9th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron

The 9th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the 363d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, being stationed at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. It was inactivated on 1 September 1969.

761st Bombardment Squadron
Activated as the 761st Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) in mid-1943; assigned to II Bomber Command for training with B-24 Liberators. Primarily trained in New Mexico and Utah. Received deployment orders for the Mediterranean Theater of Operations (MTO) in August 1943. Moved to Georgia and Virginia where the squadron flew coastal patrol missions over the Southeast, October 1943-January 1944 while station in Italy was being constructed.

Deployed to Southern Italy in January 1944; entered combat in January 1944, being assigned to Fifteenth Air Force 55th Bombardment Wing. Engaged in very long range strategic bombing missions to enemy military, industrial and transportation targets in Italy, France, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Romania, and Yugoslavia, bombing railroad marshalling yards, oil refineries, airdrome installations, heavy industry, and other strategic objectives.

The squadron flew its last World War II combat mission on 26 April 1945. After V-E Day, was assigned to Green Project which was the movement of troops from Europe to the United States via the South Atlantic Transport Route. B-24s were modified with sealed bomb bays, removal of all defensive armament and internal fuselage equipped with seating to carry approximately 30 personnel. Was assigned to Air Transport Command at Waller Field, Trinidad and to Natal, Brazil. Moved personnel from sDakar in French West Africa where personnel were transported across the South Atlantic to Brazil and eventually to Morrison Field, Florida via Trinidad. Provided air transport until the end of September when the unit was inactivated.

9th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron
Reactivated by the Twentieth Air Force 314th Composite Wing in April 1946 as the 9th Reconnaissance Squadron (Very Long Range, Photographic) assigned to Johnson Air Base, Japan. In Japan, the squadron flew various reconnaissance light and heavy bomber aircraft performing mapping missions over Occupied Japan; Korea; Okinawa; Indochina; China and other ares under Far East Air Force control after World War II. Also included classified missions over the Soviet Far East. Inactivated in October 1947.

Reactivated in July 1953 by Tactical Air Command as the 9th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron (Electronics and Weather) squadron at Shaw AFB, South Carolina. Equipped with RB-26 Invader light bombers equipped for night reconnaissance missions. Upgraded to the jet RB-66C Destroyer aircraft in 1956; added WB-66 Destroyer weather and air sampling reconnaissance aircraft in 1957. Flew reconnaissance missions as well as functioning as a B-66 Training squadron until inactivated in 1969 due to budget reductions and consolidation of the B-66 force, which was mostly deployed in Southeast Asia engaged in combat operations during the Vietnam War.

Lineage

 * Constituted 761st Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 19 May 1943
 * Activated on 1 July 1943
 * Inactivated on 26 September 1945


 * Redesignated 9th Reconnaissance Squadron (Very Long Range, Photographic) on 29 April 1946
 * Activated on 20 June 1946
 * Inactivated on 20 October 1947


 * Redesignated 9th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron (Electronics and Weather) on 21 July 1953
 * Activated on 11 November 1953
 * Inactivated on 1 July 1966


 * Redesignated 9th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron and activated on 1 February 1967
 * Inactivated on 1 September 1969

Assignments

 * 460th Bombardment Group, 1 July 1943-26 September 1945
 * 314th Composite Wing, 20 June 1946-20 October 1947
 * Attached to: 3d Bombardment Group, c. September 1946
 * Attached to: 71st Reconnaissance Group, 22 April-20 October 1947


 * 363d Tactical Reconnaissance Group, 11 November 1953
 * 363d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, 8 February 1958-1 July 1966; 1 February 1967-1 September 1969

Stations

 * Alamogordo Army Airfield, New Mexico, 1 July 1943
 * Kearns Army Air Base, Utah, 31 August 1943
 * Chatham Army Airfield, Georgia, 29 October 1943-3 January 1944
 * Spinazzola Airfield, Italy, c. 11 February 1944-6 June 1945
 * Waller Field, Trinidad, 15 June 1945
 * Natal, Brazil, 30 June-26 September 1945
 * Johnson AB, Japan, 20 June 1946
 * Yokota AB, Japan, c. September 1946-20 October 1947
 * Shaw AFB, South Carolina, 11 November 1953-1 September 1969

Aircraft

 * B-24 Liberator, 1943–1945
 * P-39F-2 Aircobra, 1946–1947
 * F-7 Liberator, 1946–1947
 * F-9 Flying Fortress, 1946–1947
 * B-17 Flying Fortress, 1946–1947
 * F-13 Superfortress, 1947


 * RB-26 Invader, 1954–1956
 * RT-33 Shooting Star, 1955–1956
 * WT-33 Shooting Star, 1956
 * TB-25 Mitchell, 1956
 * RB-66 Destroyer, 1956–1966
 * WB-66 Destroyer, 1957–1966