Lineage. Constituted as 38 Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) on 20 Nov 1940. Activated on 15 Jan 1941. Redesignated as: 38 Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) (Twin Engine), on 31 Jan 1942; 38 Fighter Squadron (Twin Engine), on 15 May 1942; 38 Fighter Squadron, Twin Engine, on 20 Aug 1943; 38 Fighter Squadron, Single Engine, on 5 Sep 1944. Inactivated on 20 Aug 1946. Redesignated as 38 Reconnaissance Squadron, Very Long Range, Mapping on 3 Feb 1947. Activated on 15 Mar 1947. Redesignated as 38 Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron, Photo–Mapping, on 1 Jul 1949. Inactivated on 14 Oct 1949. Redesignated as 38 Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron, Medium, Photo, on 27 Oct 1950. Activated on 1 Nov 1950. Redesignated as: 38 Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron, Medium, on 16 Jun 1952; 38 Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron on 16 Aug 1966. Inactivated on 1 Apr 1970. Activated on 1 Apr 1979. Redesignated as 38 Reconnaissance Squadron on 1 Sep 1991.
Assignments. 55 Pursuit (later, 55 Fighter) Group, 15 Jan 1941–20 Aug 1946. 5 Reconnaissance Group, 15 Mar 1947; 311 Air Division, 26 May 1949 (attached to 9 Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, 26 May–1 Jun 1949); 55 Strategic Reconnaissance Group, 1 Jun–14 Oct 1949. 55 Strategic Reconnaissance Group, 1 Nov 1950 (attached to 91 Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, 1 Nov 1950–6 Jan 1951; 55 Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, 6 Jan 1951–15 Jun 1952 and further attached to 3 Air Division, 15 Jan–28 May 1951 and 7 Air Division, 5 Apr 1952–); 55 Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, 16 Jun 1952–1 Apr 1970 (remained attached to 7 Air Division to 9 Aug 1952). 55 Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, 1 Apr 1979; 55 Operations Group, 1 Sep 1991-.
Stations. Hamilton Field, CA, 15 Jan 1941; Columbia Aprt, Portland, OR, 21 May 1941; McChord Field, WA, 14 Dec 1941; Paine Field, WA, 9 Sep 1942–20 Aug 1943; Nuthampstead, England, 16 Sep 1943; Wormingford, England, 16 Apr 1944; Kaufbeuren, Germany, 20 Jul 1945; Giebelstadt, Germany, 4 Apr–20 Aug 1946. Clark Field (later, AFB), Philippine Islands, 15 Mar 1947–6 May 1949; Fairfield-Suisan AFB, CA, 26 May 1949; Topeka (later, Forbes) AFB, KS, 1 Jun–14 Oct 1949. Barksdale AFB, LA, 1 Nov 1950; Ramey AFB, Puerto Rico, 6 Jan 1951 (deployed at RAF Bassingbourne, England, 15 Jan–28 May 1951; RAF Sculthorpe, England, 5 Apr–15 May 1952; RAF Upper Heyford, England, 15 May–9 Aug 1952); Forbes AFB, KS, 9 Oct 1952 (deployed at Benguerir AB, French Morocco, 30 May–6 Aug 1955); Offutt AFB, NE, 16 Aug 1966–1 Apr 1970. Offutt AFB, NE, 1 Apr 1979–.
Commanders. 1 Lt Kermit A. Tyler, 15 Jan 1941; 1 Lt Loring F. Stetson Jr., 18 Feb 1941; 1 Lt Leo F. Dusard Jr., 30 Apr 1941; Maj Milton Joel, 3 Oct 1942; Maj Mark K. Shipman, 29 Nov 1943; Capt Joseph Myers, 10 Feb 1944; Capt James H. Hancock, 22 Apr 1944; Maj John D. Landers, 3 Jul 1944; Capt Clayton L. Peterson, 12 Oct 1944; Capt Donald M. Cummings, 23 May 1945; Maj Clayton L. Peterson, 22 Jun 1945; Capt Donald M. Cummings, 29 Sep 1945; Maj Clayton L. Peterson, May-20 Aug 1946. None (not manned), 15 Mar-21 Sep 1947; Maj Riley N. Whittington, 22 Sep 1947; Maj John M. Clayton Jr., 9 Dec 1948; 2 Lt Jacques K. Tetrick, 1 Jun 1949; Capt Moxie A. Shirley, 1 Jul 1949; Maj Raymond T. Eakes, 11 Jul 1949; Maj Lee R. Williams Jr, 26 Aug-14 Oct 1949. Capt Bernard W. Zimmerman, 1 Nov 