1st Ranger Battalion, History, World War II, North Africa
Darby, along with fellow commanders, was awarded the Silver Star for this victory and the battalion itself gained the nickname the "Black Death" by the Italians. Later, in March, American units were decimated time and again while trying to break through the critical mountain pass at Djbel Ank. Given this mission, the 1st


1st Ranger Battalion, History, World War II, North Africa
Rangers undertook a twelve-mile (19 km) night march through rugged terrain to reach the heights of Djbel Ank where, at dawn, the Rangers surprised the enemy from the rear, capturing two hundred prisoners and giving General Patton an opening though which he began the final and victorious battle in North Africa. Rangers played a crucial role in the battle of El Guettar which immediately followed, for which the First Ranger Battalion won its first Presidential Unit Citation (US).


1st Ranger Battalion, History, World War II, Sicily and Italy
The early success of the 1st Ranger Battalion brought about the creation of the 3rd and 4th Battalions. The original 1st Battalion was divided into thirds. One third of the headquarters and each company was placed in each of the Battalions 1-3-4. 3rd Ranger Battalion was Activated on 21 May 1943 at Nemours, Morocco, while 4th Ranger Battalion was activated on 29 May 1943 in Tunisia. To provide command and control for these three Ranger Battalions, the 6615th Ranger Force (Provisional) was established.


1st Ranger Battalion, History, World War II, Sicily and Italy
This force was rounded out with the addition of the 83rd Chemical Mortar Battalion, and the 2/509th Parachute Infantry Regiment. The battle seasoned 1st Battalion moved into their newly assigned positions and trained their Ranger colleagues. The 1-3-4 Battalions were trained under Darby in Nemours, Morocco and prepared for the invasion of Sicily and Italy. Following the 1st Ranger Battalion success at the Amphibious Battle of Gela, all four of the initial Ranger Battalions were redesignated as Ranger Infantry Battalions on 1 August 1943


1st Ranger Battalion, History, World War II, Sicily and Italy
Had it not been for the accomplishments of the 1st Ranger Battalion in the early entry of WWII, there would be no Rangers today. Their successful invasions in North Africa opened the sea and its ports for the Allied forces. The Allies were now able to move ships and equipment to support subsequent campaigns, enabling the later forces to successfully infiltrate enemy lines along the African coast, in Sicily, and up into Italy.


1st Ranger Battalion, History, World War II, Sicily and Italy
The Ranger Force targeted Salerno on 9 September 1943, and participated in the Naples-Foggia Campaign. Then they moved on to Anzio on 22 January 1944. The entire 6615th Ranger Force (Provisional) was destroyed behind enemy lines in a heavily outnumbered encounter at Cisterna, Italy on 30 January 1944, and was officially disbanded on 15 August 1944. The 4th Ranger Battalion suffered some casualties while attempting to break through enemy lines to rescue their comrades in the 1st and 3rd Battalions. The 1st, 3rd, and 4th Battalions were known as Darby's Rangers.


1st Ranger Battalion, History, World War II, Postwar
The 1st Ranger Infantry Battalion, in response to parallel missions in Berlin, was reconstituted on 1 September 1948 as Company A, 1st Infantry Battalion, and activated in the Canal Zone. It served there until it was inactivated on 4 January 1950.


1st Ranger Battalion, History, Korea
The outbreak of hostilities in Korea in June 1950 again signaled the need for Rangers. Colonel John Gibson Van Houten was selected by the Army Chief of Staff to head the Ranger training program at Ft. Benning, Georgia. 1st Ranger Infantry Company (Airborne) departed from Ft. Benning, Georgia on 15 November 1950, and arrived in Korea on 17 December 1950, where it was attached to the 2nd Infantry Division. The 1st Ranger Infantry Company (Airborne) opened with an extraordinary example of land navigation, then executed a daring night raid 9 miles (14 km) behind enemy lines destroying an enemy complex.


1st Ranger Battalion, History, Korea
The enemy installation was later identified by a prisoner as the headquarters of the 12th North Korean Division. Caught by surprise and unaware of the size of the American force, two North Korean Regiments hastily withdrew from the area. The 1st Company was in the middle of the major battle of Chipyong-Ni and the "May Massacre." It was awarded two Distinguished Unit Citations.


