The 311th Air Division (311th AD) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Strategic Air Command, stationed at Forbes Air Force Base, Kansas. It was inactivated on 1 November 1949.
The 311th came into existence in February 1944, at Bolling Field, DC, as the 311th Photographic Wing, and had its headquarters in the United States for its entire active period. Subordinate units, between February 1944 and August 1945, deployed to diverse areas of the world such as Africa, the Middle East, the China Burma India Theater, Mexico, Canada, Alaska, and the Caribbean. These units conducted mapping and charting operations, and in some instances flew reconnaissance missions.
After World War II, the 311th transferred to Continental Air Forces (later, Strategic Air Command) at Buckley Field, CO. In March 1946, it became the major reconnaissance organization of Strategic Air Command.
The 311th was SAC's first major reconnaissance organization. Its components were scattered around the world and moved several times. It was initially moved to MacDill Field on 17 April 1946, but a month later it was transferred to Andrews AFB. On 20 July 1948 it moved to Topeka AFB Kansas and a month later to Barksdale AFB, Louisiana. The 311th had five squadrons: 1st, 12th, 16th, 91st, and 46th/72nd recon squadrons.
The unit was redesignated as the 311th Air Division Reconnaissance two years later, on 16 April 1948, and inactivated on 1 November 1949.
Established as the 311th Photographic Wing, Mapping and Charting on 31 January 1944
Activated on 1 February 1944
Redesignated:
311th Reconnaissance Wing on 30 July 1945
Redesignated:
311th Air Division, Reconnaissance on 16 April 1948
Redesignated:
311th Air Division on 5 January 1949
Inactivated on 1 November 1949
United States Army Air Forces, 1 February 1944
Continental Air Forces (later Strategic Air Command), 13 December 1945
Fifteenth Air Force, 11 May 1946
Strategic Air Command, 31 March 1947 – 1 November 1949.
Wings
5th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing: 16 Jul – 1 Nov 1949
9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing: 1 May – 1 Nov 1949
55th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing: 19 Jul 1948 – 14 Oct 1949
91st Strategic Reconnaissance Wing: 10 Nov 1948 – 1 Nov 1949
Groups
1st Photographic Group: 5 Mar – 5 Oct 1944
5th Reconnaissance Group: 26 May – 16 Jul 1949
11th Photographic Group: 5 Mar – 5 Oct 1944
55th Reconnaissance Group: 24 Feb 1947 – 19 Jul 1948
66th Strategic Reconnaissance Group: 27 Jun – 1 Nov 1949
91st Reconnaissance Group: 1 Oct 1947 – 10 Nov 1948
Squadrons
1st Photographic Charting Squadron (later 1st Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron; 1st Reconnaissance Squadron): 5 Oct – 10 Nov 1944; 4 Oct 1945 – 3 Feb 1947 (detached, 4 Oct 1945 – 3 Feb 1947)
1st Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron: 10 Oct 1948 – 1 Jun 1949 (attached to 55th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, 10–26 Oct 1948, 55th Strategic Reconnaissance Group, 27 Oct 1948 – 1 Jun 1949)
1st Weather Reconnaissance Squadron: 9 Feb – 21 Dec 1945
2d Photographic Charting Squadron (later 2d Reconnaissance Squadron): 5 Oct 1944 – 31 Mar 1946 (detached c. 20 Oct 1944 – 4 Feb 1946)
3d Weather Reconnaissance Squadron (later 3d Reconnaissance Squadron; 53d Reconnaissance Squadron): c. 15 Feb 1945 – 13 Mar 1946
4th Photographic Charting Squadron (later 4th Reconnaissance Squadron): 5 Oct 1944 – 14 Apr 1946 (detached, c. 7 Nov 1944–1946)
6th Photographic Squadron: 5 Oct 1944 – 1 Jan 1945
7th Geodetic Control Squadron: 1946
6th Reconnaissance Squadron: 7 – 31 Mar 1946
10th Reconnaissance Squadron: 7 – 31 Mar 1946
16th Photographic Squadron: 5 Oct 1944 – 1 Jun 1947
16th Reconnaissance Squadron: attached 21 Nov 1944 – 12 Apr 1945
16th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron: 16 Dec 1947 – 1 Jun 1949
19th Photographic Charting Squadron (later 19th Reconnaissance Squadron): 5 Oct 1944 – 15 Dec 1945
20th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron: 21 Jul – 1 Nov 1949
31st Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron: 1 Apr- l Nov 1949
54th Reconnaissance Squadron: 27 Nov 1945 – 13 Mar 1946 (detached 8 Dec 1945 – 28 Feb 1946)
55th Reconnaissance Squadron: 1 Jan – 13 Mar 1946
59th Reconnaissance Squadron: c. 11 Dec 1945 – 13 Mar 1946
72d Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron: 1 Apr – 28 Jun 1949
91st Photographic Mapping (later, 91st Photographic Charting; 91st Reconnaissance) Squadron: 5 Oct 1944 – 26 Aug 1946
Bolling Field, Washington, D.C., 1 February 1944
Buckley Field, Colorado, c. 24 November 1944
MacDill Field, Florida, c. 17 April 1946
Andrews Field (later Andrews Air Force Base), Maryland, c. 1 June 1947,
Topeka Air Force Base (later Forbes Air Force Base, Kansas, c. 20 July 1948
Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, c. 28 October – 1 November 1949
Lockheed A-29 Hudson, 1944
Beechcraft AT-11 Kansan, 1944–1946
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, 1944–1945, 1947–1949
Boeing F-9 Flying Fortress, 1944–1945, 1946–1947
