14th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron

Lineage. Constituted 14 Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron on 9 Jun 1942. Activated on 20 Jun 1942. Redesignated: 14 Photographic Squadron (Light) on 5 Feb 1943; 14 Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron on 13 Nov 1943. Inactivated on 27 Dec 1945. Redesignated 14 Reconnaissance Squadron, Photographic, on 8 Oct 1947. Activated in the Reserve on 6 Nov 1947. Inactivated on 27 Jun 1949. Redesignated 14 Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium, on 26 May 1952. Activated in the Reserve on 14 Jun 1952. Inactivated on 1 Apr 1953 . Redesignated 14 Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, and activated, on 25 Oct 1966. Organized on 3 Apr 1967. Inactivated on 30 Jun 1975.

Assignments. 3 Photographic (later, 3 Photographic Reconnaissance and Mapping) Group, 20 Jun 1942 (attached to Second Air Force, 31 Aug-5 Oct 1942; Army Air Forces, 6 Oct 1942-4 May 1943; Eighth Air Force, 5 May-7 Jul 1943); 7 Photographic Reconnaissance and Mapping (later, 7 Photographic; 7 Reconnaissance) Group, 7 Jul 1943; United States Air Forces in Europe, 21 Nov-27 Dec 1945. 65 Reconnaissance Group, 6 Nov 1947-27 Jun 1949. 65 Troop Carrier Group, 14 Jun 1952-1 Apr 1953. Tactical Air Command, 25 Oct 1966; 75 Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, 3 Apr 1967; 432 Tactical Reconnaissance (later, 432 Tactical Fighter) Wing, 28 Oct 1967-30 Jun 1975.  

Stations. Colorado Springs, CO, 20 Jun 1942; Colorado Springs (later, Peterson) AAFld, CO, 1 Aug 1942-24 Apr 1943; Mount Farm, England, 12 May 1943; Chalgrove, England, 2 Apr 1945; Villacoublay, France, c. 13 Oct-12 Dec 1945; Camp Shanks, NY, 24-27 Dec 1945. Binghampton, NY, 6 Nov 1947-27 Jun 1949. Mitchel AFB, NY, 14 Jun 1952-1 Apr 1953. Bergstrom AFB, TX, 3 Apr-25 Oct 1967; Udorn RTAFB, Thailand, 28 Oct 1967-30 Jun 1975.

Aircraft. P-38/F-4, 1942; P-38/F-5, 1942-1944, 1944-1945; Spitfire, 1943-1945; P-51, 1945; C-64, 1945; C-53, 1945. T-6, 1947-1949; T-11, 1947-1949. C-46, 1952-1953. RF-4, 1967-1975.

Operations. Combat in European Theater of Operations (ETO), 12 Aug 1943-25 Apr 1945. Flew over 300 successful sorties in support of Operation OVERLORD, the invasion of Normandy, France, in Jun 1944. Earned a Distinguished Unit Citation for missions over France, 31 May-30 Jun 1944. Flew missions in Holland in support of Operation MARKET GARDEN, Sep 1944. Flew damage assessment missions over Germany until 23 Jul 1945. Returned to the United States and inactivated in Dec 1945. Operated as a reserve unit in New York from Nov 1947-Jun 1949; trained with T-6 and T-11 aircraft. As a tactical reconnaissance squadron saw combat in Southeast Asia (SEA), 2 Nov 1967-Aug 1973; served as the only tactical reconnaissance squadron in SEA in mid-1971. Documented by aerial photography the communist takeover of Cambodia and the Republic of Vietnam in 1975.

Service Streamers. None.

Campaign Streamers. World War II: Air Offensive, Europe; Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe; Air Combat, EAME Theater. Vietnam: Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase II; Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase III; Vietnam Air/Ground; Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase IV; TET 69/Counteroffensive; Vietnam Summer-Fall, 1969; Vietnam Winter-Spring, 1970; Sanctuary Counteroffensive; Southwest Monsoon; Commando Hunt V; Commando Hunt VI; Commando Hunt VII; Vietnam Ceasefire.

Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.

Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citation: France, 31 May-30 Jun 1944. Presidential Unit Citations (Southeast Asia): [28 Oct] 1967-1 Nov 1968; 1 Nov 1968-31 Oct 1969; 1 Apr-22 Oct 1972. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards with Combat “V” Device: 21 Nov 1969-20 Nov 1970; 21 Nov 1970-6 Apr 1971; 18 Dec 1972-27 Jan 1973; 5 Jan-12 Apr 1975. French Croix de Guerre with Palm: 1944. Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm: [28 Oct] 1967-28 Jan 1973.

Emblem.