21 Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron (USAFE)

Lineage. Constituted 21 Observation Squadron (Light) on 5 Feb 1942. Activated on 2 Mar 1942. Redesignated: 21 Observation Squadron on 4 Jul 1942; 21 Reconnaissance Squadron (Bomber) on 2 Apr 1943; 21 Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron on 11 Apr 1943. Disbanded on 1 May 1944. Reconstituted, and consolidated (19 Sep 1985) with 1 Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, which was constituted on 5 Nov 1945. Activated on 6 Dec 1945. Inactivated on 1 Apr 1949. Redesignated 1 Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, Night-Photo, on 25 Jun 1952. Activated on 10 Jul 1952. Redesignated: 1 Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, Night-Photo-Jet, on 15 May 1959; 1 Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron on 1 Oct 1966. Inactivated on 15 Jan 1988. Redesignated 21 Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron, and converted to provisional status, on 10 Aug 2007.
 
Assignments. Air Force Combat Command, 2 Mar 1942; Army Air Forces, 9 Mar 1942; 75 Observation (later, 75 Reconnaissance; 75 Tactical Reconnaissance) Group, 12 Mar 1942-1 May 1944. 10 Reconnaissance (later, 10 Tactical Reconnaissance) Group, 16 Dec 1945-1 Apr 1949. 10 Tactical Reconnaissance Group, 10 Jul 1952; 10 Tactical Reconnaissance (later, 10 Tactical Fighter) Wing, 8 Dec 1957-15 Jan 1988. United States Air Forces in Europe to activate or inactivate at any time on or after 10 Aug 2007.

Stations. Langley Field, VA, 2 Mar 1942; Kellogg Field, MI, 9 Mar 1942; Will Rogers Field, OK, 30 Aug 1942; William Northern Field, TN, 12 Mar 1943; Key Field, MS, 19 Aug 1943-1 May 1944. Creil, France, 16 Dec 1945; Istres, France, 13 Jan 1946; Compiegne, France, 30 May 1946; Furth, West Germany, 12 Sep 1946-c. 20 Jun 1947; Langley Field, VA, 25 Jun 1947; Lawson Field, GA, 8 Sep 1947; Pope Field (later, Pope AFB), NC, 29 Sep 1947-1 Apr 1949. Toul-Rosieres AB, France, 10 Jul 1951; Spangdahlem AB, West Germany, 8 May 1953; RAF Alconbury, England, 25 Aug 1959-15 Jan 1988.
 
Commanders. Unkn, 2 Mar 1942-1 May 1944. Maj Walter W. Dickson, 16 Dec 1945; Maj James L. Wrathall, 2 Feb 1946; Capt John D. Walker, 3 Apr 1946 (temporary); Maj James L. Wrathall, 9 Apr 1946; Lt Col Harrison R. Christy Jr., 11 Apr 1946; Capt John D. Walker, 5 Jul 1946 (temporary); Lt Col Harrison R. Christy Jr., 9 Jul 1946; Maj James M. Williams, 30 Dec 1946 (temporary); Lt Col Harrison R. Christy Jr., 9 Jan 1947; Capt Charles I. Davis Jr., 20 May-20 Jun 1947; Maj James M. Williams, c. 26 Sep 1947; Capt Lewis A. Forman, 5 Oct 1947; Lt Col Robert T. Simpson IV, 6 Oct 1947; Lt Col Harrison R. Christy Jr., 24 Mar 1948; Lt Col James L. Rose, 1 Jun 1948; Capt Willard L. Burghoff, Jan 1949; Capt David F. Thwaites, Jan 1949; Lt Col James L. Rose, Feb 1949; Capt David F. Thwaites, c. 11 Feb-30 Mar 1949. Lt Col Steven R. Wilkerson, Jul 1952; Maj William H. Laseter, 22 Sep 1953; Lt Col Steven R. Wilkerson, by Mar 1954; Lt Col John K. Graham, by Jul 1955; Maj Robert T. Hoyt, 8 Jul 1957; Lt Col Edward Ellis, c. May 1959; Maj Harrison Lobdell Jr., 10 Feb 1961; Maj Edward L. Scott, 19 Feb 1962; Maj Paul W. Von Wiedenfield, c. 23 May 1963; Maj Gerald D. Martini, 10 Jun 1964; Lt Col Charles M. Sargen, 19 Apr 1965; Lt Col John E. Buchanan, c. Jul 1966; Lt Col Robert R. Heaton, 16 Aug 1969; Maj Emery S. Wetzel Jr., 1 Jun 1970; Lt Col Richard H. Wolf, Jun 1973; Lt Col Donald D. Karges, 9 Jul 1974; Lt Col Leonard Andrews, 1 Jul 1975; Lt Col Lawrence W. Foley, 1 Jun 1977; Lt Col Steven J. Whittenberger, 1 Jun 1979; Lt Col Dale O. Wiener, 15 Jun 1981; Lt Col Donald S. Pickard, 1 Jul 1982; Lt Col Carl Loveland, 2 Jul 1984; Lt Col Steven A. Bryan, 18 Feb 1986-30 Jun 1987; unknown, 1 Jul 1987-15 Jan 1988.
 
Aircraft. L-4 and C-47, 1942; A-20, 1942-1943; B-25, 1942-1943; P-39, 1942-1943; 1943-1944; P-40, 1942-1943; 1943-1944; P-51, 1942-1943; 1943-1944; L-4, 1943. C-47, 1945-1946; UC-64, 1945-1946; C-45, 1946; P-51/F-6, 1946-1947; F-6, 1947-1948; P-51, 1947; AT-6, 1947-1949. RB-26, 1952-1956; RB-57, 1954-1957; RB-66, 1957-1965; RF-4C, 1965-1987.

Operations. Served as a replacement training unit, Dec 1942-Apr 1944. During 1945-1949, provided photographic reconnaissance for Army and Air Force agencies; photographed national cemeteries. Provided ground, air, and naval forces with visual and photographic information concerning disposition, movement, and activity of friendly and hostile forces, 1952-1965. Maintained combat readiness to accomplish visual, photographic, and electronic reconnaissance in support of United States Air Forces in Europe (USAFE), North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and the Royal Air Force (RAF), 1965-1987. Not operational, 16 Jun 1987-15 Jan 1988.
 
Service Streamers. World War II American Theater.

Campaign Streamers. None.

Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.

Decorations. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 31 Dec 1959-1 Jan 1962; 15 Jul 1968-15 Jul 1969; 1 Jun 1972-1 Jun 1973; 15 Nov 1977-14 Nov 1979; 1 Jun 1985-31 May 1987.

Lineage, Assignments, Stations, and Honors through 20 Aug 2007.

Commanders, Aircraft, and Operations through Jan 1988.

Supersedes statement prepared on 2 Oct 1985.

Emblem. Approved on 20 Jul 1954, modified on 2 Nov 2010.

Prepared by Patsy Robertson.
 
Reviewed by Daniel Haulman.