4 Space Operations Squadron (SpOC)

Lineage. Constituted as 4 Photographic Squadron on 15 May 1941. Activated on 10 Jun 1941. Redesignated: 4 Mapping Squadron on 13 Jan 1942; 4 Photographic Mapping Squadron on 9 Jun 1942; 4 Photographic Charting Squadron on 11 Aug 1943; 4 Reconnaissance Squadron, Long Range, Photographic, on 15 Jun 1945; 4 Reconnaissance Squadron, Very Long Range, Photographic, on 20 Nov 1945. Inactivated on 14 Apr 1946. Redesignated 4 Reconnaissance Squadron, Photographic, on 5 Sep 1947. Activated in the Reserve on 20 Sep 1947. Inactivated on 27 Jun 1949. Redesignated 4 Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron, Medium, on 9 May 1952. Activated on 28 May 1952. Inactivated on 1 Jul 1958. Redesignated 4 Space Operations Squadron on 1 Apr 1992. Activated on 30 Apr 1992. 

Assignments. 1 Photographic (later, 1 Mapping; 1 Photographic Charting) Group, 10 Jun 1941; 311 Photographic (later, 311 Reconnaissance) Wing, 5 Oct 1944-14 Apr 1946 (attached to Thirteenth Air Force, c. 7 Nov 1944; 4 Photographic Group, Dec 1944; 6 Reconnaissance Group, 3 May 1945; 308 Bombardment Wing, 22 Oct 1945-14 Apr 1946). First Air Force, 20 Sep 1947; 26 Reconnaissance Group, 23 Oct 1947-27 Jun 1949. 26 Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, 28 May 1952-1 Jul 1958. 50 Operations Group, 30 Apr 1992-. 

Stations. Moffet Field, CA, 10 Jun 1941; March Field, CA, 10 Dec 1941 (detachments operated from various bases in Alaska, Canada, Central America, the Caribbean, and South America, 1942-1944); Peterson Field, CO, 4 Jan 1944; Buckley Field, CO, 1 Jul-14 Oct 1944; Hollandia, New Guinea, 7 Nov 1944 (detachments operated from Morotai, Dec 1944-Jan 1945; Australia, Jan-May 1945; Zamboanga, Mindanao, Apr-Jun 1945; and Clark Field, Luzon, Jun-Aug 1945); Tacloban, Leyte, 11 Jul 1945 (detachment operated from Okinawa, Aug-Oct 1945); Seoul, South Korea, 25 Oct 1945-14 Apr 1946. Niagara Falls Muni Aprt, NY, 20 Sep 1947; Buffalo, NY, 3 May 1948-27 Jun 1949. Lockbourne AFB, OH, 28 May 1952-1 Jul 1958. Falcon (later, Schriever) AFB, CO, 30 Apr 1992-. 

Service Streamers. World War II American Theater. 

Campaign Streamers. World War II: Air Offensive, Japan; New Guinea; Leyte; Luzon; Southern Philippines; China Offensive. 

Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None. 

Decorations. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 21 Mar-9 May 1956; 1 Oct 2000-1 Oct 2001; 1 Oct 2001-1 Oct 2002; 2 Oct 2002-2 Oct 2003. Philippine Presidential Unit Citation (WWII). 

Lineage, Assignments, Stations, and Honors through 21 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. Air Force Emblems approved on 20 Aug 1992; Space Force emblem approved on 30 Sep 2022. 

Prepared by Patsy Robertson. 

Reviewed by Daniel Haulman.