III Reconnaissance Command

General Headquarters Air Force (GHQ AF) reorganized its four regional air districts as Numbered Air Forces in the spring of 1941. By the fall of that year, each of these had organized as a support command and three combat commands.[2]

In the summer of 1941 GHQ AF had decided to establish commands to direct its air support mission in each numbered air force, plus one additional command reporting directly to GHQ AF. These commands would be manned from inactivating wings, and would initially control only observation squadrons, which would be transferred from the control of the corps and divisions, although they would remain attached to these ground units.[3] 1st Air Force organized 1st Air Support Command at Mitchel Field, New York in September 1941, drawing its personnel and equipment from the 7th Pursuit Wing, which was simultaneously inactivated.[1][3]

North American O-47B during the 1941 war games

New observation groups were formed, with a cadre drawn from National Guard squadrons that had been mobilized in 1940 and 1941.[3] During the Carolina Maneuvers of 1941, the command was attached to First Army. Unlike the opposing force, the command posts of the air and ground elements were located together, and the commander of the air support command doubled as the air staff officer of the ground force commander. The opposing force command posts were separated by sixty miles, which enabled greater freedom of action and use of airpower more aggressively.[4]

Following the attack on Pearl Harbor the command came under the control of the Eastern Theater of Operations[3] and flew antisubmarine patrols off the east coast. However, by early 1942, the command's first commander William E. Kepner, like two of the other commanders of air support commands had moved overseas, and similar demands led GHQ AF to believe it had little more than the "remnants" of the command remaining.[3] However, in May, the Army Air Forces (AAF) reaffirmed that each of the continental numbered air forces would have an air support command and the command's manning was brought back up.[5] Although most of the command's observation units were withdrawn from antisubmarine operations in June 1942, the command continued limited antisubmarine patrols until 15 October 1942, when Army Air Forces Antisubmarine Command took over the mission.[1][5][6]

The AAF determined that its continental air forces would specialize in their training operations and that all their air support commands would be reassigned to Third Air Force.[5] In August 1942, the command was one of the first reassigned to Third Air Force.[7][8] This was followed by a move to Morris Field, North Carolina, a base in the Third Air Force area in November 1942.[1]

In October of 1942, AAF directed that half of the observation groups assigned to the command were to be reduced to 50% strength or less with their personnel used to form new tow target squadrons, or transferred to heavy bomber Operational Training Unit (OTU)s or Replacement Training Unit (RTU)s.[9] The command continued to train light bomber crews.[1]

In August 1943, the command was redesignated the I Tactical Air Division with the intent that the command would engage in combined training with army ground forces.[10] This included participation in maneuvers. The command became the III Tactical Air Division in the spring of 1944. In May 1944, the command began to specialize in training reconnaissance aircrews and organizations. In June 1945, this mission change was recognized by a change in name to III Reconnaissance Command.[1]

In November 1945, the command moved to Rapid City Army Air Base, South Dakota, and was deactivated there in April 1946.[1]

• 1st Air Force, 4 September 1941[7]
• 3rd Air Force (later Third Air Force), 17 August 1942[8]
• III Tactical Air Command, c. 15 April 1944[12]
• Third Air Force, c. 1 June 1945 – 9 April 1946[8]

Groups

• 26th Observation Group: 1 September 1941 – 17 August 1942[13]
• 45th Bombardment Group: 21 August 1941 – 5 January 1942[14]
• 46th Bombardment Group: 10 November 1942 – 25 January 1943[15]
• 48th Fighter-Bomber Group: attached 10 September 1943 – 14 January 1944[16]
• 59th Observation Group: 1 September 1941 – 21 August 1942[17]
• 69th Tactical Reconnaissance Group, 18 April 1944 – 27 March 1945[18]
• 411th Bombardment Group: c. 15 August 1943 – 1 May 1944

Squadrons

Base Units

• 321st AAF Base Unit (Headquarters, III Tactical Air Division [later Headquarters, III Reconnaissance Command]): 1 May 1944 – c. 1 November 1945
• 322nd AAF Base Unit (56th Bombardment Operational Training Wing, Light): 1 May 1944 – c. 1 November 1945
• 333rd AAF Base Unit (Replacement Training Unit, Light, Bombardment [later Combat Crew Training Station, Light Bombardment]):[47][48] 1 May 1944 – 31 January 1945http://www.airforcehistoryindex.org/data/000/175/854.xml
• 334th AAF Base Unit (Replacement Training Unit, Light, Bombardment [later Combat Crew Training Station, Light Bombardment]):[49][50] 1 May – 1 October 1944[51]
• 347th AAF Base Unit (Combat Crew Training Station, Tactical Reconnaissance): c. 1 June 1945 – c. 28 March 1946
• 348th AAF Base Unit (Combat Crew Training Station, Photographic Reconnaissance): c. 1 June 1945 – 29 December 1944
• 349th AAF Base Unit (Combat Crew Training Station, Liaison):[52] c. 1 June 1945 – c. 7 November 1945
• 353rd AAF Base Unit (Maneuver Station):[53] 1 May 1944 – c. 31 January 1946
• 379th AAF Base Unit (Combat Crew Training Station, Tactical Reconnaissance): c. 1 June 1945 – 1945

• Mitchel Field, New York, 4 September 1941
• Morris Field, North Carolina, c. 10 November 1942
• Key Field, Mississippi, c. 3 April 1944
• Rapid City Army Air Base, South Dakota, November 1945 – 9 April 1946[1]

Explanatory notes

Citations

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency.

• Cate, James L.; Williams, E. Kathleen (1948). "Prelude to War, Chapter 4, The Air Corps Prepares for War, 1939-41". In Craven, Wesley F.; Cate, James L. (eds.). The Army Air Forces in World War II (PDF). Vol. I, Plans and Early Operations. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press. LCCN 48003657. OCLC 704158. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
• Futrell, Robert F. (September 1956). "Command of Observation Aviation: A Study in Control of Tactical Airpower, USAF Historical Study No. 24" (PDF). Research Studies Institute, USAF Historical Division, Air University. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-02-1. LCCN 61060979. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
• White, Jerry (August 1949). "Combat Crew and Unit Training in the AAF 1939-1945, USAF Historical Study No. 61" (PDF). Air Historical Office, United States Air Force. Retrieved 30 January 2022.