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===Korean War===
===Korean War===
[[File:Rb-29-44-61727-91stsrs-korea.jpg|thumb|Boeing RB-29A Superfortress (s/n 44-61727) from the 91st Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron over Korea. This aircraft was shot down by MiG-15s, possibly over China or the extreme northern part of Korea on 4 July 1952. 11 of the crew of 13 were taken prisoner, two crewmembers died]]
With the invasion of [[South Korea]] by communist forces from the north in June 1950, the [[United Nations]] responded by sending military forces, primarily from the United States, to the aid of the South Koreans. A major deficiency in [[McArthur]]'s forces was a lack of accurate battlefield maps of the peninsula. As one of the best equipped photo reconnaissance units in the USAF, General MacArthur quickly called on the 91st to join the [[Far East Air Forces]] (FEAF) fighting on the Korean peninsula. The 91st Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron was moved from McGuire AFB, NJ to [[Johnson AB]] and [[Yokota AB]], Japan to begin supporting United Nations (UN) troops in Korea.
With the invasion of [[South Korea]] by communist forces from the north in June 1950, the [[United Nations]] responded by sending military forces, primarily from the United States, to the aid of the South Koreans. A major deficiency in [[McArthur]]'s forces was a lack of accurate battlefield maps of the peninsula. As one of the best equipped photo reconnaissance units in the USAF, General MacArthur quickly called on the 91st to join the [[Far East Air Forces]] (FEAF) fighting on the Korean peninsula. The 91st Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron was moved from McGuire AFB, NJ to [[Johnson AB]] and [[Yokota AB]], Japan to begin supporting United Nations (UN) troops in Korea.


Revision as of 01:47, 22 November 2011

91st Network Warfare Squadron
Emblem of 91st Network Warfare Squadron (Subdued)
Active1917–2008
CountryUnited States
BranchUnited States Air Force
RoleNetwork Warfare
Motto(s)"Demon Chasers"
EngagementsWorld War I
World War II
Korean War
Commanders
Notable
commanders		Captain George C. Kenney

The 91st Network Warfare Squadron is an active United States Air Force unit, currently assigned to the 67th Network Warfare Wing at Kelly Annex, part of Lackland Air Force Base, Texas.

Overview

The 91st NWS is the home to some uniquely-trained Airmen that delivered a myriad of cyber capabilities to Combatant Commanders. The squadron provide the Air Force with enhanced capabilities and expert crews on the leading edge of network warfare operations.

History

1st Lt. Everett R. Cook, Commanding Officer, 91st Aero Squadron, standing beside his Spad VIII aircraft, 1918

Established in the summer of 1917 at Kelly Field, near San Antonio, Texas. Was sent to France during World War I as one of the initial American Expeditionary Force Aero Squadrons, and served on the Western Front in France as an observation squadron with the with French Eighth Army and United States First Army, 3 June – 10 November 1918. The primary mission of the 91st Squadron was to gather information and immediately return to base to report it. After the November 1918 Armistice with Germany, the 91st Aero Squadron remained in Europe, being part of the occupation forces in Germany with the United States Third Army until April 1919.

Between the Wars

Was reorganized after returning to the United States and sent to California, being assigned to Rockwell Field, near San Diego in September 1919. Was assigned duties consisting of patrolling the southwestern U.S./Mexican border between California and Arizona, performed forest fire patrols and flew training flights over forested areas along the coast of California being assigned to Crissy Field, near San Francisco.

Moved to Gray Field, near Fort Lewis, Washington in 1936 as a result of the closure of flying at Crissy Field due to construction of the Golden Gate Bridge. Again, flew forest fire patrols over the forests of the Pacific Northwest until the late 1930s.

Was reassigned to Wheeler-Sack Army Airfield in upstate New York in September 1941 and became an observation squadron for the 4th Armored Division. Engaged in overvaluation duties during various maneuvers in New York, Tennessee during buildup of American forces prior to their engagement in World War II.

World War II

The 91st was deployed to the Antilles Air Command in April 1943 until June 1945, the 91st flew throughout South and Central America and the Caribbean. Staging from Ramey Field, Puerto Rico, aircraft and crews were deployed throughout the area.

