20th Intelligence Squadron

20th Intelligence Squadron

Active Reactivated 1992. 1993-Present
Country United States
Branch United States Air Force
Type Intelligence
Role Combat Support
Size Squadron
Part of Air Combat Command
Garrison/HQ Offutt Air Force Base
Mascot Yosemite Sam
Engagements World War II

The 20th Intelligence Squadron is a United States Air Force unit, assigned to the National Air Intelligence Center, stationed at Offut AFB, Nebraska.

Contents

Overview

The mission of the 20th is to provide prompt, precise intelligence enabling warfighters to safely engage and achieve global objectives. The 20th processes and analyzes raw electronic intelligence data, and prepares both operational and technical ELINT reports and studies. The 20th is organized into three flights:

Ÿ* Target Materials

The Target Material Flight produces precise coordinated measurements and mission-support materials for Air Force bomber, fighter and other airborne platforms engaged in exercise, training or actual combat operations.

Ÿ* Combat Applications

The Combat Applications Flight activities entail providing direct application support for specified combat customers. This includes an AIA node for operational dissemination of near-real time imagery to Air Force and Department of Defense users worldwide and is Air Combat Command’s point of contact for premission survivability and threat assessments, target analysis, weaponeering support and post-mission combat assessments for the Conventional Air Launched Cruise Missile program

Ÿ* Operations

The Operations Flight provides the day-to-day operating support to the other flights within the 20th. These activities are dispersed though branches who perform the activities of planning, requirements management, systems maintenance, logistics support and resource management.

History

Formed as the 20th Photographic Mapping Squadron in Mid 1942. In these early years, the unit worked under many different names and was stationed in the Pacific Theater under Fifth Air Force. Operated a wide variety of photo-reconnaissance aircraft in the South Pacific, engaging in combat reconnaissance. Moved to Japan in 1945, carrying out postwar reconnaissance and mapping of the Japanese Home Islands and Korean Peninsula as part of the War Department's Post Hostilities Mapping Project. Inactivated June 1946

Active in the Reserves 1947-1951 as an aireal reconnaissance squadron, activated to Active Duty during the Korean War, 1951. Personnel sent as replacements to Far East Air Forces, inactivated as administrative unit, May 1951.

Reactivated in 1954 under 432d Tactical Reconnaissance Group as an RF-80A Shooting Star reconnaissance training squadron at Shaw AFB, SC. Upgraded to RF-84 Thunderstreaks in 1955. Transferred to operational missions in 1959 with reassignment to 363d Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron in 1959, re-equipped with RF-101 Voodoos. Was deployed to Florida in 1962 during Cuban Missile Crisis, flew tactical reconnaissance flights over Cuba during the Crisis. Returned to Shaw in late 1962. Deployed to Tan Son Nhut AB, South Vietnam, 1963-1965 flying tactical reconnaissance for US advisory mission. Inactivated in 1965.

it was reactivated and designated the 20th Air Intelligence Squadron under the newly formed Air Combat Command in 1992, operating out of Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska. A year later, it was redesignated as the 20th Intelligence Squadron under the Air Intelligence Agency.

Lineage

Activated on 23 Jul 1942
Re-designated 20th Photographic Squadron (Heavy) on 6 Feb 1943
Re-designated 20th Combat Mapping Squadron on 11 Aug 1943;
Re-designated 20th Reconnaissance Squadron ( Long Range, Photographic-RCM ) on 10 May 1945
Inactivated on 20 Jun 1946.
Activated in the reserve on 25 Jul 1947.
Re-designated 20th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron (Photographic Mapping) on 27 Jun 1949
Ordered to active service on 1 May 1951
Inactivated on 16 May 1951
Activated on 18 Mar 1954
Inactivated 12 November 1965
Re-designated 20th Intelligence Squadron, 1 October 1993

Assignments

Attached to 6th Photographic Reconnaissance and Mapping [later Photographic Reconnaissance; Photographic Group, from 17 Jun 1943
Attached to 363d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, 8 Apr-17 May 1959

Stations

Air echelon at: Colorado Springs Army Air Base, Colo, to c. 12 Oct 1943
Air echelon at: Will Rogers Field, Okla, 14 Oct 1943-26 Jan 194
Operated primarily fiom Mokmer Airfield, Biak after 7 Aug 1944
Operated from: Mokmer Airfield, Biak to 22 Jan 1945,
Operated from: Tacloban Airfield, Leyte, 25 Jan-23 Feb 1945
Operated from: McGuire Field, San Jose, Mindoro, 24 Feb-16 May 1945
Operated from: Tachikawa Airfield, Japan, Dec 1945-Apr 1946
Operated from: Johnson AB, Japan, Apr-20 Jun 1946
Operated from: MacDill AFB, Fla, 21 Oct-30 Nov 1962

Aircraft

References

United States Air Force portal
Military of the United States portal
World War II portal

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.

External links