Lineage. Constituted as 3 Photographic Squadron on 15 May 1941. Activated on 10 Jun 1941. Redesignated: 3 Mapping Squadron on 13 Jan 1942; 3 Photographic Mapping Squadron on 9 Jun 1942; 3 Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, Very Heavy, on 19 May 1944; 3 Reconnaissance Squadron, Very Long Range (Photographic-RCM), on
19 Sep 1945; 3 Reconnaissance Squadron, Very Long Range, Photographic, on 15 Jan 1946. Inactivated on 15 Mar 1947. Consolidated (13 Oct 1994) with the 3 Satellite Control Squadron, which was constituted on 9 Jan 1990. Activated on 2 Feb 1990. Redesignated 3 Space Operations Squadron on 30 Jan 1992.

Assignments. 1 Photographic (later, 1 Mapping; 1 Photographic Charting) Group, 10 Jun 1941; 11 Photographic Group, 1 Dec 1943; 311 Photographic (later, 311 Reconnaissance) Wing, 5 Mar 1944 (attached to Twentieth Air Force, 1 Nov-13 Dec 1944; XXI Bomber Command, 14 Dec 1944-15 Jul 1945; Twentieth Air Force, 16 Jul 1945-2 Feb 1947); Twentieth Air Force, 3 Feb-15 Mar 1947. 2 Space Wing, 2 Feb 1990; 50 Operations Group, 30 Jan 1992-.

Stations. Maxwell Field, AL, 10 Jun 1941; MacDill Field, FL, 22 Dec 1941; Smoky Hill AAFld, KS, 16 Apr-3 Aug 1944; Saipan, 18 Sep 1944; Guam, 11 Jan 1945-15 Mar 1947. Falcon (later, Schriever) AFB, CO, 2 Feb 1990-.

Commanders. Capt H. C. Houston, 10 Jun 1941; 1 Lt R. H. Payne, 16 Apr 1942; Maj Carl C. Hughes, 7 May 1942; Capt Robert S. Dodson, 10 Aug 1942; Lt Col Patrick B. McCarthy, 23 Jul 1943; Maj Robert C. Hutton, Jun 1945-unkn. Lt Col Victor P. Budura Jr., 2 Feb 1990; Lt Col Bruce M. Roang, 21 Aug 1990; Lt Col Stephen R. Gast, 27 Jul 1992; Lt Col Mark H. Owen, 17 Feb 1995; Lt Col Susan P. Asher, 24 Jun 1996; Lt Col Thomas W. Billick, 29 Sep 1998; Lt Col Michael R. Dickey, 10 Jul 2000; Lt Col David M. Tobin, 2 Jul 2002; Lt Col Anthony K. Hinson, 2 Jul 2003; Lt Col William Bishop Jr., 20 Jun 2005; Lt Col P. Brent McArthur, 28 Jun 2007-.
 
Aircraft and Space Systems. Included F-2, 1942; B-25/F-10, 1942-1944; B-24, 1943-1945; B-17/F-9, 1944, 1946-1947; B-29/F-13, 1944-1947. Satellites, 1990-.

Operations. Mapped areas of the United States, West Indies, and South America, May 1942-Jan 1943; Canada and Alaska, Mar-Jul 1943; India, Burma, and China, Dec 1943-Mar 1944. Photographic, electronic, and weather reconnaissance in Western Pacific, Nov 1944-Sep 1945. Controlled satellites for the Defense Satellite Communications System, the Fleet Satellite Communications System, the NATO satellite programs, and the UHF Follow-on Satellite Program, 1990-.

Service Streamers. World War II American Theater.

Campaign Streamers. World War II: Western Pacific; Air Offensive, Japan.

Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.

Decorations. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Sep 1990-31 Aug 1991; 1 Oct 2000-1 Oct 2001; 1 Oct 2001-1 Oct 2002; 2 Oct 2002-2 Oct 2003.

Lineage, Assignments, Stations, and Honors through 20 Nov 2008.

Commanders, Aircraft, and Operations through 12 Nov 2008.

Supersedes published information contained in: Judy G. Endicott (ed.), USAF Active Flying, Space, and Missile Squadrons as of 1 October 1995 (Washington: USGPO, 1999).

Emblem. Approved on 5 May 1992.

Prepared by Patsy Robertson.
 
Reviewed by Daniel Haulman.