1st Ranger Battalion, History, Korea
As a result of budgetary considerations, the US Army spent much of the 1950s and 1960s consolidating and redesignating units that were on inactive status.


1st Ranger Battalion, History, Korea
This unit was redesignated 24 November 1952 as Company A, 1st Ranger Infantry Battalion, in inactive status and was consolidated on 15 April 1960 with the A Company, 1st Battalion, 1st Regiment, 1st Special Service Force, and the consolidated unit was redesignated as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 7th Special Forces Group(SFG), 1st Special Forces Group. The unit was further consolidated 6 June 1960 with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 7th Special Forces Group, and the consolidated unit was designated as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 7th SFG, 1st SFG (organic elements constituted 20 May 1960 and activated 6 June 1960).


1st Ranger Battalion, History, Vietnam
On 1 January 1969, under the new U.S. Army Combat Arms Regimental System (CARS), U.S. Army Rangers were re-formed in South Vietnam as the 75th Infantry Regiment (Ranger). Fifteen companies of Rangers, two of which (A-75 & B-75) were based in the US, were raised from units that had been performing missions in Europe since the late 1950s and in Vietnam since 1966 as Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol and Long Range Patrol companies.


1st Ranger Battalion, History, Post-Vietnam
After the Vietnam War, division and brigade commanders determined that the U.S. Army needed an elite, rapid deployment, light infantry, so in 1974 General Creighton Abrams charged General Kenneth C. Leuer with the task of activating, organizing, training and leading the first battalion sized Ranger unit since World War II. Because of the success of the 1st Ranger Battalion; eight months later, the 2nd Ranger Battalion was constituted, and in 1984 the 3rd Ranger Battalion and their regimental headquarters were created.


1st Ranger Battalion, History, Post-Vietnam
The 1st


1st Ranger Battalion, History, Post-Vietnam
Ranger Battalion have participated in the following operations: the 1980 rescue attempt of American hostages, Tehran, Iran in (Operation Eagle Claw); Operation Urgent Fury on Grenada in 1983;  the U.S. invasion of Panama (Operation Just Cause) in 1989; Bravo Company, 1st Battalion was deployed in the First Persian Gulf War (Operations Desert Storm and Desert Shield) in 1991; soldiers from the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Ranger Battalions deployed to Haiti in 1994 (before operation's cancellation; recalled 5 miles (8.0 km) from the Haitian coast); the entire Ranger Regiment is on deployment since the start of the Iraq War, in 2003.


1st Ranger Battalion, History, War on Terror
Since December 2001, after the events of 9/11, elements of Headquarters Company and Company A deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. In 2002, the entire battalion returned to Afghanistan to support the continuing Global War on Terrorism, in March 2002, during Operation Anaconda, 35 Rangers from the battalion had been assigned as QRF for all Task Force 11 operations, but only half of the platoon was available for the Battle of Takur Ghar.


1st Ranger Battalion, History, War on Terror
In 2003, 1st Battalion participated in combat operations in support of Iraq War, conducting missions across the entire country of Iraq. 290 Rangers from the battalion and 2nd Battalion distinguished itself during the successful rescue of the prisoner-of-war, PFC Jessica Lynch.


1st Ranger Battalion, History, War on Terror
The battalion currently supports the Global War on Terrorism, regularly rotating elements to Afghanistan continuing to successfully dismantle terrorist networks; For actions between 14–16 November 2010, Charlie Company received the Valorous Unit Award for extraordinary heroism, combat achievement and conspicuous gallantry while executing combat operations in support of a named operation.


1st Ranger Battalion, History, War on Terror
With ISAFs surge in Afghanistan at its peak in summer 2011, for actions in support of Operation Enduring Freedom between 15 May – 28 August 2011 that included: conducting continuous combat operations, including time sensitive raids and deliberate movement to contact operations while in enemy held terrain out of reach by other friendly forces, in places like Khost, Paktika and Nangarhar Province, the battalion received the Meritorious Unit Citation in particular its Bravo Company received the Valorous Unit Award; 2 Rangers from the battalion were killed during this time.


