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The 553d Reconnaissance Squadron is an inactive
United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Air force, air service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is one of the six United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Tracing its ori ...
unit. It was last assigned to the 388th Tactical Fighter Wing and stationed at
Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base or Nakhon Ratchasima Royal Thai Air Force Base is a base of the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) in northeast Thailand, approximately 200 km (125 mi) northeast of Bangkok and about 4 km (2.5 mi) sou ...
. It was first active during
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
as the 10th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron.


History

Constituted in 1942 as the 10th Photographic Squadron, the squadron conducted replacement training in Oklahoma for aircrew and photographic technicians. Established as the 553d Reconnaissance Squadron in 1967 at
Otis AFB Otis Air National Guard Base is an Air National Guard installation located within Joint Base Cape Cod, a military training facility located on the western portion of Cape Cod in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States. It was known ...
, Massachusetts. Moved to Thailand as an electronic warfare squadron to detect vehicles along the
Ho Chi Minh Trail The Ho Chi Minh Trail (), also called Annamite Range Trail () was a Military logistics, logistical network of roads and trails that ran from North Vietnam to South Vietnam through the kingdoms of Kingdom of Laos, Laos and Cambodia (1953–1970), ...
in Indochina. If enemy vehicles could be detected then stopped, then a major quantity of enemy supplies into South Vietnam would be halted. The "electronic fence" concept envisioned using Navy sonobuoys delivered along the Ho Chi Minh Trail by air, with special receivers in the 553d Reconnaissance Wing EC-121 aircraft to pick up the signals. The EC-121 would, when in range, automatically relay the signals picked up to the Infiltration Center at Nakhon Phanom RTAFB. Several target areas along the Ho Chi Minh Trail were outside of the range of the relay equipment; during out of range flights the signals were processed manually by the crew on board the EC-121R, then radioed via High Frequency Single Side Band radio directly to
Seventh Air Force The Seventh Air Force (Air Forces Korea) (7 AF) is a Numbered Air Force of the United States Pacific Air Forces (PACAF). It is headquartered at Osan Air Base, South Korea. The command's mission is to plan and direct air component operations in ...
Headquarters in
Saigon Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) ('','' TP.HCM; ), commonly known as Saigon (; ), is the most populous city in Vietnam with a population of around 14 million in 2025. The city's geography is defined by rivers and canals, of which the largest is Saigo ...
, South Vietnam. The 553rd Reconnaissance Squadron was known as The "Batcats".


Lineage

10th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron * Constituted as the 10th Photographic Squadron on 7 May 1942 : Activated on 14 May 1942 : Redesignated 10th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron on 9 June 1942 : Redesignated 10th Photographic Squadron (Light) on 6 February 1943 : Redesignated 10th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron on 11 August 1943 * Disbanded on 1 May 1944. * Reconstituted on 19 September 1985 and consolidated with the 553d Reconnaissance Squadron as the 553d Tactical Intelligence SquadronDepartment of the Air Force/MPM Letter 662q, 19 Sep 85, Subject: Reconstitution, Redesignation, and Consolidation of Selected Air Force Tactical Squadrons 553d Tactical Intelligence Squadron * Constituted as 553d Reconnaissance Squadron and activated on 9 February 1967 (not organized) : Organized on 25 February 1967 (not operational until 28 February) : Inactivated on 31 December 1971. * Consolidated with the 10th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron as the 553d Tactical Intelligence Squadron (not active under this designation)


Assignments

* 2d Photographic Group (later 2d Photographic Reconnaissance and Mapping Group, 2d Photographic Reconnaissance Group), 14 May 1942 - 1 May 1944 *
Air Defense Command Aerospace Defense Command was a major command (military formation), command of the United States Air Force, responsible for air defense of the continental United States. It was activated in 1968 and disbanded in 1980. Its predecessor, Air De ...
, 8 February 1967 (not organized) * 553d Reconnaissance Wing, 25 February 1967 * 388th Tactical Fighter Wing, 15 December 1970 – 31 December 1971 (not operational after 6 December 1971)Ravenstein, pp. 209-211


Stations

*
Colorado Springs Colorado Springs is the most populous city in El Paso County, Colorado, United States, and its county seat. The city had a population of 478,961 at the 2020 census, a 15.02% increase since 2010. Colorado Springs is the second-most populous c ...
: Colorado, 14 May 1942 *
Will Rogers Field Will may refer to: Common meanings * Will and testament, instructions for the disposition of one's property after death * Will (philosophy), or willpower * Will (sociology) * Will, volition (psychology) * Will, a modal verb - see Shall and will ...
, Oklahoma: 13 October 1943 *
Woodward Army Air Field West Woodward Airport is in Woodward County, Oklahoma, United States, seven miles west of Woodward, which owns it. The National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2011–2015 called it a ''general aviation'' airport. History Second ...
: Oklahoma, 11 December 1943 * Will Rogers Field, Oklahoma: 13 Mar 1944 - 1 May 1944 *
Otis Air Force Base Otis may refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television * ''Otis'' (film), a direct-to-DVD 2008 American comedy horror film * "Otis" (''The Jeffersons''), a television episode * "Otis" (''Prison Break''), a television episode Music * ...
: Massachusetts, 25 February 1967 *
Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base or Nakhon Ratchasima Royal Thai Air Force Base is a base of the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) in northeast Thailand, approximately 200 km (125 mi) northeast of Bangkok and about 4 km (2.5 mi) sou ...
: Thailand, 31 October 1967 – 31 December 1971


Aircraft

*
Lockheed P-38 Lightning The Lockheed P-38 Lightning is an American single-seat, twin piston-engined fighter aircraft that was used during World War II. Developed for the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) by the Lockheed Corporation, the P-38 incorporated a distinc ...
(and F-4 and F-5 reconnaissance models), 1942-1944 *
North American B-25 Mitchell The North American B-25 Mitchell is an American medium bomber that was introduced in 1941 and named in honor of Brigadier General Billy Mitchell, William "Billy" Mitchell, a pioneer of U.S. military aviation. Used by many Allies of World War ...
(and F-10 reconnaissance model), 1942-1944 *
Lockheed EC-121 Warning Star The Lockheed EC-121 Warning Star is an American airborne early warning and control radar surveillance aircraft operational in the 1950s in both the United States Navy (USN) and United States Air Force (USAF). The military version of the Lock ...
, 1967-1971


References


Notes


Bibliography

* * {{cite book, last=Ravenstein, first=Charles A., title=Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947-1977, url=https://archive.org/details/airforcecombatwi0000rave, year=1984, publisher=Office of Air Force History, location=Washington, DC, isbn=0-912799-12-9, url-access=registration
553 __NOTOC__ Year 553 ( DLIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 553 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europ ...
Military units and formations established in 1967