16th Photographic Squadron
military unit
The 16th Photographic Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 55th Reconnaissance Group at MacDill Field, Florida, where it was inactivated on 16 December 1947. It served as a mapping unit during World War II and the initial years of Strategic Air Command
History
Initially activated in March 1942 at Bolling Field as a laboratory for processing photographic products produced by the 1st Mapping Group. During World War II, the squadron was engaged in photographic mapping of areas of the United States with a variety of aircraft.
The squadron moved to Buckley Field in late 1944, where it was assigned to the 311th Photographic Wing, which became the major reconnaissance organization of Strategic Air Command (SAC). It moved with the wing to MacDill Field, Florida in April 1946 and was assigned to the 55th Reconnaissance Group in 1947. The squadron was engaged in SAC's strategic mapping mission. The 16th was inactivated in December and its personnel and equipment were transferred to the 16th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron (Special), which was simultaneously activated.
Lineage
Constituted as the Photographic Laboratory Unit on 27 March 1942
Activated on 31 March 1942
Redesignated 16th Photographic Squadron on 8 July 1942
Redesignated 16th Photographic Unit on 1 February 1943
Redesignated 16th Domestic Photographic Unit on 11 August 1943
Redesignated 16th Photographic Squadron (Special Purpose) on 14 September 1944
Inactivated on 16 December 1947
Assignments
1st Mapping Group (later 1at Photographic Charting Group), 31 March 1942
11th Photographic Group, 1 December 1943
311th Photographic Wing, 5 October 1944
55th Reconnaissance Group, 1 Jun 1947 – 16 Dec 1947
Stations
Bolling Field, District of Columbia, 31 March 1942
Buckley Field, Colorado, 1 November 1944
MacDill Field, Florida, 19 April 1946 – 16 December 1947
Aircraft
Service Streamer
See also
List of B-29 Superfortress operators
References
Notes
Explanatory notes
Citations
Bibliography
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961].
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