25th Attack Group | |
|---|---|
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| Active | 1940–1944; 1944–1945; 1965–1966; 2018–present |
| Country |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Air Force |
| Role | Unmanned attack |
| Part of | Air Combat Command |
| Motto | Guard With Power[1] |
| Engagements | Antisubmarine Campaign[2] European Theater of Operations |
| Decorations | Air Force Meritorious Unit Award Air Force Outstanding Unit Award |
| Insignia | |
| 25th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing emblem[b][1] |  |
| 25th Bombardment Group (Medium) emblem[c][2] |  |
| Patch of 654 Bomb Squadron (Special), 25th Bombardment Group, Reconnaissance emblem[d] |  |
The25th Attack Group is an activeUnited States Air Force unit, stationed atShaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. It was activated in February 2018 as a geographically separate unit to operateunmanned aerial vehicles and is assigned to the432d Wing, which is located atCreech Air Force Base, Nevada. As of 2020, the group manages fiveGeneral Atomics MQ-9 Reaper attack squadrons, as well as the 25th Operations Support Squadron, which provides intelligence, weather, and administrative support.
The25th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing was last active in 1966 atChambley Air Base, France as an element ofUnited States Air Forces Europe. The wing replaced the25th Tactical Reconnaissance Group at Chambley. Thegroup was formed in 1965 by the consolidation of the25th Bombardment Group (Medium) and the25th Bombardment Group, Reconnaissance.
The first25th Bombardment Group performedanti-submarine warfare missions in the Caribbean Sea following the entry of the United States intoWorld War II. This group was disbanded in 1944 after the threat of GermanU-boats lessened. Later in 1944 the second25th Bombardment Group was organized to perform weather and special reconnaissance missions from England during World War II for United States Strategic Air Forces over Europe and the Atlantic approaches to the British Isles. In 1985 thewing and group were consolidated.
Although the 25th Attack Group is headquartered atShaw Air Force Base, the group comprises six squadrons in various locations:[3]
The first predecessor of thewing was the25th Bombardment Group, which was activated atLangley Field, Virginia during the buildup of theAir Corps prior to the entry of the United States intoWorld War II, with the10th,12th, and35th Bombardment Squadrons as its original components.[2][4][5][6] Most of thecadre for the group was drawn from the2d Bombardment Group at Langley.[7] Although initially designated as aheavy bomber unit, thegroup trained withNorthrop A-17light bombers andDouglas B-18 Bolomedium bombers[2] (although the 10th Squadron briefly had a fewBoeing B-17 Flying Fortresses on hand).[4]
In late October 1940, the 25th sailed on theUSAT Hunter Liggett forBorinquen Field, Puerto Rico, along with the newly-organized13th Composite Wing.[7][8] Upon their arrival in Puerto Rico on 1 November, the group was assigned to the 13th Wing and had the27th Reconnaissance Squadron, which had been at Borinquen since 1939, attached to it from the Puerto Rican Department.[9] In April 1941, the group provided the initial cadre for the40th Bombardment Group, which was activated at Borinquen, losing almost half of its personnel to form the new group.[7][10]
The group participated in the defense of the Antilles, and after the commencement of hostilities, escorted convoys and conducted antisubmarinepatrols.[2] Shortly before the entry of the United States into World War II, in November, the group dispersed two of its squadrons to increase its coverage, with the 12th moving toBenedict Field onSt Croix and the 35th toCoolidge Field onAntigua. During its remaining time in the Caribbean, the group operated with its squadrons or detachments at various locations in the Antilles.[5][6] Partly due to the dispersal of its units, the 12th Squadron was under the operational control of theAntilles Air Task Force from November 1942 and the 10th was reassigned toVI Bomber Command in 1943.[4][5]
In May 1942, the group's designation finally matched its equipment, when it became the25th Bombardment Group (Medium). That November the group moved toEdinburgh Field,Trinidad. The B-18 was its primary operational aircraft, although in October 1943, the59th Bombardment Squadron, which had been attached to the group briefly earlier in the year, was assigned to the group. The 59th operatedDouglas A-20 Havoc aircraft.[2][11] Between November 1942 and August 1943, the26th Antisubmarine Wing deployed squadrons fromJacksonville andMiami Army Air Fields to Edinburgh Field, where they were attached to the 25th group for operations until returning to Florida.[12][13][14] After the group moved back to Borinquen in the fall of 1943,[2] it began a training program to convert to theNorth American B-25 Mitchell.[7]
