74th Reconnaissance Group
The 74th Reconnaissance Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 91st Air Division at Stewart Air Force Base, New York.
History
The unit was first activated at Lawson Field, Georgia in February 1942 as the 74th Observation Group, shortly after the United States entered into World War II. However, the group's first operational squadrons, the 11th, the newly activated 13th, and the 22d Observation Squadrons were not assigned until the following month. The unit flew reconnaissance, mapping, artillery adjustment, bombing, dive bombing, and strafing missions to support ground units in training or on maneuvers. It trained personnel in aerial reconnaissance, medium bombardment, and fighter techniques throughout the war until it was inactivated in November 1945.The group was reactivated in the reserves in 1946 at Stewart Field, New York. It was inactivated on 27 June 1949
Lineage
- Constituted as 74th Observation Group on 5 February 1942
- Redesignated 74th Reconnaissance Group, allotted to the reserve, and activated, on 27 December 1946
Components
- 5th Observation Squadron : 8 Aug 1942 – 25 Jan 1943; 2 Apr 1943 – 11 August 1943
- 8th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron: 15 July 1945 – 7 November 1945
- 11th Observation Squadron : 21 March 1942 – 7 November 1945
- 13th Observation Squadron : 2 March 1942 – 7 November 1945
- 21st Reconnaissance Squadron: 1 October 1947 – 27 June 1949
- 22d Observation Squadron : 12 March 1942– 29 January 1945
- 22d Reconnaissance Squadron: 23 October 1947 – 27 June 1949
- 31st Reconnaissance Squadron : 13 November 1947– 27 June 1949
- 28th Reconnaissance Squadron : 21 October 1943 – 29 March 1944
- 101st Bombardment Photographic Squadron: 29 January 1945 – 7 November 1945
Assignments
- 5th Air Support Command, 27 February 1942
- 3d Air Support Command, ca. April 1942
- IV Air Support Command, 28 December 1942
- III Reconnaissance Command, ca. September 1943
- XIX Tactical Air Command, 25 October 1945 – 7 November 1945
- 91st Reconnaissance Wing, 27 December 1946 – 27 June 1949
Stations
- Lawson Field, Georgia, 27 February 1942
- DeRidder Army Air Base, Louisiana, C. 14 April 1942
- Esler Field, Louisiana, c. 13 December 1942
- Desert Center Army Air Field, California, c. 28 December 1942
- Morris Field, North Carolina, September 1943
- Camp Campbell AAF, Kentucky, November 1943
- DeRidder Army Air Field, Louisiana, April 1944
- Stuttgart Army Air Field, Arkansas, February-7 November 1945
- Stewart Field, New York, 27 December 1946 – 27 June 1949.
Aircraft
- A-20, various
- A-26, 1945
- B-18, 1942-1943
- F-6, 1945
- F-10, 1944-1945
- L-1, 1942-1943
- L-3, 1942-1943
- L-4, 1942-1943
- L-5, 1944-1945
- L-6, 1942-1943
- O-52, 1942-1943
- P-39, 1943
- P-40, 1943-1944
- P-43, 1942-1943
Awards
- 350px
- American Theater of World War II