Was based at MacDill Field, Florida after the war ended, and later at Howard Field, Panama, carrying out photo-mapping and charting missions in Central and South America. Was assigned to the new Strategic Air Command in 1949 and moved to McGuire AFB, New Jersey and engaged in long-distance photo mapping as part of SAC's global strategic reconnaissance mission.

Korean War

Boeing RB-29A Superfortress (s/n 44-61727) from the 91st Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron over Korea. This aircraft was shot down by MiG-15s, possibly over China or the extreme northern part of Korea on 4 July 1952. 11 of the crew of 13 were taken prisoner, two crewmembers died

With the invasion of South Korea by communist forces from the north in June 1950, the United Nations responded by sending military forces, primarily from the United States, to the aid of the South Koreans. A major deficiency in McArthur's forces was a lack of accurate battlefield maps of the peninsula. As one of the best equipped photo reconnaissance units in the USAF, General MacArthur quickly called on the 91st to join the Far East Air Forces (FEAF) fighting on the Korean peninsula. The 91st Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron was moved from McGuire AFB, NJ to Johnson AB and Yokota AB, Japan to begin supporting United Nations (UN) troops in Korea.

The 91st eventually flew the largest number of different airframes in the Korean War and had more assigned personnel than any other flying unit in the Korean War. With over 800 assigned personnel, they had six different types of aircraft assigned, to include: the RB-29 and RB-50 Superfortresses, RB-45 Tornado, WB-26 Invader, KB-29 tankers and RB-36 Peacemmaker. Throughout the conflict though, the RB-29 and RB-50s were the workhorses of the unit.

The RB-29 flew throughout the Korean peninsula in the early part of the war but was soon in trouble with the addition of Soviet MiG-15 aircraft into the air war by the communist forces. The propeller-driven aircraft of the 91st were attacked and suffered extreme damage and battle losses. In response, jet-enhanced RB-50J and jet-powered RB-45C reconnaissance aircraft were used which were deployed from RAF Sculthorpe, England. Other aircraft working from England were another detachments of RB-45s temporarily stationed at RAF Manston, Kent; an RB-29 unit at RAF Lakenheath and an RB-36 detachment stationed at RAF Brize Norton.

While RB-45 reconnaissance aircraft managed to outrun and outmaneuver MiG’s on numerous occasions, they too eventually became targets. Many of these early missions were escorted by F-80 Shooting Star and F-84 Thunderjet jet fighter escort aircraft, however, an eventual shift was made to night operations using flash-bombs to illuminate photographic targets. The unit was also called upon to conducted psychological leaflet drops with its assigned RB-29 aircraft. Not only did the 91st drop Korean “Psyops” leaflets throughout the Korean peninsula and into Manchuria and China but Russian language leaflets were also dropped as it was suspected that advisers from the Soviet Union were assisting the communist forces.

In addition to bomb damage assessment, targeting and aerial photography for the Bomber Command and FEAF, the 91st conducted Electronic Intelligence (ELINT) and “ferret” missions in theater mapping RADAR emissions of air defense sites. It conducted the first ferret missions ever conducted by the USAF. Overflights of Soviet-controlled Far East islands began in 1951. An example of this type of work was reconnaissance missions which were conducted over Karafuto following reports that the Soviets had built extensive underground installations and missile-launching facilities on the island. In Project 51, 91st SRW RB-45s took off from Yokota AB, Japan to conduct reconnaissance over the southern portions of Sakhalin Island. Photographic and radar reconnaissance overflight missions were also flown over the Murmansk-Kola Peninsula and Siberia. In late 1952, six RB-36’s were sent to Yakota AB, Japan to fly with the 91st and fly high altitude reconnaissance over Manchurian targets.

With the Korean Armistice Agreement in 1953, the 91st was withdrawn from the Pacific and returned to the United States, being reassigned to Great Falls AFB, Montana on 20 December 1954. It was decided, however, to leave elements of the unit assigned to Fifth Air Force in Japan to provide PACAF with a strategic reconnaissance and intelligence gathering capability. Elements of the 91st were reassigned to the 6091st Reconnaissnce Squadron, being assigned to the newly-formed PACAF 6007th Reconnaissance Wing that organized many Korean War combat units after the armistice. The 6091st was, in actuality, a composite squadron with RB-29, RB-50B, RB-50G, C-47 and C-119 aircraft assigned.

