31st Tactical Reconnaissance Training Squadron

The 31st Tactical Reconnaissance Training Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with 363d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing stationed at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. It was inactivated on 18 February 1971.

World War II
Established in 1939 as the 31st Pursuit Squadron and activated on 1 February 1940 at Albrook Field, Panama Canal Zone. This unit was part of the build-up of the Canal Zone's defenses as war approached. Initially equipped with a mixture of second-line pursuit aircraft, consisting of Boeing P-26A Peashooters, Northrup A-17 Nomads, and some North American BC-1s. The mission of the squadron was air defense of the Panama Canal. The Squadron was briefly moved to Rio Hato Field on 5 October 1940 and, following a month there, returned to Albrook on 13 November, where it remained until 24 November 1941. In July 1941, the Squadron started re-equipping with new Curtiss P-40 Warhawks.

After the Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor, the Squadron was moved to La Chorrera Army Airfield where it shared the field with its sister unit, the 30th Pursuit Squadron. The unit was operating as an element of the Panama Interceptor Command (PIC). On 15 May 1942, the designation was changed to 31st Fighter Squadron. In September 1942, the unit moved from Albrook to Howard Field and started to convert to Bell P-39 Airacobras, In December, "E" Flight was moved to San Jose Airport, Costa Rica where it was almost immediately reassigned to the 53d Fighter Squadron.

The unit served out the remainder of its Panama tour at several airfields until April 1944, when it became a single-engine fighter Replacement Training Unit for Second Air Force at Lincoln Army Airfield, Nebraska. It was then reassigned to Muroc Army Airfield, California, where it became a testing unit for the Bell P-59 Airacomet and P-80 Shooting Star Jet Aircraft under the Fourth Air Force 412th Fighter Group where the squadron served in a training role for transitioning pilots from piston-engine to jet engine fighters. The squadron provided USAAF pilots and ground crews with valuable data about the difficulties and pitfalls involved in converting to jet aircraft. This information proved quite useful when more advanced jet fighters finally became available in quantity. Inactivated in July 1946.

Air Defense Command
Reactivated by Air Defense Command in early 1953. Equipped with F-86D Sabre interceptors, engaged in air defense of the Pacific Northwest at Larson AFB, Washington. Reassigned to Wurtsmith AFB, Michigan where the squadron was re-equipped with F-102 Delta Daggers, then deployed to Elmendorf AFB, Alaska Territory performing intercepts of intruding aircraft as part of Alaskan Air Command, arriving in Alaska on 16 September 1957. Inactivated due to budget restraints, October 1958, aircraft reassigned to the 317th Fighter Interceptor Squadron.

Reactivated by Tactical Air Command at Shaw AFB, SC in 1969 as an RF-4C Phantom II training squadron for aerial reconnaissance pilots. Inactivated in 1971 due to budget reductions, aircraft assigned to 33d Tactical Reconnaissance Training Squadron.

Lineage

 * Constituted 31st Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) on 22 December 1939
 * Activated on 1 February 1940
 * Redesignated 31st Fighter Squadron on 15 May 1942
 * Inactivated on 25 May 1944


 * Activated on 19 August 1944
 * Inactivated on 3 July 1946


 * Redesignated 31st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron on 11 February 1953.
 * Activated on 20 April 1953
 * Inactivated on 18 August 1955, assets re-designated 322d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron IAW ADC "Project Arrow".


 * Activated on 8 June 1956
 * Inactivated on 8 October 1958.


 * Re-designated 31st Tactical Reconnaissance Training Squadron and activated on 15 October 1969
 * Organized on 15 October 1969, assuming personnel and equipment of 4414th Combat Crew Training Squadron
 * Inactivated on 18 February 1971

Note: "Project Arrow" was an Air Defense imitative in 1955 to reactivate and re-designate notable World War II units.

Assignments

 * 37th Pursuit (later Fighter) Group, 1 February 1940
 * XXVI Fighter Command, 1 November 1943
 * Second Air Force, 8 April – 25 May 1944
 * 412th Fighter Group, 19 August 1944 – 3 July 1946
 * 4702d Defense Wing, 20 April 1953
 * 9th Air Division, 8 October 1954 – 18 August 1955
 * 412th Fighter Group, 8 June 1956
 * 10th Air Division, 20 August 1957 – 8 October 1958.
 * 363d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, 16 October 1969 – 18 February 1971

Stations

 * Albrook Field, Canal Zone, 1 February 1940
 * Rio Hato AAB, Panama, 5 October 1940
 * Albrook Field, Canal Zone, 13 November 1940
 * La Chorrera AAF, Panama, 9 December 1941
 * Albrook Field, Canal Zone, 23 December 1941
 * La Chorrera AAF, Panama, 3 February 1942
 * Albrook Field, Canal Zone, 19 May 1942
 * Howard Field, Canal Zone, 30 September 1942 – 25 March 1944


 * Lincoln AAF, Nebraska, 8 April – 25 May 1944
 * Palmdale AAF, California, 19 August 1944
 * Santa Maria AAF, California, 10 July 1945
 * March Field, California, 6 December 1945 – 3 July 1946
 * Larson AFB, Washington, 20 April 1953 – 18 August 1955
 * Wurtsmith AFB, Michigan, 8 June 1956
 * Elmendorf AFB, Alaska, 20 August 1957 – 8 October 1958
 * Shaw AFB, South Carolina, 16 October 1969 – 18 February 1971

Aircraft

 * P-26 Peashooter, 1940–1942
 * Curtiss P-40, 1941–1944
 * P-39 Airacobra, 1942–1944
 * A-25 Helldiver, 1944
 * P-38 Lightning, 1944
 * A-24 Banshee, 1944–1945
 * P-63 Kingcobra, 1944–1945


 * YP/P-59A Airacomet, 1944–1945
 * XP-80 Shooting Star, 1944–1945
 * P-51 Mustang, 1945–1946
 * P-80 Shooting Star, 1945–1946
 * F-86D Sabre Interceptor, 1953–1955
 * F-102 Delta Dagger, 1956–1968
 * RF-4C Phantom II, 1969-1971