Description
Computer made/mounted on velcro 3.5 inch-90mm
31st TEST & EVALUATION SQUADRON (ACC)
Lineage. Organized as 31 Aero Squadron on 13 Jun 1917. Demobilized on 14 Apr 1919. Reconstituted, and redesignated 31 Bombardment Squadron, on 24 Mar 1923. Activated on 1 Apr 1931. Redesignated: 31 Bombardment Squadron (Medium) on 6 Dec 1939; 31 Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 20 Nov 1940; 31 Bombardment Squadron, Heavy on 6 Mar 1944; 31 Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy on 30 Apr 1946. Inactivated on 10 Mar 1947. Redesignated 31 Reconnaissance Squadron, Very Long Range, Photographic on 16 Sep 1947. Activated on 20 Oct 1947. Redesignated: 31 Reconnaissance Squadron, Very Long Range, Photo, RCM on 23 Dec 1947; 31 Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron, Photographic on 16 Jun 1949; 31 Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron, Heavy on 16 Nov 1950; 31 Bombardment Squadron, Heavy on 1 Oct 1955. Discontinued, and inactivated, on 1 Feb 1963. Redesignated 31 Test and Evaluation Squadron on 12 Feb 1986. Activated on 1 Jul 1986.
Assignments. Unkn, 13 Jun-Sep 1917; Third Aviation Instruction Center, Sep 1917-Jan 1919; unkn, Jan-14 Apr 1919. 7 Bombardment Group, attached on 1 Apr 1931, assigned on 30 Jun 1931; 5 Composite (later, 5 Bombardment; 5 Reconnaissance) Group, 1 Feb 1938-10 Mar 1947. 71 Reconnaissance Group, 20 Oct 1947; Fifth Air Force (attached to 71 Reconnaissance Group), 18 Aug 1948; Thirteenth Air Force, 16 Mar 1949; 311 Air Division, 1 Apr 1949; Second Air Force, 1 Nov 1949; 5 Strategic Reconnaissance Group, 1 Dec 1949 (attached to Far East Air Forces, Dec 1949-16 Nov 1950; 5 Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, 10 Feb 1951-15 Jun 1952); 5 Strategic Reconnaissance (later, 5 Bombardment) Wing, 16 Jun 1952; 4126 Strategic Wing, 1 Oct 1959-1 Feb 1963 (attached to 5 Bombardment Wing, 2 Oct 1959-18 Jan 1960). Strategic Air Command, 1 Jul 1986; USAF Air Warfare Center, 1 Jun 1992; 79 (later, 53) Test and Evaluation Group, 15 Apr 1993-.
Stations. Camp Kelly, TX, 13 Jun-11 Aug 1917; Etampes, France, 19 Sep 1917; Issoudun, France, c. 23 Sep 1917; Bordeaux, France, c. 6 Jan-c. 18 Mar 1919; Mitchel Field, NY, c. 5-14 Apr 1919. March Field, CA, 1 Apr 1931; Hamilton Field, CA, 5 Dec 1934; Hickam Field, TH, 8 Feb 1938; Kipapa, TH, 23 May 1942; Kualoa, TH, 9 Sep-9 Nov 1942; Espiritu Santo, 30 Nov 1942; Guadalcanal, 17 Jan 1943 (operated from Munda, New Georgia, 2 Feb-13 Mar 1944); Momote Airfield, Los Negros, c. 20 Apr 1944; Wakde, c. 20 Aug 1944; Noemfoor, 26 Sep 1944; Morotai, c. 16 Oct 1944; Samar, c. 17 Mar 1945; Clark Field, Luzon, Dec 1945-10 Mar 1947. Yokota AB, Japan, 20 Oct 1947; Kadena Field, Okinawa, 16 Mar 1949; Yokota AB, Japan, c. 12 Jul 1950; Johnson AB, Japan, 14 Aug-16 Nov 1950; Travis AFB, CA, 16 Nov 1950; Beale AFB, CA, 18 Jan 1960-1 Feb 1963. Edwards AFB, CA, 1 Jul 1986-.
Aircraft. Nieuport, types 21, 24 biss, and 27, 1918. In addition to Y1B-7, B-10, B-12, and O-38, apparently included B-3 during period 1931-1937; B-18, 1937-1942; B-17, 1941-1943; B-24, 1943-1945. F-13, 1947-1948; F-9, 1947; F-2, 1947-1948; RB-29, 1948-1951; RB-36, 1951-1955; B/RB-36, 1955-1958; B-52, 1959-1963. EF-111, 1986-1997; B-1, 1996-; B-2, 1996-; RQ-3, 1996-1999; F-22, 1997-2003; RQ-4, 1998-; MQ-9, 2002-; F-35, 2013-.
Operations. Combat in WW-I. Reconstituted as a reserve Army Air Service unit and later transferred to active duty training in the bomber mission. Ordered to proceed to Hickam Field, HI in 1937, to reinforce the Hawaiian Department and it began engaging in reconnaissance flights over the Islands operating the B18. In the aftermath of the attack on Pearl Harbor, through 1942, flew long range reconnaissance missions from Kipapa Airfield and Kualoa Airfield. Flew combat throughout the Pacific for the rest of WW-II. From 1947-1949, flew in the Post Hostilities Mapping Program under the auspices of the Thirteenth Air Force. In 1950, the 31st SRS joined forces with the 91st SRS with a primary mission of electronic counter measures and bomb-damage assessment photography. During the early 1950s, performed operations to probe the eastern borders of the Soviet Union and People’s Republic of China. Beginning in 1955, trained for intercontinental bombardment missions and stood Strategic Air Command nuclear alerts. In 1986, supported FB-111 medium bomber for SAC and to test modifications and upgrades prior to the changes being sent to field units. Also performed testing for modifications to the B-52, B-1B, SR-71, B-2. F-16, F-22, F-35 and 747 Airborne Ballistic Laser aircraft.
Service Streamers. World War I Theater of Operations
Campaign Streamers. World War II: Central Pacific; Guadalcanal; New Guinea; Northern Solomons; Eastern Mandates; Bismarck Archipelago; Western Pacific; Leyte; Luzon; Southern Philippines; China Offensive; Air Combat, Asiatic-Pacific Theater. Korea: UN Defensive; UN Offensive; CCF Intervention.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citations: Woleai Island, 18 Apr-15 May 1944; Borneo, 30 Sep 1944. Presidential Unit Citation (Navy): [1942]. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Jul 1985-30 Jun 1987; 1 Jun 1988-30 Jun 1990; 1 Jul 1990-29 May 1992; 30 May 1992-29 May 1994; 1 Jun 1994-31 May 1996; 1 Jun 1998-31 May 2000; 1 Jul 2002-31 May 2004; 1 Jun 2004-31 May 2006; 1 Jul 2006-31 May 2008. Philippine Presidential Unit Citation (WWII). Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation: 7 Jul-[16 Nov 1950].
Emblem. Approved on 10 Sep 1934; latest rendering, 26 Mar 2019.