Re: Searching for a lost airman...
Welcome aboard Joe.
More information on the 17th:
Quote:
17th Photographic Reconnasissance
LINEAGE. Constituted 17th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron on 14 Jul 1942. Activated on 23 Jul 1942. Redesignated: 17the Photographic Squadron (Light) on 6 Feb 1943; 17th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron on 13 Nov 1943. Inactivated on 1 May 1946. Redesignated 17th Tactical Reconnaissance Sqaudron (Photographic) on 1 Apr 1951. Activated on 2 Apr 1951.
ASSIGNMENTS. 4th Photographic (later Photographic Reconnaissance and Mapping; Photographic; Reconnaissance) Group, 23 Jul 1942; Thirteenth Air Force, 5 Dec 1945; XIII Fighter Command, 10 Dec 1945; 85th Fighter Wing, 1 Feb 1946; Thirteenth Air Force 22 Mar - 1 May 1946. 363d Tactical Reconnaissance Group, 2 Apr 1951; 432d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, 8 Feb 1958; 66th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, 10 May 1959-.
STATIONS. Colorado Springs, Colo, 23 Jul - 24 Oct 1942 (air echelon of C flight [later C and D flights] at Colorado Springs, Colo, to 12 Oct 1943, and Will Rogers Field, Okla, 12 Oct 1943 - 25 Jan 1944); Noumea, New Caledonia, 2 Dec 1942 - 11 Jan 1943; Guadalcanal, 16 Jan 1943 - 8 Oct 1944 (detachments operated from Munda, New Georgia, c. 13 oct 1943 - 31 Jan 1944, 9 Mar - 1 Apr 1944; Bougainville, c. 11 Dec 1943 - Feb 1945; Noemfoor, 8-23 Oct 1944; Sansapor, New Guinea, 13 Oct - 4 Nov 1944); Morotai, 2 Nov 1944 (detachment operated from Dulag, Leyte 9 Feb - Oct 1945); Puerto Princesa, Palawan, 7 May 1945; Clark Field, Luzon, Nov 1945 - 1 May 1946. Shaw AFB, SC, 2 Apr 1951; Laon AB, France, 10 May 1959-.
AIRCRAFT. In addition to P-38/F-5, 1942-1946, included B-25, 1944-1946, and F-6 1946. RF-80, 1951-1955; RF-84, 1954-1958; RF-101, 1957-.
OPERATIONS. Combat in South, Southwest, and Western Pacific, 5 Feb 1943 - 13 Aug 1945. Primarily replacement training, 1952-1956.
SERVICE STREAMERS. None.
CAMPAIGNS. Guadalcanal; New Guinea; Northern Solomans; Bismarck Archipelago; Western Pacific; Leyte; Luzon; Southern Philippines; Central Burma; China Offensive; Air Combat, Asiatic-Pacific Theater.
DECORATIONS. Air Force Outstanding Unit Award: 1 Jan - 31 Dec 1962. Phlippine Presidential Unit Citation.
EMBLEM. On a light sky blue disc, bordered red, a silhouetted black Andalusian bull, in profile with red eye and nostril, rampant across the field of the disc; his long horns, goring, piercing and fracting the dexter base of the border; a snorting cloud issuing from his nostrils, of the first color, outlined of the second; a black silhouetted mountain and coastline issuing from sinister side of the disc, the mountain snowcapped of the first color. (Approved 28 Feb 1957.)
Combat Squadrons of the Air Force World War II
Edited by Maurer Maurer
Albert F. Simpson Historical Reseach Center
and Office of Air Force History Headquarters USAF 1982
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The Army Air Forces site lists an F-5 (recon version of the P-38) going down on 22 FEB 45, serial number 44-23272.
You should contact the National Archives and request the Missing Air Crew Report. The Missing Air Crew Report number for the loss of that F-5 is 12697. Send your request to:
National Archives and Records Administration
Textual Reference Branch
8601 Adelphi Road
College Park, MD 20740-6001
Phone 301-713-7250
For a Individual Deceased Personnel File (293 file) contact:
U.S. Army Personnel Command, Public Affairs Office (FOIA)
200 Stovall Street
Alexandria, VA 22332-0404.
For personnel records, fill out a SF-180 form and sent it to:
National Personnel Records Center
Military Personnel Records
9700 Page Avenue
St. Louis, MO 63132-5100
Here are some more research tips from Army Air Forces.com Army Air Forces: Research Help
Roll of Honor -17th Photo Reconnaissance Squadron
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