The squadron was active in the reserves from 1947 through 1949, then was activated again in 1955 as a Strategic Air CommandBoeing RB-47 Stratojet reconnaissance unit. While continuing to fly the Stratojet, it transitioned to the medium bomber mission as the 681st Bombardment Squadron before inactivating in 1962.
The squadron was reactivated in 1993 as the 26th Intelligence Squadron before being inactivated again in 1996. As the 26th Air and Space intelligence Squadron it was active from 2003 to 2006. It was reactivated in 2022 as a part of the 544th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group.
The squadron was constituted as the 26th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron in February 1943, but was redesignated the 26th Photographic Squadron before activating at Peterson Field, Colorado as one of the original squadrons of the 6th Photographic Group a week later. By August, the squadron had returned to its original designation.[3] The squadron trained with Lockheed F-4 Lightnings until October 1943, when it departed for the Southwest Pacific Theater.[4]
The squadron arrived in Sydney, Australia in late November, moving forward to Archerfield Airport in Queensland within a week. The squadron soon upgraded to the newer F-5 version of the Lighting. The squadron photographed airfields, coastal defenses, harbor facilities and other Japanese military installations in New Guinea, Borneo, the Bismarck Archipelego and the Southern Philippines. During 1944, the squadron moved to New Guinea and moved forward along the northern coast of the island as Allied forces advanced.[3][4]
In mid September 1944, the squadron flew unescorted photographic missions over Leyte, providing the maximum amount of vital information for planning Operation King Two, the initial amphibious landings in the Philippines. For these missions, the squadron was awarded the Distinguished Unit Citation. In January 1945, the squadron moved to its first station in the Philippines, Lingayen AirfieldonLuzon. From the northern Philippines, it conducted missions as far north as Formosa. In August, it moved to Okinawa and conducted some missions over southern Japan. Following V-J Day, the squadron moved to Kimpo Airfield, Korea, and was inactivated there in February 1946.[3][4]
The squadron was redesignated the 26th Reconnaissance Squadron, activated in the reserves in August 1947 at Hamilton Field, California, and assigned to the 70th Reconnaissance Group, which was located at Hill Field, Utah, At Hamilton, it trained under the supervision of Air Defense Command (ADC)'s 2346th Air Force Reserve Training Center. It is unclear whether or not the unit was fully manned or equipped.[5] In 1948 Continental Air Command assumed responsibility for managing reserve and Air National Guard units from ADC.[6] President Truman's reduced 1949 defense budget required reductions in the number of units in the Air Force,[7] and the squadron, along with the reserve air division and two reconnaissance groups at Hamilton, was inactivated on 27 June 1949,[3] with most of its resources transferred to the 349th Troop Carrier Wing, which took over reserve operations at Hamilton.[8]
The squadron was redesignated the 26th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron and activated in January 1955 as an element of the 70th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing.[3] However, the squadron's new station, Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas, was still undergoing construction to permit the operation of Boeing RB-47 Stratojets from its runways. Elements of the 70th Wing at Little Rock went unmanned, although operational elements were deployed for training at Lockbourne Air Force Base, Ohio. The squadron finally became operational at Little Rock on 2 October 1955 and began flying reconnaissance missions globally to support Strategic Air Command's mission. From 26 October until 17 December 1956, the 26th deployed to Sidi Slimane Air Base, Morocco. The squadron continued fly reconnaissance missions until 1962, although the scale of operations was reduced after February 1958, as the 70th Wing added a training mission to its reconnaissance duties.[9]
In October 1961, the squadron was redesignated the 681st Bombardment Squadron,[b] and began to convert to B-47 medium bombers. However, the squadron was inactivated in June 1962, before it became combat ready,[3][9] as the 384th Bombardment Wing became the only B-47 unit at Little Rock.[10]
Watkins, Robert A. (2013). Insignia and Aircraft Markings of the U.S. Army Air Force In World War II. Vol. V, Pacific Theater of Operations. Atglen,PA: Shiffer Publishing, Ltd. ISBN978-0-7643-4346-9.
United States
United States Air Force
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
