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13th Reconnaissance Squadron

Field	Value
unit_name	13th Reconnaissance Squadron
image	13th Reconnaissance Squadron RQ-9 Global Hawk.jpg
image_size	300
caption	13th Reconnaissance Squadron RQ-4 Global Hawk
dates	1942–1945; 1947–1949; 1952–1953; 1987–2000; 2005–present
country
branch
role	Reconnaissance and Surveillance
command_structure	Air Force Reserve Command
garrison	Beale Air Force Base
nickname	Lucky Thirteen
battles	European Theater of Operations
decorations	Distinguished Unit Citation
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
French Croix de Guerre with Palm
identification_symbol	[[File:13th Reconnaissance Squadron - Emblem.png	150px]]
identification_symbol_label	13th Reconnaissance Squadron emblemRendition approved 21 December 2011.
identification_symbol_2	[[File:13th Reconnaissance Squadron.jpg	150px]]
identification_symbol_2_label	13th Airlift Squadron emblemApproved 5 June 1995.
identification_symbol_3	[[File:13 Military Airlift Squadron emblem.png	150px]]
identification_symbol_3_label	13th Military Airlift Squadron emblemApproved 13 October 1988.
identification_symbol_4	[[File:13 Photographic Reconnaissance Sq emblem.png	150px]]
identification_symbol_4_label	13th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron emblem Approved 6 March 1944.

Air Force Outstanding Unit Award French Croix de Guerre with Palm

The 13th Reconnaissance Squadron is part of the 926th Wing at Beale Air Force Base, California. It operates RQ-4 Global Hawk unmanned aircraft conducting reconnaissance and surveillance missions.

Mission

The squadron provides theater commanders with near-real-time intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and target acquisition data.

History

World War II

The 13th flew combat in the European Theater of Operations from 28 March 1943 – 26 April 1945.

Airlift

In 1952, it converted to a troop carrier mission and provided intra-theater airlift for high-ranking USAFE military and civilian officials and small mission-essential equipment from, 1987–1993. In 1987, it was renamed the 13th Military Airlift Squadron.

The squadron moved without personnel and equipment to McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey, on 1 October 1993 and absorbed personnel and equipment of the 30th Airlift Squadron and was renamed the 13th Airlift Squadron. Equipped with C-141, the squadron took on a new worldwide airlift mission until its inactivation in 2000.

Unmanned reconnaissance

Since 2005 the 13th has operated and maintained deployable, long-endurance RQ-4 Global Hawk aircraft and ground control elements to fulfill training and operational requirements generated by the Joint Chiefs of Staff in support of unified commanders and the Secretary of Defense. It currently trains all RQ-4B pilots and sensor operators.

Lineage

Constituted as the 13th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron on 9 June 1943 : Activated on 20 June 1942 : Redesignated 13th Photographic Squadron (Light) on 6 February 1943 : Redesignated 13th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron on 13 November 1943 : Inactivated on 1 December 1945
Redesignated 13th Reconnaissance Squadron, Photographic on 11 March 1947 : Activated in the reserve on 6 July 1947 : Inactivated on 27 June 1949
Redesignated 13th Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium on 26 May 1952 : Activated in the reserve on 14 June 1952 : Inactivated on 1 April 1953
Redesignated 13th Military Airlift Squadron on 14 July 1987 : Activated on 1 October 1987 : Redesignated 13 Airlift Squadron on 1 April 1992 : Inactivated on 31 March 2000
Redesignated 13th Reconnaissance Squadron on 10 February 2005 : Activated in the reserve on 12 March 2005

Assignments

3d Photographic Group (later 3d Photographic Reconnaissance and Mapping Group), 20 June 1942 (attached to 1st Bombardment Wing from 2 December 1942, 8th Air Force from 16 February 1943)
7th Photographic Reconnaissance and Mapping Group, 7 July 1943
Unknown 21 November 1945 – 1 December 1945Probably New York Port of Embarkation on arrival at Camp Kilmer.
65th Reconnaissance Group, 6 July 1947 – 27 June 1949
65th Troop Carrier Group, 14 June 1952 – 1 April 1953
374th Tactical Airlift Wing, 1 October 1987
316th Airlift Support Group, 1 April 1992
18th Operations Group, 1 June 1992
438th Operations Group, 1 October 1993
305th Operations Group, 1 October 1994 – 31 March 2000
610th Regional Support Group, 12 March 2005
940th Operations Group, 1 July 2009
726th Operations Group, 10 February 2016 – present

Stations

Army Air Base Colorado Springs, Colorado, 20 June – 17 October 1942
RAF Podington, England, 2 December 1942
RAF Mount Farm, England, 16 February 1943
RAF Chalgrove, England, 8 April 1945
RAF Grove, England, c. 13 October – 23 November 1945
Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, 30 November – 1 December 1945
Rome Army Air Field, New York, 6 July 1947
Chemung County Airport, New York, 26 January 1948 – 27 June 1949
Mitchel Air Force Base, New York, 14 June 1952 – 1 April 1953
Kadena Air Base, Japan, 1 October 1987
McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey, 1 October 1993 – 31 March 2000
Beale Air Force Base, California, 12 March 2005 – present

Aircraft

Lockheed P-38 Lightning (1942–1945)
Piper L-4 Grasshopper (1942–1943)
Supermarine Spitfire (1943)
North American P-51 Mustang (1945)
Curtiss C-46 Commando (1952–1953)
Beechcraft C-12 Huron (1987–1993)
Lockheed C-141 Starlifter (1993–2000)
Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk (2005–present)

References

Notes

; Explanatory notes

; Citations

Bibliography

References

(18 October 2016). "Factsheet 13 Reconnaissance Squadron (AFRC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency.
Endicott, p. 433
Maurer, ''Combat Squadrons'', pp. 73-74
No byline. (1 September 2009). "Inside 940WG Library: Factsheet 13th Reconnaissance Squadron". 940th Wing Public Affairs.

Info: Wikipedia Source

This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page.

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