1st Ranger Battalion, History, War on Terror
Primary tasks include: direct action, national and international emergency crisis response, airfield seizure, airborne & air assault operations, special reconnaissance, intelligence & counter intelligence, combat search and rescue, personnel recovery & hostage rescue, joint special operations, and counter terrorism.


1st Ranger Battalion, History, War on Terror
Peter Kassig, a former Ranger who was with the 1st Ranger Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, later became an aid worker in Syria. He was taken hostage by The Islamic State, and ultimately beheaded.


1st Ranger Battalion, History, War on Terror
As of March 2019, the battalion has made 22 deployments during the Global War on Terrorism. During these deployments, the battalion took part in 198 combat operations in which 1,900 terrorists were killed or captured.


1st Ranger Company (New Zealand)
The 1st Ranger Company was a short-lived independent infantry company of the New Zealand Army. The initial training course drew all its directing staff from the New Zealand Special Air Service (NZSAS). The name 'Rangers' was chosen as a reference to Gustavus von Tempsky (1828–1868) who raised a fighting unit during the New Zealand Wars known as 'von Tempsky's Bush Rangers'. The company was raised in October 1987 and disbanded in late 1989.


1st Ranger Company (New Zealand), History
The Company was raised on 5 October 1987. A Defence White Paper had been published earlier that year that called for greater New Zealand defence self-reliance. At this time the New Zealand Special Air Service was preparing to provide high-level security for the 1990 Commonwealth Games, scheduled to be held in Auckland, New Zealand in 1990.


1st Ranger Company (New Zealand), History
In October 1987 Captain Dave Gawn, Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment, was posted in as Officer Commanding.


1st Ranger Company (New Zealand), History
In early 1988 selection and training commenced. Known as the 'Basic Ranger Course', the purpose was to 'identify volunteers suitable for service with 1 Ranger Company and to develop those individuals in the basic skills required to allow them to take their place within the unit'. All directing staff were drawn from the NZSAS.


1st Ranger Company (New Zealand), History
The 1st Ranger Company never reached its authorised strength, and was disbanded in late 1989 due to a reduction in the Army's funding. Many years later, in 2013, Gawn was appointed Chief of Army.


1st Ranger Company (New Zealand), Selections
Throughout the Basic Ranger Course, candidates were assessed by Directing Staff in the skills of weapon handling, field craft, navigation and physical fitness. Candidates were expected to show good judgement, assimilation of tactics, physical endurance, honesty/integrity, maturity, reaction under stress and participation.


1st Ranger Company (New Zealand), Selections
At the conclusion of parts B&C, 27 soldiers were selected to serve in 1st NZ Ranger Company. NZSAS had recently adopted the sand coloured 'ecru' beret worn by the British SAS. Soldiers within Ranger Company were 'capped' with the maroon beret, associated with airborne units. They continued to were the unit badges associated with their original units; e.g. Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment, Royal Regiment of New Zealand Artillery.


1st Ranger Infantry Company (United States)
The 1st Ranger Infantry Company (Airborne) was a Ranger light infantry company of the United States Army active during the Korean War. As a small special forces unit, it specialized in irregular warfare.


1st Ranger Infantry Company (United States), Organization
With the successful development of the Eighth Army Ranger Company as a "test" unit for the United States Army to bring back Army Ranger units; additional Ranger companies were ordered. The companies were small light infantry special forces units which specialized in infiltration and irregular warfare.


1st Ranger Infantry Company (United States), Organization
The new 1st Army Ranger Infantry Company was formulated based on the Table of Organization and Equipment documents of Ranger units in World War II, all of which had been deactivated. The 1st Ranger Infantry Company was organized into three heavily armed platoons. A headquarters element of five men oversaw the platoons. Each platoon comprised 36 men in three squads, two assault squads and one heavy weapons squad. Each platoon was also furnished with 60mm M2 mortars, M20 Super Bazookas, and M1918 Browning Automatic Rifles.


1st Ranger Infantry Company (United States), Organization
One sniper was designated for each platoon, with the remainder of the troops equipped with M1 Garand and M2 Carbine rifles. They were authorized two vehicles; an M38 Jeep and an M35 2½ ton cargo truck. Overall, the company was far more heavily armed than both the Eighth Army Ranger Company and standard infantry companies. Like the other numbered Ranger companies, its organization called for five officers and 107 enlisted men in three platoons.


