5th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron

History

Established in early 1942; trained under First Air Force as an observation squadron. Equipped with O-59 Grasshoppers and flew observation fights largely over Fort Campbell, Kentucky while Army units were training in ground maneuvers.

Deployed to European Theater of Operations (ETO) in March 1942; assigned to Eighth Air Force. Trained with RAF Reconnaissance units, flying photo-recon sweeps over France and the Low Countries, obtaining intelligence information about German defenses along the channel coast. Flew reconnaissance over Dieppe, France prior to August 1942 commando raid using modified P-38 Lightning (F-4/F-5) aircraft.

Deployed to Mediterranean Theater of Operations (MTO), assigned to Twelfth Air Force in Algeria during November 1942, shortly after the Operation Torch landings in North Africa. Provided tactical aerial reconnaissance over Algeria and Tunisia during North African Campaign; over Sicily and Italy in preparation for ground invasions in mid-1943. Received long-range B-25 Mitchell (F-10) medium bombers equipped for aerial reconnaissance in 1944. Remained assigned to Twelfth Air Force in Italy, providing tactical aerial reconnaissance support of Allied ground forces during the Italian Campaign, 1943–1945 also supported Free French units in the liberation of Corsica, 1944.

Demobilized and inactivated in Italy after the German Capitulation, summer 1945.

Lineage

Constituted 5th Photographic Squadron on 19 Jan 1942

Activated on 1 Feb 1942 Redesignated: 5th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron on 9 Jun 1942 Redesignated: 5th Photographic Squadron (Light) on 6 Feb 1943 Redesignated: 5th Combat Mapping Squadron on 21 Jan 1944 Redesignated: 5th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron on 31 Aug 1944 Inactivated on 12 Sep 1945

Assignments

Air Force Combat Command, 1 Feb 1942

Army Air Forces, 9 Mar 1942

73d Observation Group, 12 Mar 1942

Eighth Air Force, 10 May 1942

VIII Bomber Command, 7 Sep 1942

Twelfth Air Force, 19 Sep 1942

Attached to 3d Reconnaissance Group (later Photographic Reconnaissance and Mapping; Photographic Group) from Oct 1942

3d Photographic (later Reconnaissance) Group, 21 Jan 1944 – 12 Sep 1945

Flight attached to 5th Photographic Group, 10 Mar – 9 May 1944

Aircraft

O-59 Grasshopper, 1942

P-38/F-4 Lightning, 1942–1943

P-38/F-5 Lightning, 1943–1945

Spitfire PR Mk XIII (Reconnaissance) (attached) 1943–1944

Spitfire PR Mk IX (Reconnaissance), 1944–1945

B-25/F-10 Mitchell, 1944–1945