91st Air Division (United States)
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| 91st Air Division, Reconnaissance | |
|---|---|
| Active | 20 October 1943–27 January 1946; 20 December 1946–27 June 1949. |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | Air Force |
| Part of | see "Assignments" section below |
| Garrison/HQ | see "Stations" section below |
| Equipment | see "Aerospace vehicles" section below |
| Decorations |  see "Lineage and honors" section below |
Contents |
[edit] History
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Please help improve this section by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion. |
[edit] Mission
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Please help improve this section by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion. |
[edit] Operations
Subordinate units of the 91st began combat missions in March 1944, photographing Japanese airfields, harbors, beach defenses, and personnel areas in New Guinea, the Bismarcks, Borneo, and the southern Philippines. They also reconnoitered target areas and enemy troop positions to provide intelligence for Air Force and Army units. Liaison aircraft rescued Allied flyers forced down in Pacific jungles, and evacuated wounded personnel from forward areas. Frequently fighters, assigned to subordinate units, attacked gun emplacements, bridges, supply dumps, and other installations in support of ground troops. In 1945, as the war with Japan came to a close, the subordinate units flew photographic missions over Kyushu. After hostilities ceased, these flights continued, and the aerial photographs obtained helped to locate prisoner of war (POW) camps and in assessing damage done to the Japanese communications system. Activated in the Reserve at Newark, New Jersey, December 1946 through January 1949. The organization was redesignated as a division in April 1948.
[edit] Lineage and honors
Established as 91 Photographic Wing, Reconnaissance on 9 October 1943. Activated on 20 October 1943. Redesignated 91 Reconnaissance Wing on 20 June 1945. Inactivated on 27 January 1946.
Activated in the Reserve on 20 December 1946. Redesignated 91 Air Division, Reconnaissance on 16 April 1948. Inactivated on 27 June 1949.
[edit] Service streamers
This unit earned the following organizational service streamers:
none
[edit] Campaign streamers
This unit earned the following organizational campaign streamers:
- World War II Asiatic-Pacific Theater: New Guinea; Leyte; Luzon.
[edit] Armed forces expeditionary streamers
This unit earned the following organizational expeditionary streamers:
none
[edit] Decorations
This unit earned the following organizational decorations:
- Philippine Presidential Unit Citation.
[edit] Awards
[edit] Emblem
none
[edit] Assignments
Third Air Force, 20 October 1943–20 February 1944; Army Service Forces, 20 February 1944–30 March 1944; Fifth Air Force, 30 March 1944; Far East Air Forces (later, Pacific Air Command, U.S. Army), 8 August 1944–27 January 1946.
First Air Force, 20 December 1946–27 January 1949.
[edit] Components
Groups:
- 6 Photographic, Reconnaissance: 12 April 1944–10 November 1945.
- 66 Reconnaissance: 27 December 1946–27 June 1949.
- 71 Reconnaissance: c.15 May 1944–10 November 1945.
- 74 Reconnaissance: 27 December 1946–27 June 1949.
Squadrons:
- 17 Reconnaissance: attached c.21 October 1945–10 November 1945.
- 20 Reconnaissance: 10 November 1945–1 December 1945.
- 25 Liaison: 15 April 1944–16 February 1945.
[edit] Stations
Will Rogers Field, Oklahoma, 20 October 1943; Birmingham International Airport (US), Alabama, 9 November 1943–20 February 1944; Nadzab, New Guinea, 30 March 1944; Biak, Indonesia, 10 August 1944; Leyte, Philippine Islands, 12 November 1944; Mindoro, Philippine Islands, 28 January 1945; Clark Field, Luzon, Philippine Islands, 24 March 1945; Okinawa, Japan, 30 July 1945; Honshu, Japan, 5 October 1945–27 January 1946.
Newark Army Air Base (later, Municipal Airport), New Jersey, 20 December 1946–27 June 1949.
[edit] Aerospace vehicles
B-25 Mitchell, 1944–1945; B-26 Marauder, 1944; F-4 Lightning, 1944; F-5 Lightning, 1944–1945; L-5 Sentinel, 1944–1945; UC-78 Bobcat, 1944–1945; B-24 Liberator, 1945; C-47 Skytrain, 1945.
RB-26 Marauder, 1946–1949; RF-80 Shooting Star, 1946–1949.
[edit] Commanders
Unknown, 20 October 1943; Lt Col James E. Ilgenfritz, 13 November 1943; Col Elvin F. Maughan, 18 December 1943; Col David W. Hutchinson, 12 April 1944; Col Ralph O. Brownfield, 22 April 1944; Col John T. Murtha, 23 August 1944; Col William C. Sams, 16 October 1944–unkn.
None (not manned), 20 December 1946–5 January 1947; Unknown, 6 January 1947–unkn; Brigadier General Robert L. Copsey by 31 December 1947–unkn.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
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This article incorporates text from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website which, as a United States government publication, is in the public domain. |