1st Ranger Infantry Company (United States), Organization
The troops for the Ranger company were to be Airborne qualified, so the Ranger Training Center heavily recruited troops from the 82nd Airborne Division and 11th Airborne Division who had already completed United States Army Airborne School. In spite of this, only one Ranger operation in the conflict ever required an airborne landing. They initially wore a black and gold scroll as a shoulder sleeve insignia, but that insignia was later redesignated the Ranger Tab and the Rangers adopted a black, red and white scroll similar to that unofficially worn by Ranger Battalions in World War II.


1st Ranger Infantry Company (United States), History, Origins
With the 25 June 1950 outbreak of the Korean War, the North Korean People's Army had invaded the Republic of Korea (ROK) with 90,000 well-trained and equipped troops who had easily overrun the smaller and more poorly equipped Republic of Korea Army. The United States (U.S.) and United Nations (UN) began an intervention campaign to prevent South Korea from collapsing. The U.S. troops engaged the North Koreans first at the Battle of Osan, being badly defeated on 5 July by the better-trained North Koreans.


1st Ranger Infantry Company (United States), History, Origins
From there, the U.S. and UN saw a steady stream of defeats until they had been pushed back to the Pusan Perimeter by August. At the same time, North Korean agents began to infiltrate behind UN lines and attack military targets and cities. UN units, spread out along the Pusan Perimeter, were having a difficult time repelling these units as they were untrained in combating guerrilla warfare.


1st Ranger Infantry Company (United States), History, Origins
North Korean special forces units like the NK 766th Independent Infantry Regiment had seen great success in defeating ROK troops, prompting Army Chief of Staff general J. Lawton Collins to order the creation of an elite force which could "infiltrate through enemy lines and attack command posts, artillery, tank parks, and key communications centers or facilities." All U.S. Army Ranger units had been disbanded after World War II because they required time-consuming training, specialization, and expensive equipment.


1st Ranger Infantry Company (United States), History, Origins
With the defeat of the NK 766th Regiment at the Battle of P'ohang-dong, and the strength of U.S. infantry units in question, U.S. commanders felt recreating Ranger units was essential. In early August as the Battle of Pusan Perimeter was beginning, the Eighth United States Army ordered lieutenant colonel John H. McGee, the head of its G-3 Operations miscellaneous division, created a new experimental Army Ranger unit, the Eighth Army Ranger Company. In the meantime, the Ranger Training Center was established at Fort Benning, Georgia.


1st Ranger Infantry Company (United States), History, Origins
Of a pool of 5,000 applicants, the Ranger Training School selected 22 officers and 314 enlisted men for the first three Ranger companies. A fourth, all African-American company was organized several days later. The 1st Ranger Infantry Company (Airborne) was organized on September 29, 1950, assuming the lineage of A Company of the 1st Ranger Battalion. It had an initial strength of 120 men under the command of Captain John Striegel. The Rangers trained extensively in reconnaissance, long-range patrols, motorized scouting, setting uproadblocks, land navigation, camouflage, concealment, and adjusting indirect fire.


1st Ranger Infantry Company (United States), History, Origins
They undertook frequent live fire exercises, many at night, simulating raids, ambushes and infiltrations. The Rangers trained 60 hours per week and ran 5 miles (8.0 km) each day and frequently held 20 miles (32 km) speed marches, which were considered traditions for Ranger training from World War II. In spite of a 30 percent dropout rate, most of the men completed the course and graduated 15 November 1950. The Rangers were then sent to Camp Stoneman, California. Ten days later on 25 November, they sailed for Japan to be moved to the front lines in the Korean War.


1st Ranger Infantry Company (United States), History, Korean War
The 1st Ranger Company undertook equipping in Sasebo, Japan before arriving in Pusan, South Korea where they were trucked to the 2nd Infantry Division on 23 December, where they would be attached. The 2nd Infantry Division, which was south of Seoul, had been badly mauled in the Battle of the Ch'ongch'on River earlier in the month, and were rebuilding. The company was attached to the 23rd Infantry Regiment, causing animosity as food and water were in short supply.


