Lineage

Constituted 38th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) on 20 Nov 1940. Activated on 15 Jan 1941. Redesignated: 38th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) (Twin Engine), on 31 Jan 1942; 38th Fighter Squadron (Twin Engine), on 15 May 1942; 38th Fighter Squadron, Twin Engine, on 20 Aug 1943; 38th Fighter Squadron, Single Engine, on 5 Sep 1944. Inactivated on 20 Aug 1946. Redesignated 38th Reconnaissance Squadron, Very Long Range, Mapping, on 3 Feb 1947. Activated on 15 Mar 1947. Redesignated 38th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron, Photo-Mapping, on 1 Jul 1949. Inactivated on 14 Oct 1949. Redesignated 38th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron, Medium, Photo, on 27 Oct 1950. Activated on 1 Nov 1950. Redesignated: 38th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron, Medium, on 16 Jun 1952; 38th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron on 16 Aug 1966. Inactivated on 1 Apr 1970. Activated on 1 Apr 1979. Redesignated 38th Reconnaissance Squadron on 1 Sep 1991.

Assignments

55th Pursuit (later, 55th Fighter) Group, 15 Jan 1941-20 Aug 1946. 5th Reconnaissance Group, 15 Mar 1947; 311th Air Division, 26 May 1949 (attached to 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, 26 May-1 Jun 1949); 55th Strategic Reconnaissance Group, 1 Jun-14 Oct 1949. 55th Strategic Reconnaissance Group, 1 Nov 1950 (attached to 91st Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, 1 Nov 1950-6 Jan 1951; 55th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, 6 Jan 1951-15 Jun 1952 and further attached to 3d Air Division, 15 Jan-28 May 1951 and 7th Air Division, 5 Apr 1952-); 55th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, 16 Jun 1952-1 Apr 1970 (remained attached to 7th Air Division to 9 Aug 1952). 55th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, 1 Apr 1979; 55th 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-.

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-.

Operations

Combat in ETO, 15 Oct 1943-21 Apr 1945. Photo-mapping of Borneo, Philippines, and Formosa, Apr 1947-Mar 1949. Worldwide strategic reconnaissance including in support of crises in Cuba, Oct 1962; Grenada, Oct 1983; Libya, Apr 1986; Panama, Dec 1989; and Southwest Asia, Jan- Feb 1991.

Honors

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.

Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.

Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citations: ETO, 3-13 Sep 1944; Germany, 19 Feb 1945. 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.

Emblem

On an Azure disc a Red winged tomahawk outlined in Yellow, the head fastened to the handle by Black thongs. Approved on 3 Mar 1942 (42880 A.C.) and reinstated in 1994; replaced emblem approved on 24 May 1957.