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It was the second of the Air Force's RQ-1 Predator remotely piloted aircraft squadrons. The squadron provides combatant commanders with persistent intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, full-motion video, and precision weapons employment. Global operations support continuous MQ-9 Reaper employment providing real-time actionable intelligence, strike, interdiction, close air support, and special missions to deployed war fighters. The squadron operates medium altitude multi-sensor platforms. It also collects, exploits and distributes imagery and intelligence products to the Unified Combatant Commands and national-level leadership.
The 15th Attack Squadron's origins go back to 8 May 1917, when it stood up as the 2d Aviation School Squadron at Hazelhurst Field, Long Island, New York. A little more than three months later, the squadron became the 15th Aero Squadron.[1] The original mission of the squadron was as part of the New York City defenses, flying coastal patrols and as a flying training unit. The squadron was demobilized at Hazelhurst on 18 September 1919,[1] after the end of World War I.
Interwar years
The 15th Squadron (Observation) was organized in the Army Air Service on 21 September 1921 at Chanute Field, Illinois, and equipped primarily with Dayton-Wright DH-4s. the main focus of the squadron was flying training, including gunnery, observation, reconnaissance, photography, radio familiarization and similar missions. The squadron served as the air component of the 6th Division. In April 1924 the squadron, now the 15th Observation Squadron was consolidated with its World War I predecessor. The squadron moved to Kelly Field, Texas in June 1927, where on 1 August, it was inactivated[1] and its personnel and equipment used to form the 39th School Squadron.[3]
The squadron reformed at Selfridge Field, Michigan on 15 March 1928, once again providing air support for the 6th Division.[1] On 20 March 1938, the 15th Observation Squadron deployed from Scott Field, Illinois, to Eglin Field, Florida, for two weeks of gunnery training. Thirty-five officers and 108 enlisted men were involved.[4]
During the early stages of World War II, the 15th supported the Field Artillery School in Oklahoma. On 26 March 1944, the unit deployed to England and began combat operations over France. Its first combat mission was photographic reconnaissance on a North American F-6 Mustang. On 6 June 1944, the 15th received credit for the first aerial victory by a tactical reconnaissance pilot as well as the first victory of D-Day. The unit continued armed reconnaissance operations in the European theater until July 1945. After returning to the United States, the squadron provided visual and photographic reconnaissance and artillery adjustments for Army, Navy and Air Forces until it was inactivated in April 1949.[1]
The 15th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, Photo-jet, was reactivated on 5 February 1951, in Japan and immediately deployed to Korea to provide visual and photographic reconnaissance. The unit flew Lockheed F-80 Shooting StarsNorth American F-86 Sabres and the RF-80 and RF-86 reconnaissance versions of these fighters during this period.[1]
Pacific reconnaissance
RF-84F Thunderflash at Kadena AB[note 6]RF-101 Voodoo at Kadena AB[note 7]
In March 1954 the unit moved back to Japan and in August 1956, moved to Okinawa. The unit transitioned to Republic RF-84F Thunderflashes from 1956-1958 and then to McDonnell RF-101 Voodoos, continuing its long history of photographic reconnaissance. During the Vietnam era the 15th Squadron was based at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, flying the RF-101C. The unit had many deployments to Southeast Asia, flying reconnaissance missions in support of US combat operations in that theatre. From 14 – 28 March 1961, the 18th Tactical Fighter Wing deployed the 15th Reconnaissance Squadron to Kung Kuan Air Base, Taiwan equipped with McDonnell RF-101 Voodoo.
During the summer and fall of 1966, the squadron transitioned to the McDonnell RF-4C Phantom II, the aircraft that it was to operate for the next 25 years. Redesignated as 15 Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron on 8 Oct 1966.[1]
In January 1968 the squadron deployed from Kadena to Osan Air Base, Korea in support of Operation Combat Fox, flying reconnaissance missions over North Korea during the Pueblo Crisis under extremely harsh winter conditions that disabled many of the squadron's aircraft, reducing squadron strength to as low as six aircraft at one point. One aircraft,tail number 748, flown by Captains Lee and Hannikin,was lost on mission during this period. Despite many searches, the wreckage and bodies weren't located until after the spring melt. A second aircraft was lost in an accident after the squadron moved to Itazuke Air Base, Japan.