1st Ranger Infantry Company (United States), History, Korean War
The company began front line patrols on 26 December, and in the course of these patrols began suffering casualties, including one four-man patrol which was captured by Chinese troops and subsequently died or went missing in prison camps. Striegel contracted severe hepatitis and was evacuated, replaced on 6 January 1951 by Lieutenant Alfred Herman, his executive officer. The next day, 7 January, the company was moved with the 2nd Division to Wonju, where the Chinese advanced against the division in the First and Second Battles of Wonju. The 1st Ranger Company fought in this battle, first conducting night patrols to screen Chinese movements, then destroying bridges to slow the Chinese advance as the 2nd Infantry Division lost the town.


1st Ranger Infantry Company (United States), History, Korean War
As the Chinese attempted to advance, the Rangers were employed as a counter-infiltration force, conducting defensive patrols and burning vacant buildings to stem the Chinese advance. As the bitter cold and snow hampered actions around Wonju, the Rangers were also employed as forward observers and snipers, as their nighttime movement was limited. The Rangers began conducting frequent long range patrols, frequently coming into ambush and relying heavily on artillery and supporting units to cover them, and instead fought few engagements on their own.


1st Ranger Infantry Company (United States), History, Korean War
On 16 January the company conducted its first mission as a single unit, a probe north of the front lines to scout Chinese positions. The division used the rangers as a scouting force ahead of a planned counteroffensive.


1st Ranger Infantry Company (United States), History, Awards and decorations
The 1st Ranger Infantry Company was awarded four campaign streamers for its service in the Korean War.


1st Rank Raju (2015 film)
1st Rank Raju is a 2015 Indian Kannada comedy drama film written and directed by Naresh Kumar HN in his debut, and produced by V. K. Manjunath. It features Gurunandan and Apoorva Gowda in the lead roles. The rest of the cast includes Tanishka Kapoor, Sadhu Kokila, Ananth Nag, Achyut Rao, Manadeep Rai, Giri Mahesh and Master Chinmai. The film's music director Kiran Ravindranath. The director remade the film in Telugu in 2019 with the same title.


1st Rank Raju (2015 film), Synopsis
Film explores the importance of the academic qualification in life. The story line conveys the message to parents who consider only academic achievements results in successful life. It was the most talked movie in 2015, commercially too, the movie tasted tremendous success.


1st Rank Raju (2015 film), Soundtrack
The music of the film was composed by Kiran Ravindranath.


1st Rank Raju (2019 film)
1st Rank Raju is an Indian Telugu comedy drama film written and directed by Naresh Kumar HN and produced by Manjunath VK. The film is a remake of the director's own 2015 Kannada film of the same name. The music director Kiran Ravindranath. The release date is 21 June 2019.


1st Rank Raju (2019 film), Synopsis
The screenplay explores the importance of academic qualification in life and the parental belief that only academic achievements result in a successful life.


1st Rank Raju (2019 film), Plot
Shobhan Babu decides to raise his son Raju to become a topper. Throughout his childhood, Raju is indoctrinated with the belief that general knowledge is worthless before book knowledge. He becomes a topper throughout his school life and college life, but lacks common sense and social skills.


1st Rank Raju (2019 film), Plot
Nevertheless, a girl named Shruthi becomes interested in him and takes him out on dates. One month later, Shruthi confesses her feelings for Raju, but the latter scorns her because he is obsessed with obtaining first rank.


1st Rank Raju (2019 film), Plot
During a campus placement, one of the interviewers, Mr. Parthasarathy rejects Raju, highlighting the latter's neurotic personality.


1st Rank Raju (2019 film), Plot
Raju is dejected and his father vows to transform him into a trendy guy. To that end, his parents prepare him a list of activities he has to do before graduating. Consequently Raju befriends delinquent students and Shruthi once more loves him, however he is conflicted about cheating all of them just to get a job.


1st Rank Raju (2019 film), Plot
To complete the final activity, that is getting Shruthi to propose Raju, his parents plan a fake birthday party for him. However, some delinquents, jealous of Raju, engineer an unfavorable situation which leads to conflicts. Afterwards, they expose the schemes of Raju's parents, and Raju falls out of favour.


