97th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron

The 97th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the 76th Tactical Reconnaissance Group, stationed at Thermal Army Airfield, California. It was inactivated on 15 April 1944.

Lineage

 * Organized as 97th Aero Squadron on 20 August 1917
 * Demobilized on 3 February 1919


 * Reconstituted and consolidated (1936) with 97th Observation Squadron which was constituted and activated on 1 March 1935
 * Redesignated: 97th Observation Squadron (Medium) On 13 January 1942
 * Redesignated: 97th Observation Squadron on 4 July 1942
 * Redesignated: 97th Reconnaissance Squadron (Fighter) on 2 April 1943
 * Redesignated: 97th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron on 11 August 1943
 * Disbanded On 15 April 1944.

Assignments

 * Unknown, 20 August– November 1917
 * Seventh Aviation Instruction Center, November 1917– December 1918
 * Unknown, December 1918-3 February 1919
 * Second Corps Area, 1 March 1935
 * IV Army Corps (flight assigned to Infantry School), 2 October 1940
 * 66th Observation (later Reconnaissance; Tactical Reconnaissance) Group, 1 September 1941
 * Flight attached to Infantry School to 6 April 1942


 * 76th Tactical Reconnaissance Group, 23 August 1943-15 April 1944.

Stations

 * Kelly Field, Texas, 20 August 1917
 * Garden City, New York, 11–27 October 1917
 * Clermont-Ferrand, France, 15 November 1917
 * St Nazaire, France, 22 December 1918-10 January 1919
 * Garden City, New York, 20, January-3 February 1919
 * Mitchel Field, New York, 1 March 1935
 * Lawson Field, Georgia, 20 November 1940
 * 36th Street Airport, Miami, Florida, 15 December 1941
 * Flight at Lawson Field, Georgia, to 15 April 1942


 * Tullahoma AAB, Tennessee, 9 September 1942
 * Morris Field, North Carolina, 8 November 1942
 * Pope Field, North Carolina, c. 31 January 1943
 * Camp Campbell, Kentucky, 5 April 1943
 * Aiken AAF, South Carolina, 22 June 1943
 * Morris Field, North Carolina, 29 August 1943
 * Thermal AAF, California, 20 September 1943-15 April 1944.

Operations history
Maintained and repaired aircraft, 1917-1918. Antisubmarine patrols, 18 December 1941-September 1942; trained, and supported ground forces on maneuvers, September 1942-April 1944.

Aircraft operated

 * O-49 (1941–1942)
 * O-47 (1941–1942)