of 1943-1944, see III Tactical Air Command.

III Reconnaissance Command
A Lockheed F-5 Lightning as used by photographic reconnaissance units training under III Reconnaissance Commband
Active1941-1946
Country United States
Branch United States Army
 United States Air Force
Rolereconnaissance training
Commanders
Notable
commanders		William E. Kepner
Insignia
III Reconnaissance Command Distinctive Unit Insigne[note 1][1]

The III Reconnaissance Command was a United States Army Air Forces unit. Its last assignment was with Third Air Force stationed at Rapid City Army Air Base, South Dakota, where it was inactivated on 8 April 1946.

The command was organized in September 1941 as the 1st Air Support Command as an element of 1st Air Force.

History

General Headquarters Air Force (GHQ AF) reorganized its four regional air districts as Numbered Air Forces in the spring of 1941. By the fall of that year, each of these had organized as a support command and three combat commands.[2]

In the summer of 1941 GHQ AF had decided to establish commands to direct its air support mission in each numbered air force, plus one additional command reporting directly to GHQ AF. These commands would be manned from inactivating wings, and would initially control only observation squadrons, which would be transferred from the control of the corps and divisions, although they would remain attached to these ground units.[3] 1st Air Force organized 1st Air Support Command at Mitchel Field, New York in September 1941, drawing its personnel and equipment from the 7th Pursuit Wing, which was simultaneously inactivated.[1][3]

New observation groups were formed, with a cadre drawn from National Guard squadrons that had been mobilized in 1940 and 1941.[3] During the Carolina Maneuvers of 1941, the command was attached to First Army. Unlike the opposing force, the command posts of the air and ground elements were located together, and the commander of the air support command doubled as the air staff officer of the ground force commander. The opposing force command posts were separated by sixty miles, which enabled greater freedom of action and use of airpower more aggressively.[4]

Following the attack on Pearl Harbor the command came under the control of the Eastern Theater of Operations[3] and flew antisubmarine patrols off the east coast. However, by early 1942, the command's first commander William E. Kepner, like two of the other commanders of air support commands had moved overseas, and similar demands led GHQ AF to believe it had little more than the "remnants" of the command remaining.[3] However, in May, the Army Air Forces (AAF) reaffirmed that each of the continental numbered air forces would have an air support command and the command's manning was brought back up.[5] Although most of the command's observation units were withdrawn form antisubmarine operations in June 1942, the command continued limited antisubmarine patrols until 15 October 1942, when Army Air Forces Antisubmarine Command took over the mission.[1][5][6]

The AAF determined that its continental air forces would specialize in their training operations and that all their air support commands would be reassigned to Third Air Force.[5] In August 1942, the command was one of the first reassigned to Third Air Force.[7][8] In October of 1942, AAF directed that half of the observation groups assigned to the command were to be reduced to 50% strength or less with their personnel used to form new tow target squadrons, or transferred to heavy bomber Operational Training Unit (OTU)s or Replacement Training Unit (RTU)s.[9]

In August 1943, the command was redesignated the I Tactical Air Division with the intent that the command would engage in combined training with army ground forces.[10]

It trained light bombardment crews, participated in air-ground maneuvers, and demonstrated air support techniques, September 1941-May 1944. Trained reconnaissance personnel and organizations, May 1944 – 1946.[1]

Lineage

  • Constituted as the 1st Air Support Command on 21 August 1941
Activated on 4 September 1941
Redesignated 1st Ground Air Support Command c. 30 April 1942
Redesignated I Air Support Command c. 18 September 1942
Redesignated I Tactical Air Division on 28 August 1943
Redesignated III Tactical Air Division c. 15 April 1944
Redesignated III Reconnaissance Command c. 1 June 1945
Inactivated on 9 April 1946
Disbanded on 8 October 1948[1][11][note 2]

Assignments

  • 1st Air Force, 4 September 1941[7]
  • 3rd Air Force (later Third Air Force), 17 August 1942 – 9 April 1946[8]

Components

Groups

Squadrons

Stations

References

Notes

Explanatory notes
  1. ^ Approved 23 July 1942.
  2. ^ The command was transferred to the United States Air Force in inactive status in September 1947. The Air Force disbanded it a year later.
Citations
  1. ^ a b c d e f Maurer, Combat Units, pp. 440-441
  2. ^ Cate & Williams, p. 152, 155
  3. ^ a b c d e Futrell, p 13
  4. ^ Futrell, p. 19
  5. ^ a b c Futrell, p. 15
  6. ^ Maurer, Combat Units, p. 437
  7. ^ a b Kane, Robert B. (11 June 2009). "Factsheet First Air Force (Air Forces Northern) (ACC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 9 December 2021.
  8. ^ a b Haulman, Daniel L. (4 April 2019). "Factsheet Third Air Force (USAFE)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 9 December 2021.
  9. ^ White, p. 80
  10. ^ White, p. 87
  11. ^ Some details from Futrell, Kane and Haulman.
  12. ^ Robertson, Patsy (27 December 2007). "Factsheet 350 Electronic Systems Wing (AFMC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 9 December 2021.
  13. ^ Robertson, Patsy (9 September 2008). "Factsheet 45 Operations Group (AFSPC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Archived from the original on 29 September 2015. Retrieved 21 December 2016.
  14. ^ Robertson, Patsy E. (7 July 2017). "Factsheet 48 Operations Group (USAFE)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
  15. ^ Robertson, Patsy E. (21 June 2017). "Factsheet 59 Medical Wing (AETC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
  16. ^ Robertson, Patsy (10 July 2017). "Factsheet 69 Reconnaissance Group (ACC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 7 January 2022.
  17. ^ Bailey, Carl E. (20 May 2019). "Factsheet 1 Air Support Operations Group (ACC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
  18. ^ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 11
  19. ^ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 24
  20. ^ Dollman, TSG David (15 May 2017). "Factsheet 5 Air Support Operations Squadron (ACC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 17 July 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  21. ^ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 13
  22. ^ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 21
  23. ^ Dollman, TSG David (27 March 2017). "Factsheet 9 Air Support Operations Squadron (ACC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 14 January 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  24. ^ Robertson, Patsy (27 March 2018). "Factsheet 14 Air Support Operations Squadron (ACC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 15 January 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  25. ^ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 78
  26. ^ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 80
  27. ^ Dollman, TSG Davis (31 August 2012). "Factsheet 18 Air Support Operations Group (ACC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
  28. ^ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 103
  29. ^ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 173
  30. ^ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 177
  31. ^ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 184
  32. ^ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 188
  33. ^ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 191
  34. ^ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 229
  35. ^ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 231
  36. ^ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 266
  37. ^ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 188
  38. ^ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 590
  39. ^ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 344
  40. ^ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 348
  41. ^ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 351
  42. ^ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 357
  43. ^ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 361-362
  44. ^ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 363

Bibliography

Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

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