1st Rank Raju (2019 film), Plot
Disillusioned by the series of events, Raju realises that friendship and love are not syllabus, but sentiments that should not be toyed with. He sheds his image and decides to travel alone for a while, exploring the world around him. One day, while relaxing near a river, Raju witnesses a young boy attempt suicide. Raju rushes the boy to the hospital but the latter dies en route. The boy's suicide note states that he was interested in cricket but everyone around him pushed him to study against his will. Raju confronts the school principal and has an altercation with him, which garners media attention. In the end, Raju states that education is not a business and the lessons of life are extremely important.


1st Rank Raju (2019 film), Plot
Raju returns and reconciles with his friends. He turns down Parthasarathy's job offer, but thanks him for inspiring him. Many years later, Raju and Shruthi are married. He watches a man pointing at a company campus and telling his son to achieve the first rank, so that he may earn a place there. Raju approaches the boy and tells him that while hard work may earn him a job, following his heart will earn him an entire business. The father tells Raju to not say such things, but Raju points out that he owns the company in front of him.


1st Rank Raju (2019 film), Soundtrack
The soundtrack of the film was composed by Kiran Ravindranath and lyrics by Vanamali.


1st Rank Raju (2019 film), Production
Dolphin Entertainment is an Indian production company, which was established by Manjunath V Kandkur in the year 2014. The Production house's first film was First Rank Raju. The film was released in the year 2015 which ran for 100 successful days. Their second production is this remake of First Rank Raju in Telugu.


1st Reconnaissance Battalion
1st Reconnaissance Battalion (abbreviated as 1st Recon Bn) is a reconnaissance battalion in the United States Marine Corps. It falls under the command of the 1st Marine Division and the I Marine Expeditionary Force (I MEF).


1st Reconnaissance Battalion
1st Recon Battalion was reactivated on July 5, 2000, as part of Marine Corps Commandant General James L. Jones’ mission to revitalize Marine Corps reconnaissance.


1st Reconnaissance Battalion, Mission and training
The mission of 1st Reconnaissance Battalion is to provide task-organized forces in order to conduct amphibious reconnaissance, ground reconnaissance, battlespace shaping operations, raids, and specialized insertion and extraction.


1st Reconnaissance Battalion, History
When the 1st and 2nd Marine Divisions were created in 1941, each had a Scout Company 7 officers and 132 NCOs and enlisted men divided into a headquarters unit and three platoons. The unit had M3 Scout Cars and a motorcycle platoon.


1st Reconnaissance Battalion, History, World War II
In 1941, Lieutenant Colonel William "Wild Bill" Donovan, the executive officer of 5th Marine Regiment visualized and perceived the use for specialized missions encompassing reconnaissance at the division-level, which would be conducted above the normal infantry battalion-level in scouting and patrolling. He recommended to General Alexander Vandegrift the need of a special "Scout and Sniper unit" for the 1st Marine Division's operations on Guadalcanal. Upon approval, by February 1, each of the three companies were created for each regiment.


1st Reconnaissance Battalion, History, World War II, New Britain, December 1943
Forming the southern of the Bismarck Sea and the Bismarck Archipelago, the island of New Britain was focused for seizure by General MacArthur as it would mean control of the Vitiaz and Dampier Straits. Planning began and decision was made to first seize Arawe Peninsula, an island, a town, a plantation and the Japanese occupation forces situated on the southern coast, sixty miles south across island from Cape Gloucester. Cape Gloucester was tasked for seizure by Major General William H. Rupertus, the landing force commander of the northern elements.


1st Reconnaissance Battalion, History, World War II, New Britain, December 1943
General Rupertus turned to his scout company's chief, 1st Lieutenant John D. Bradbeer, to lead a team of several Marine scouts to conduct amphibious reconnaissance patrols of New Britain. D-Day was determined on December 26, 1943. They landed on New Britain on September 24, 1943, at night by rubber boats from three PT boats #110, #325 and #327 of Motor Torepedo Boat Squadron 21, bringing Royal Australian Navy Lieutenant Kirkwall Smith, a former Australian coastwatcher who knew the area, and two natives.


