Lineage. Constituted 13 Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron on 9 Jun 1942. Activated on 20 Jun 1942. Redesignated: 13 Photographic Squadron (Light) on 6 Feb 1943; 13 Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron on 13 Nov 1943. Inactivated on 1 Dec 1945. Redesignated 13 Reconnaissance Squadron, Photographic, on 11 Mar 1947. Activated in the Reserve on 6 Jul 1947. Inactivated on 27 Jun 1949. Redesignated 13 Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium, on 26 May 1952. Activated in the Reserve on 14 Jun 1952. Inactivated on 1 Apr 1953. Redesignated 13 Military Airlift Squadron on 14 Jul 1987. Activated on 1 Oct 1987. Redesignated 13 Airlift Squadron on 1 Apr 1992. Inactivated on 31 Mar 2000. Redesignated 13 Reconnaissance Squadron on 10 Feb 2005. Activated in the Reserve on 12 Mar 2005.
Assignments. 3 Photographic (later, 3 Photographic Reconnaissance and Mapping) Group, 20 Jun 1942 (attached to 1 Bombardment Wing, 2 Dec 1942-16 Feb 1943, and to Eighth Air Force, 16 Feb-7 Jul 1942); 7 Photographic Reconnaissance and Mapping Group, 7 Jul 1943-21 Nov 1945; unkn, 22 Nov-1 Dec 1945. 65 Reconnaissance Group, 6 Jul 1947-27 Jun 1949. 65 Troop Carrier Group, 14 Jun 1952-1 Apr 1953. 374 Tactical Airlift Wing, 1 Oct 1987; 316 Airlift Support Group, 1 Apr 1992; 18 Operations Group, 1 Jun 1992; 438 Operations Group, 1 Oct 1993; 305 Operations Group, 1 Oct 1994-31 Mar 2000. 610 Regional Support Group, 12 Mar 2005; 940 Operations Group, 1 Jul 2009; 726 Operations Group, 10 Feb 2016; 726 Operations Group, 10 Feb 2016-.
Stations. Colorado Springs, CO, 20 Jun-17 Oct 1942; Podington, England, 2 Dec 1942; Mount Farm, England, 16 Feb 1943; Chalgrove, England, 8 Apr 1945; Grove, England, c. 13 Oct-23 Nov 1945; Camp Kilmer, NJ, 30 Nov-1 Dec 1945. Rome AAFld, NY, 6 Jul 1947; Chemung County Aprt, NY, 26 Jan 1948-27 Jun 1949. Mitchel AFB, NY, 14 Jun 1952-1 Apr 1953. Kadena AB, Japan, 1 Oct 1987-1 Oct 1993; McGuire AFB, NJ, 1 Oct 1993-31 Mar 2000. Beale AFB, CA, 12 Mar 2005-.
Commanders. Col James G. Hall, 10 Sep 1942; Maj Hershell E. Parsons, 8 Jul 1943; Maj Ray C. Mitchell, 15 Nov 1943; Maj Robert R. Smith, 19 May 1944; Capt George H. Nesselrode, 17 Aug 1944; Maj Walter D. Shade, 20 Mar 1945; Lt Col Benjamin F. Kendig, 18 May 1945; Maj Walter D. Shade, 21 Jul 1945; 1Lt John G. Weeks, 11 Sep 1945; Lt Col Fred Henry, c. 1 Oct-1 Dec 1945. Unkn, 6 Jul 1947-27 Jun 1949. Unkn, 14 Jun 1952-1 Apr 1953. Lt Col David C. McClure, 1 Oct 1987; Lt Col William B. Carroll, 28 Nov 1989; Lt Col Daniel F. Fraley, 4 Apr 1991; Lt Col Gary L. Albaugh, 2 Jul 1991; Lt Col James D. Rummer, 1 Oct 1993; Lt Col Matthew F. Martorano, 1 Dec 1994; Lt Col Lee W. Sheedy, 21 Jun 1996; Lt Col Robert J. Hinger, 5 Aug 1996; Lt Col Lyn D. Sherlock, 31 Mar 1998; Lt Col Alan Hunt Jr., 27 Jul 1999-c. 31 Mar 2000. Lt Col Jonathan M. Ellis, 12 Mar 2005; Lt Col John K. Welch, 1 Oct 2008; Lt Col David E. Lineback, 1 Oct 2010.
Aircraft. P-38/F-5, 1942-1945; L-4, 1942-1943; Spitfire, 1943; P-51, 1945. Unkn, 1947-1949. C-46, 1952-1953. C-12, 1987-1993. C-141, 1993-2000. RQ-4, 2005-.
Operations. Combat in ETO, 28 Mar 1943-26 Apr 1945. Intra theater airlift for high-ranking PACAF and civilian officials and small mission-essential equipment, 1987–1993. Moved without personnel and equipment to McGuire AFB, NJ, on 1 Oct 1993 and absorbed personnel and equipment of the 30th Airlift Squadron. Equipped with C-141B, squadron took on a new world-wide airlift mission, which it performed until 2000. In March 2005, the squadron began providing theater commanders, including those involved in Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, with near-real-time intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and target acquisition data, using high-altitude, long-endurance remotely-piloted vehicles.
Service Streamers. None
Campaign Streamers. World War II: Air Offensive, Europe; Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe; Air Combat, EAME Theater.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citation: France, 31 May-30 Jun 1944. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Jun 1991-31 May 1993; 1 Oct 1994-30 Jun 1996; 1 Jul 1996-30 Jun 1998; 1 Jun 1998-30 Jun 1999; 1 Jun 1998-30 Jun 1999; 1 Jul 1999-31 Mar 2000; 1 Oct 2011-31 Sep 2013. French Croix de Guerre with Palm: 1944.
Lineage, Assignments, Stations, and Honors through 12 Aug 2016.
Commanders, Aircraft and Operations through 1 Jun 2012.
Supersedes statement prepared on 1 Jun 2012.
Emblem. Approved on 6 Mar 1944; latest rendition approved on 21 Dec 2011.
Prepared by TSgt David Dollman.