During the 1970s and 1980s, the squadron maintained aerial surveillance capabilities in support of American ground, naval and air forces in the Far East. The 15th Squadron was inactivated 1 October 1990.[1]
Intelligence activities
The unit was reactivated as the 15th Tactical Intelligence Squadron on 20 February 1991. On 13 April 1992, the unit was redesignated as the 15th Air Intelligence Squadron. On 1 June 1994, it was once more inactivated.[1]
From July 2005 to June 2006, the 15th Reconnaissance Squadron participated in more than 242 separate raids; engaged 132 troops in contact-force protection actions; fired 59 Hellfire missiles; surveyed 18,490 targets; escorted four convoys; and flew 2,073 sorties for more than 33,833 flying hours.[5]
73d Observation Group (later 73d Reconnaissance Group, 73d Tactical Reconnaissance Group, 10th Photographic Group), 12 March 1942 (attached to Field Artillery School until 1 April 1942)
IX Fighter Command, 30 Dec 1943 (attached to 67th Tactical Reconnaissance Group)
67th Tactical Reconnaissance Group, 4 January 1944 (attached to IX Air Support Command (later IX Tactical Air Command)[note 11] until c. 16 March 1944)
10th Photographic Group (later 10th Reconnaissance Group), 13 June 1944 (attached to IX Tactical Air Command until 27 June 1944)
Flight attached to 67th Tactical Reconnaissance Group, 3–12 August 1944
10th Reconnaissance Group (later 10th Tactical Reconnaissance Group), 3 December 1947 – 1 April 1949 (attached to 363d Reconnaissance Group, 22 August – 3 November 1948)
67th Tactical Reconnaissance Group, 25 Feb 1951 (attached to 67th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, 1 June–c. 25 November 1954 and after 1 July 1957)
67th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, 1 October 1957 (attached to 18th Tactical Fighter Wing after 15 March 1960)
313th Air Division, 25 April 1960 (attached to 18th Tactical Fighter Wing until 20 April 1970)
Hazelhurst Field, New York, 9 May 1917 – 18 September 1919
Chanute Field, Illinois, 21 September 1921
Kelly Field, Texas, June–1 August 1927
Selfridge Field, Michigan, 15 May 1928 (Deployed to Camp McCoy, Wisconsin, 24 September – 28 October 1928; Camp Skeel, Michigan, 28–31 October 1928; Fort Sheridan, Illinois, 8–11 June 1930; Bowman Field, Kentucky, 14–27 June 1930)
Scott Field, Illinois, circa 28 June 1930. (Detachment at Post Field, Oklahoma after c. 1 December 1940)
Pope Field (later Pope Air Force Base), North Carolina, 3 December 1947 – 1 April 1949 (Deployed to Lawson Air Force Base, Georgia, 22 August–September 1948; Turner Air Force Base, Georgia, September 1948; and Eglin Air Force Auxiliary Field No. 3, Florida, 3 October–November 1948)
Kadena Air Base, Okinawa (later, Japan), 18 August 1956. (deployed to Kung Kuan Air Base, Taiwan, 14 – 28 March 1961; Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea, 26 January – 12 February 1968; and Itazuki Air Base, Japan, 13 February–c. 25 July 1968)
Taegu Air Base, Republic of Korea, 1 October 1989 – 1 October 1990
World War II: Europe-Africa-middle Eastern (EAME) Theater: Air Offensive, Europe; Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland Ardenees-Alsace; Central Europe; Air Combat.
Korean War: First UN Counteroffensive; CCF Spring Offensive; UN Summer-Fall Offensive; Second Korean Winter; Korea Summer-Fall, 1952; Third Korean Winter; Korea Summer-Fall, 1953.
Decorations
Distinguished Unit Citations: Korea, 25 February – 21 April 1951; Korea, 9 July – 27 November 1951; Korea, 1 May – 27 July 1953.
Cite in Order of the Day, Belgian Army: 6 June- [25 June] 1944.
Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation: [25] February 1951 – 31 March 1953.
Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm: 1 April – 30 November 1966.
Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 December 1952 – 3 April 1953; 10 May −27 August 1962; 1 September 1962 – 31 August 1963; 1 August 1964 – 5 June 1965; 6 June 1965 – 31 December 1966; 1 January 1968 – 31 December 1969; 1 January 1974 – 31 December 1975; 1 June 1977 – 31 May 1979; 1 October 1979 – 31 May 1980; 1 July 1981 – 31 May 1983; 1 June 1983 – 31 May 1984; 1 June 1984 – 31 May 1986; 1 June 1987 – 31 May 1989; 1 October 1989 – 30 October 1990; 13 April 1992 – 30 June 1993.
^This nickname derived from WWII instances of squadron's aircraft returning with shrubbery in the wings from flying low-level reconnaissance missions.[citation needed]
^Shield quartered in yellow and black, eagle riding a red lightning bolt descending from right to left, XV in upper left yellow quarter, TAC in lower left yellow quarter, scroll below with Cottonpickers. Used while on Okinawa. Apparently the squadron also wore a patch shortly after in converted to the RF-80 depicting a tiger riding a jet plane with a camera for its nose and a bullet narrowly missing the plane. This was not official, however.
See Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 87 (1924 emblem still official in 1963).
^A carrier pigeon in natural colors with wings extended perched on a telescope white outlined in black upon a shield of blue and yellow parted diagonally from "northwest" to "southeast", the blue above, the yellow below. Maurer, p. 87
^The 15th Observation Squadron also had a Disney Studios designed emblem with a bee on a cloud peering through binoculars and seated on a camera, while taking notes, all in front of the number 15. It was not official. See Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 87 (1924 emblem still official in 1963).
^Aircraft is North American RF-86A-5-NA Sabre serial 48–195 at K-14 Airfield, South Korea, 1952.
^Aircraft is Republic RF-84F-30-RE Thunderflash, serial 52-7412, taken in 1956.
^Aircraft is RF-101 Voodoo, serial 56-42, taken in 1960.
^Aircraft is McDonnell RF-4C-19-MC Phantom II, serial 63-7751 at Kadena AB, Okinawa in 1975.
^Possibly Aeronautical Division (later Air Division), Signal Corps, 9 May 1917; Training Section, Department of Military Aeronautics, Signal Corps, 24 April 1918; Operations Section, Department of Military Aeronautics, Signal Corps, 9 July 1918; Training and Operations Group, Air Service, 29 January – 18 September 1919. Dollman.
^Dollman just says July 1937. However, Clay also indicates the 12th Group was inactivated on 1 July 1937. Clay, p.1306.
^Dollman says "later XIX Air Support Command." However, XIX Air Support Command was a different unit. Maurer, Combat Units, pp. 451-452. This attachment is omitted in Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 86
