Lineage

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

Assignments

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

Aircraft and Space Systems

Included F?2, 1941?1942; A?29, 1942; B?34, 1943?1944; B?24/F?7, 1943?1946. Unkn, 1947?1949. YRB/RB/B?47, 1953?1958. Satellites, 1992?.

Operations

Mapped areas of Alaska, Canada, Central and South America, 1942?1944; Southwest and Western Pacific, Dec 1944?1946. Operated the MILSTAR Satellite System, 1992?.

Honors

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 Award: 21 Mar?9 May 1956. Philippine Presidential Unit Citation (WWII).

Emblem

A circular shield blazoned: Sable, a mullet Argent garnished of the first, winged Or issuing four lightning flashes to base Gules surmounting a terrestrial globe in base Azure gridlined of the second, all within a diminished bordure, Gold. Approved on 20 Aug 1992 (DFSC 94?01114); replaced emblems approved on 20 Jan 1956 (K 225) and 14 Jul 1943 (47433 A.C.). MOTTO: LINKING THE FORCES. Added in 1994.