In April 1944, in light of the decreasing threat in the Caribbean and the transfer of the remaining antisubmarine mission to theUnited States navy,[15] the group moved toAlamogordo Army Air Field, New Mexico, where it began training withBoeing B-17 Flying Fortresses, but was disbanded in June 1944 and its personnel and equipment transferred to the 231st AAF Base Unit (Combat Crew Training Station, Bombardment, Heavy), which conducted B-17 training at Alamogordo.[2][16]
Weather reconnaissance forEighth Air Force was initially performed on an ad hoc basis by heavy bombers detailed to the18th Weather Squadron for individual missions. In the spring of 1944,Eighth Air Force created provisional reconnaissance units, primarily for weather reconnaissance. On 22 March, it brought these provisional units together, along with a squadron for special reconnaissance, under the 8th Reconnaissance Group (Special) (Provisional) atRAF Cheddington, England. This unit became the 802d Reconnaissance Group (Special) (Provisional) on 30 March 1944, and moved toRAF Watton on 12 April 1944.[17] In July, Eighth received permission to organize these provisional units into a regular organization and on 9 August, it activated the25th Bombardment Group, Reconnaissance from the resources of the provisional 802d Group and assigned to it the652d,653d and654th Bombardment Squadrons.[18][19][20][21]
The group's weather reconnaissance missions included area reconnaissance over the Atlantic Ocean, ranging as far as theAzores, to obtain information for weather forecasting for Eighth andNinth Air Forces units operating in the British Isles. These flights were performed by B-17s andConsolidated B-24 Liberators assigned to the 652d Squadron.[18] Squadron bombers on these long range missions, code named Sharon and Allah, took periodic meteorological readings at altitudes varying from 50 to 30,000 feet.[22]
Flights over the Continent of Europe to obtain information for use in operational planning and occasional weather scouting missions over targets to provide current weather information for relay to bombers on their way to attack fell to thede Havilland Mosquitos Mk. XVI of the 653d Squadron.[18][f] These missions were code named Bluestocking.[22]
The 25th's 654th Squadron conducted night photographic reconnaissance missions (code named Joker)[22] to detect German operations being conducted under the cover of darkness as well as daytime and mapping missions over Occupied Europe using a variety of aircraft. Some missions were conducted to provide target imagery forH2X radars to be used on later strikes.[22] The group also performed post-strike visual reconnaissance and prestrikeelectronic warfare, distributingchaff ahead of attacking formations. Experiments had shown that Mosquitoes equipped with an electric dispensing system in theirbomb bays provided the optimum coverage of chaff and thirty of the group's aircraft were specially equipped for this mission.[18][23] The squadron also had threeMartin B-26 Marauders for Joker missions and two Douglas A-26 Invaders assigned for special operations with theOffice of Strategic Services.[22]
By the end of the war, the group had flown 3501 sorties, each of which (with the exception of chaff missions) was flown by a single aircraft.[22][g] FollowingVE Day in July 1945, the group and the 654th Bombardment Squadron left theEuropean Theater of Operations for the United States.[21][h] It was inactivated in September 1945 atDrew Field, Florida.[18]
In 1965,United States Air Forces Europe reorganized its reconnaissance units in France, several of which were physically separated from their headquarters, the10th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing atRAF Alconbury, England. On 1 July 1965, the42d Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron moved fromToul-Rosieres Air Base toChambley Air Base, France.[24] The two World War II 25th Bombardment Groups consolidated as the25th Tactical Reconnaissance Group and activated along with support elements at Chambley as the parent for the 42d Squadron. The group absorbed the personnel and equipment of the 7367th Combat Support Group, which was simultaneously discontinued at Chambley.[25] On 1 October, the19th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron joined the 42d at Chambley and the 25th Group was inactivated and replaced by the25th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing.[1]
The 25th flew variants of theDouglas B-66 Destroyer on photographic reconnaissance and electronic warfare missions. Its 42d Squadron flew RB-66Cs with a seven-man crew forelectronic reconnaissance, (commonly called Ferret) operations. The squadron's electronic countermeasures operators were known as Ravens. The 19th Squadron flew RB-66Bs with a three-man crew to perform day and night photography missions.[26] Squadron markings were a red band on the engine nacelle for the 19th and a blue band for the 42d.
