311th Air Division

History

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.

Lineage

Established as the 311th Photographic Wing, Mapping and Charting on 31 January 1944

Activated on 1 February 1944Redesignated: 311th Reconnaissance Wing on 30 July 1945Redesignated: 311th Air Division, Reconnaissance on 16 April 1948Redesignated: 311th Air Division on 5 January 1949Inactivated on 1 November 1949

Assignments

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.

Components

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

Stations

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

Aircraft

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