| 9th Intelligence Squadron | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1944–1945; 1948–1950;1966–1991; 1991-present |
| Country |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Air Force |
| Role | Intelligence |
| Part of | Air Combat Command 480th ISR Wing 548th ISR Group |
| Garrison/HQ | Beale AFB, California |
| Engagements | European Theater of Operations[1] |
| Decorations | Presidential Unit Citation Air Force Outstanding Unit Award withCombat "V" Device Air Force Meritorious Unit Award Air force Outstanding Unit Award Belgian Fourragère[note 1][1] |
| Insignia | |
| 9th Intelligence Squadron emblem(approved 1 July 1992)[1] |  |
| 9th Reconnaissance Technical Squadron emblem |  |
TheUnited States Air Force's9th Intelligence Squadron is an intelligence unit located atBeale Air Force Base, California. The 9th is associated withLockheed U-2 andDistributed Common Ground System operations. The squadron was first active duringWorld War II as the9th Photographic Technical Unit, serving in theEuropean Theater of Operations.
The9th Reconnaissance Technical Squadron was active from 1948 through 1950 and again from 1966 through 1991, primarily as the photographic interpretation unit of the9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing. It was consolidated with the9th Photographic Technical Unit in 1985 and the9th Intelligence Squadron in 2009.
The 9th operates and maintains the $15M Deployable Shelterized System-Film, theDepartment of Defense's only mobile film processing capability, as part of the Air Force Distributed Common Ground System architecture. The unit also processes, exploits, and disseminates broad area high-resolution imagery collected by theLockheed U-2 to meet combatant commander requirements.
Thesquadron was first organized inFrance during the fall of 1944 as the9th Photographic Laboratory Section. The section provided processing of reconnaissance photography forXXIX Tactical Air Command (Provisional). It continued this mission throughV-E Day. It briefly acted as part of the army ofoccupation, returning to the United States in November 1945, where it was inactivated at the port of embarkation.[1]
The second predecessor of the squadron was activated in July 1948 as the12th Photographic Technical Squadron atTopeka Air Force Base, Kansas, where it was assigned to the311th Air Division, which was the primary reconnaissanceheadquarters forStrategic Air Command (SAC).[2] In 1949, SAC reorganized itsreconnaissance assets, assigning the squadron to the9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing and moving it toFairfield-Suisun Air Force Base, California as the9th Reconnaissance Technical Squadron.[1]
On 1 April 1950, however, the 9th Wing mission changed from long-range reconnaissance to strategic bombardment. Ten days later, the 9th Squadron moved toRapid City Air Force Base, South Dakota, where it was assigned to the28th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing. It was inactivated at the end of the month,[1] with its assets forming thecadre for the 28th Reconnaissance Technical Squadron.
The squadron was again organized in late June 1966, atBeale Air Force Base, California, where it absorbed the mission, personnel and equipment of the 4203d Reconnaissance Technical Squadron, which was discontinued the same day.[3] The squadron processed reconnaissance products produced by the 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing'sLockheed SR-71 Blackbird and, later, Lockheed U-2 Dragon Ladys until inactivating in July 1991.[1]
The9th Intelligence Support Squadron was activated at Beale in September 1991, the same day its predecessor was inactivated, assuming much of its mission, equipment, and personnel. The squadron dropped "support" from its name in 2003, and in July 2009, the two squadrons were consolidated.[1]
This article incorporatespublic domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
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