303d Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron

The 303d Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 66th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing and stationed at Laon-Couvron Air Base, France.

History
Activated on 1 January 1953 as part of the 66th Tactical Reconnaissance Group at Shaw AFB. Initially equipped with second-line RF-51D Mustangs and trained as in tactical air reconnaissance, its parent organization being programmed for deployment to NATO. Equipped with RF-80A Shooting Star Jet aircraft returned from use in the Korean War in mid-1953.

Deployed to Sembach Air Base, West Germany in mid-1953, being assigned to the United States Air Forces in Europe Seventeenth Air Force, during the summer of 1953. Performed reconnaissance training at Sembach, being upgraded to the new RF-84F Thundersteak in 1955. Trained with NATO forces in Europe during the summer months, however, due to poor weather conditions in central Europe during the winter months, deployed frequently to Wheelus AB, Libya and Nouasseur AB, Morocco for training.

Moved to Laon AB, France in mid-1958 due to severe problems with the Sembach AB runway, operated from Phalsbourg AB while improvements were made to the Laon runway until September.

In early 1959 it was announced that the RF-84 equipped squadrons assigned to the 66th TRW were to be inactivated and their places in the 66th taken by the RF-101C Voodoo-equipped squadrons being deployed from Shaw AFB, South Carolina. These new squadrons arrived at Laon in May 1959 and the 303d was inactivated in late June.

Lineage

 * Established as 303d Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, and activated on 1 January 1953
 * Inactivated on 20 June 1959

Assignments

 * 66th Tactical Reconnaissance Group, 1 January 1953
 * 66th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, 8 December 1957-20 June 1959

Stations

 * Shaw AFB, South Carolina, 1 January–1 July 1953
 * Sembach AB, West Germany, 7 July 1953-10 July 1958
 * Laon-Couvron Air Base, France, 10 July 1958-20 June 1959
 * Operated from: Phalsbourg-Bourscheid Air Base, France, 10 July-30 September 1958

Aircraft

 * RF-51D Mustang 1953
 * RF-80A Shooting Star, 1953–1955
 * RF-84F Thunderstreak, 1955–1959