The 69th Reconnaissance Group is an active United States Air Force unit. It is part of Air Combat Command stationed at Grand Forks AFB, North Dakota. The group served in the American and European Theaters of World War II as a reconnaissance unit until returning to the United States where it was inactivated. It was reactivated in the fall of 2011 as an unmanned aircraft reconnaissance group.
The group was activated in the fall of 1941 as the 69th Observation Group with two squadrons assigned. The group flew antisubmarine patrols along the Pacific coast after the Attack on Pearl Harbor.
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.
The 69th was once again activated on 19 September 2011 to conduct reconnaissance with unmanned aerial vehicles.
The 69th Reconnaissance Group is currently commanded by Col Christopher Larson.
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
4th Air Support Command (later IV Ground Air Support Command) 3 September 1941
Second Air Force, 21 August 1942
II Ground Air Support Command (later II Air Support Command), 7 September 1942
III Air Support Command (later III Reconnaissance Command, 6 August 1943
Third Air Force, 9 October 1943
III Tactical Air Division, 18 April 1944
XII Tactical Air Command, 27 March 1945
Ninth Air Force, 20 May 1945
Third Air Force, 9 July 1945
Tactical Air Command 21 March 1946 - 29 July 1946
9th Reconnaissance Wing 19 September 2011
7th Reconnaissance Squadron, c. 15 August 2015 – present
10th Observation Squadron (later 10th Reconnaissance Squadron, 10th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron), 2 March 1942 – 31 March 1946
12th Reconnaissance Squadron 1 March 2013 – present
22d Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, 29 Jan 1945 – 29 July 1946
31st Observation Squadron (later 31st Reconnaissance Squadron, 31st Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron): 29 March 1942 - 20 March 1945 (attached ca. 8 December 1941 - 29 March 1942)
39th Reconnaissance Squadron (later 101st Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, 101st Bombardment Photographic Squadron), 11 April 1944 - 29 January 1945, (attached 7 November 1945 - 25 December 1945)
82d Observation Squadron: 3 September 1941 – 5 April 1942
102d Observation Squadron (later 102d Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron): 29 March 1942 - 5 April 1944
111th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron: 20 April 1945 - 2 July 1945
115th Observation Squadron (later 115th Liaison Squadron): 3 September 1941 – 11 August 1943
348th Reconnaissance Squadron: 19 September 2011 – present
5th Photo Lab Section (later 5th Photographic Technical Unit, 18th Photographic Technical Unit), 19 April 1944 - 23 June 1945
American Theater of World War II
Campaign: Antisubmarine
European Theater of World War II
Campaign: Central Europe