Although the 19th and 42d had been flying the Destroyer before joining the 25th, major construction projects were needed to accommodate their modified bombers, since Chambley had previously hosted fighter units.[27] Larger hangars, maintenance facilities and a more capable electrical system were constructed. The base operations facility was expanded to accommodate the specialized RB-66 aircrew simulator. This simulator could be used to train pilots, navigator/camera operators and gunners, but did not provide for training the 42d Squadron's Ravens. Pilot training also posed a problem because there were no dual control B-66s for pilot checkout. Another obstacle to photographic reconnaissance training was a 1965 edict that prohibited aerial photography over France. This forced training missions to be conducted over West Germany and Great Britain. The closing of American bases in Morocco deprived the wing of suitable ranges where flash bombs could be used for night photographic reconnaissance training.[26]
In October 1965 six of the wing's RB-66Cs deployed to Thailand to establish an electronic countermeasures capability inSoutheast Asia. These were organized as Detachment 1 of the wing on 10 October. The detachment was awarded anAir Force Outstanding Unit Award for its performance.[28] The movement of B-66s to the combat theater resulted in the inactivation of the 42d Squadron in August 1966 and the transfer of the majority of its aircraft and a large proportion of itsaircrews toTakhli Royal Thai Air Force Base, where they were assigned to the432d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing.[i] A few of the aircraft were flown toDouglas Aircraft'sTulsa, Oklahoma plant for modifications before going to Southeast Asia.[29]
The impact of the need for reconnaissance assets in Southeast Asia and limitations on training on the wing's continued existence was compounded by French PresidentCharles De Gaulle's March 1966 announcement that France was withdrawing from theNATO Military Command Structure. In connection with France's withdrawal all foreign troops stationed in France were to be withdrawn by 1 April 1967. As a result, the 19th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron moved to Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, and was assigned to the363d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing on 1 September 1966. The squadron flew its RB-66Bs from Chambley to Shaw with three air-to-air refuelings over the Atlantic following a stop atMoron Air Base, Spain. Although the 19th was based in the United States and was to be available for NATO operations, It primarily trained aircrews for combat operations in Southeast Asia.[29]
Although it was no longer operational, the wing continued to wind down operations at Chambley until 15 October 1966, when it inactivated.[1] Its remaining support personnel were transferred to the 7367th Tactical Group, which managed US Air Force operations at Chambley until they terminated in April 1967.[29][30]
In January 1984, the25th Tactical Reconnaissance Group and25th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing were consolidated into a single unit. It remained inactive until 2 October 2018, when it was redesignated the25th Attack Group and activated at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina.[3]
In February 2021, the group started flying sorties in Romania with the MQ-9 Reaper.[31]
25th Bombardment Group (Medium)
| Award streamer | Award | Dates | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Air Force Meritorious Unit Award | 1 June 2018–31 May 2020 | 25th Attack Group[32] |
 | Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 June 2019–31 May 2021 | 25th Attack Group[32] |
| Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 13 October 1965–8 June 1966 | Detachment 1, 25th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing[28][m] |
| Campaign Streamer | Campaign | Dates | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Antisubmarine | 7 December 1941 – 1 August 1943 | 25th Bombardment Group (Medium)[2][n] |
 | Northern France | 9 August 1944 – 14 September 1944 | 25th Bombardment Group, Reconnaissance[18] |
| Rhineland | 15 September 1944 – 21 March 1945 | 25th Bombardment Group, Reconnaissance[18] |
| Ardennes-Alsace | 16 December 1944 – 25 January 1945 | 25th Bombardment Group, Reconnaissance[18] |
| Central Europe | 22 March 1944 – 21 May 1945 | 25th Bombardment Group, Reconnaissance[18] |
This article incorporatespublic domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
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