1950; Maj Lee R. Williams Jr., 5 Nov 1950; Lt Col Joel Q. Braddock, 18 Nov 1953; Lt Col Richard M. Ragland, 14 May 1954; Maj Grady T. Stapp, c. 3 Jun 1954; Maj William L. Reynolds, 10 Jun 1954; Maj Dale C. Maluy, 15 Jul 1954; Lt Col Richard M. Ragland, 12 Aug 1954; Maj George M. Broutsas, Jun 1955; Maj Keith C. Hanna, c. Jul 1956; Lt Col George M. Broutsas, c. Dec 1956; Maj Daniel C. Emrich, Jan 1957; Maj Elmer C. Keppler, Apr 1957; Lt Col Marion E. Minor Jr., Apr 1958; Maj Robert S. Rich, Nov 1958; Maj Alva R. Reid, Apr 1959; Maj Warren R. Aylsworth, Sep 1960; Maj Robert L. Smith, 2 Aug 1961; Lt Col Douglas E. Hagie, 28 Sep 1962; Lt Col Vernon N. Luber, c. Sep 1964; Lt Col Douglas E. Hagie, Nov 1964; 1 Lt Bruce, c. Jul 1965; Maj William Hilton, 16 Aug-Dec 1965; unkn, Jan-29 Aug 1966; Lt Col Donald S. White, 29 Aug 1966; Lt Col J. D. Murfield, 25 Sep 1967; Lt Col Harry F. Baker, 1 Jun 1968; Lt Col Billy L. Skipworth, c. Aug 1969-1 Apr 1970. Lt Col Robert E. Jaecques, 1 Apr 1979; Lt Col Howard C. Hamm Jr., 1 Apr 1981; Lt Col John B. King, 15 Dec 1981; Lt Col John R. Denny, 2 Apr 1984; Lt Col Leo M. Cutliff Jr., 23 Jul 1986; Lt Col Gary L. Stewart, 1 Dec 1987; Lt Col Kenneth S. Turner, 8 Jan 1990; Lt Col Collin F. Flynn, 30 Sep 1991; Lt Col Joseph W. Siniscalchi, 27 Sep 1993; Lt Col George W. Ballinger, 7 Jul 1995-unkn; Lt Col Ronald Machoian, 5 Jul 2005; Lt Col Michael Kelly, 24 Apr 2007; Lt Col Ryan Rogers, May 2009; Lt Col Paul Rehome, May 2011-.
Aircraft. P–43, 1941; P–38, 1941–1944; P–47, 1943; P–51, 1944–1946; P–80, 1946; A–26, 1946. B–17, 1947, 1949; FB/RB–17, 1947–1949; RC–45, 1948–1949; C–46, 1948–1949; C–47, 1948–1949; B–29, 1949. RB–50, 1950–1954; RB–47, 1954–1965; ERB–47 (later, EB–47), 1957–1965; EC–135, 1966–1970; KC–135, 1966–c. 1968. RC–135, 1979–; TC-135, 1994-.
Operations. Combat in European Theater of Operations (ETO), 15 Oct 1943–21 Apr 1945. Photo-mapping of Borneo, Philippines, and Formosa, Apr 1947–Mar 1949. Worldwide strategic reconnaissance including support of crises in Cuba, Oct 1962; Grenada, Oct 1983; Libya, Apr 1986; Panama, Dec 1989; and Southwest Asia, Jan–Feb 1991. Flew global-scale reconnaissance flights to collect intelligence data, 1979-.
Service Streamers. World War II American Theater.
Campaign Streamers. World War II: Air Offensive, Europe; Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe; Air Combat, EAME Theater.
Southwest Asia: Defense of Saudi Arabia; Liberation and Defense of Kuwait; Cease Fire Campaign. Global War on Terrorism: GWOT-E.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citations: European Theater of Operation (ETO), 3–13 Sep 1944; Germany, 19 Feb 1945. Meritorious Unit Awards: 1 Jun 1999-31 May 2001; 1 Jun 2002-31 May 2004; 1 Jun 2004-31 May 2006; 1 Jun 2006-31 May 2007; 1 Jun 2007-31 May 2008; 1 Jun 2008-31 May 2009; 1 Jun 2009-31 May 2010;1 Jun 2012-31 May 2014; 1 Jun 2014- 31 May 2015; 1 Jun 2016-31 May 2017. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: Jul 1956–Nov 1957; 1 Jul 1963–30 Jun 1964; 1 Jul 1966–30 Jun 1967; 1 Apr 1979–30 Jun 1980; 1 Jul 1987–30 Jun 1989; 1 Jul 1989–30 Jun 1991; 1 Jul 1992-30 Jun 1994; 1 Jul 1994-31 Jul 1995; 1 Jun 1997-31 May 1999; 1 Jun 1999-31 May 2001; 1 Jun 2011-31 May 2012; 1 Jun 2015-31 May 2016.
Lineage, Assignments, Stations, Aircraft, Operations, and Honors through 26 Aug 2019.
Commanders through May 2011.
Supersedes statement prepared on 12 Aug 2016.
Emblem. Approved on 3 Mar 1942; reinstated on 22 Feb 1994.
Prepared by James Musser.
Reviewed by Daniel Haulman.