FICON project

Returning to the United States in late 1954, the 91st was tasked with experimenting with parasite fighters to provide long-range escort for B-36 Peacemaker strategic bombers on intercontinental missions. A lesson learned from the Korean War was that our aircraft were often times not able to outrun enemy fighters sent up to shoot or force them down. The U.S. needed a faster platform which also had the range of the larger, slower reconnaissance aircraft being used for reconnaissance work.

The 91st conducted an operational procedure called the Fighter-Conveyence (FICON) system. FICON used two aircraft: a B-36 to function as the “mother” ship and provided the needed range and a modified F-84 Thunderstreak jet aircraft to function as the high-speed reconnaissance aircraft. The specially-designed RF-84K’s would be ferried close to the projected target location, be launched in flight, make a high speed pass over the target, and then be retrieved and ferried back to its home base of operations. The jet reconnaissance pilots would enter and exit their RF-84 through the B-36’s bomb bay to fly away to conduct their reconnaissance missions.

Experimentation began in early 1955 and the first successful hook-up in December 1955. In January 1955, the 91st began FICON missions on a regular schedule. The hook-ups were very perilous and many near fatal accidents occurred during this operation. However, technology soon made this mission opsolete, as the development of the Lockheed U-2 made the need for more vulnerable propeller-driven reconnaissance aircraft to conduct strategic reconnaissance obsolete. No longer needed for a long-range, strategic reconnaissance mission, the 91st was inactivated on 1 July 1957.

Tactical Air Command

Reactivated as an RF-4C Phantom II replacement training from February 1967 and tactical reconnaissance from July 1966. It conducted reconnaissance training of USAF, US Marine Corps, and allied RF-4 reconnaissance aircrews between 1982–1989; acted as adviser to Air National Guard reconnaissance units until 1992; performed reconnaissance missions supporting the US Customs Service beginning in 1983. Was inactivated as part of the closure of Bergstrom AFB and retirement of the RF-4C on 30 August 1991

Lineage

  • Organized as: 91st Aero Squadron on 21 August 1917
Redesignated: 91st Squadron on 14 March 1921
Redesignated: 91st Observation Squadron on 25 January 1923
Redesignated: 91st Observation Squadron (Medium) on 13 January 1942
Redesignated: 91st Observation Squadron on 4 July 1942
Redesignated: 91st Reconnaissance Squadron (Bomber) on 2 April 1943
Redesignated: 91st Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron on ii August 1943
Redesignated: 91st Photographic Mapping Squadron on 9 October 1943
Redesignated: 91st Photographic Charting Squadron on 17 October 1944
Redesignated: 91st Reconnaissance Squadron (Long Range, Photographic) on 15 June 1945
Redesignated: 91st Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron (Photographic) on 25 March 1949
Redesignated: 91st Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron (Medium, Photographic) on 6 July 1950
Redesignated: 91st Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron (Fighter) on 20 December 1954
Inactivated on 1 July 1957
  • Reactivated and Redesignated: 91st Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron on 1 July 1967
Redesignated: 91st Intelligence Squadron on 1 October 1993
Inactivated on 5 May 2005
  • Reactivated and Redesignated: 91st Network Warfare Squadron on 26 July 2007

Assignments

Stations

Aircraft

Heraldry

The DUI is a white Knight on horseback chasing a red Devil within a Blue circle, formerly a diamond.

See also

References

Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

  • The U.S. Air Service in World War I, Volume 1: The Final Tactical Report, Maurer Maurer, The Albert F. Simpson Historical Research Center, Maxwell AFB, Alabama, 1978
  • Aviation in the U.S. Army 1919–1939, Maurer Maurer, The Albert F. Simpson Historical Research Center, Maxwell AFB, Alabama, 1978
  • Endicott, Judy G., USAF Active Flying, Space, and Missile Squadrons as of 1 October 1995. Office of Air Force History
  • Maurer Maurer, Air Force Combat Units Of World War II, Office of Air Force History, 1983
  • Ravenstein, Charles A., Air Force Combat Wings Lineage and Honors Histories 1947–1977, Office of Air Force History, 1984
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