1st Reconnaissance Battalion, History, World War II, New Britain, December 1943
For nine days, they paddled throughout the prospective landing beaches, locating coastal-defense guns, sketched the beaches and evaded the Japanese patrols in the area. Upon time of return to their PT boat pickup, they couldn't establish radio contact, so they paddled out into the Dampier Strait until they were able to get contact by radio to arrange recovery. Bradbeer's patrol were able to uncover that Japanese troop strength on New Britain was about seventy-five hundred men.


1st Reconnaissance Battalion, History, World War II, New Britain, December 1943
Forty-five days later of November 1943, Bradbeer accompanied Lieutenants Firm and Smith, and Ensign Gipe (a Navy hydrographer) and their small team and again landed from three PT boats on other proposed beaches. However, never landing on the proposed landing beach, it was quickly negated due to the cliffs just inland from the beach.


1st Reconnaissance Battalion, History, World War II, New Britain, December 1943
By December 26, 1943, six days prior to D-Day, or D-6, Bradbeer and 1st Lieutenant Joseph A.L. Fournier split the recon patrol, taking their six Marines to reconnoiter remaining portions of the island; Bradbeer and his team went north, Fornier's team reconned the south. Hours later, they both confirmed the usability of the selected landing beaches, reporting them only lightly defended. Momentarily within a few more hours both teams were recovered by their PT boats. While returning, a Japanese barge opened fire onto Bradbeer's PT boat, injuring three of the PT crew personnel. US Navy Lieutenant Paul T. Rennell, the PT boat's captain, was able to break contact and evade the Japanese safely. The reconnaissance they provided was the third and the last preliminary amphibious reconnaissance for the New Britain operation.


1st Reconnaissance Battalion, History, World War II, Peleliu and the Palaus, September 1944
The III Amphibious Corps, led by Major General Geiger tasked MGen Rupertus's 1st Marine Division for the main assault landing on Peleliu. Originally, the 1st Tank Battalion's scout company were part of the "floating reserve", but was ordered ashore on D-Day, September 15, 1944. Early in the afternoon, the Company D (Scout) reinforced Colonel Herman Hanneken's 7th Marines to cover the 5th Marines. The island was declared secured on November 27.


1st Reconnaissance Battalion, History, World War II, Northern Okinawa, April 1945
On April 3, 1945, 1st Marine Division sent their scout company in front of their zone of action along the boundary of the 6th Marine Division to their north. The recon company, commanded by 1st Lieutenant Robert J. Powell, Jr., traversed by motorized patrols to the eastern shore of Okinawa, reaching the base of Katchin Peninsula by 1300. They received further orders to advance north up the east coast toward Hiazaonna. Along the way they encountered a lightly held tank trap, then returned to 1st Marine Division before dark. Colonel Edward Snedeker 7th Marine Regiment followed the recon action report of 1st Marine Division's Company D  (Scout) and pushed across the island to the town of Hiazaonna, reaching it at 1830 on April 3, 1945.


1st Reconnaissance Battalion, History, Korean War
A selected platoon of Kenny Houghton's 1st Marine Division Reconnaissance Company was dispatched to Korea as part of 1st Marine Brigade (5th and 11th Marines) landing at Pusan. The remainder of the Company arrived with the remainder of the Division, and all landed at Inchon. Recon Marines from the 2nd Marine Division Recon later arrived to augment the reconnaissance unit including Lieutenant "Bull" Francis Kraince. Barry Crossman was the Executive Officer.


1st Reconnaissance Battalion, History, Korean War
The organization was quickly altered from an amphibious unit of nine-man boat teams to a motorized unit of four-man jeep teams utilizing jeeps loaned by the United States Army. Using these vehicles the Company dispatched motorized patrols on a deep reconnaissance to scout from Wonsan and Hungnam to Huksori, an enemy supply depot some forty miles distant. An element of the Company acted as a point for Tobin's B/1/5 push on August 13, 1950, travelling by jeep about a mile forward of the infantry force.


1st Reconnaissance Battalion, History, Korean War
In January 1951, the unit dispatched patrols to search out guerrillas in the Andong area and later, on one occasion, stayed concealed in a town for two nights tracing enemy cavalry and infantry patrols, and ended up by directing air strikes on them.


1st Reconnaissance Battalion, History, Korean War
Marines from the 1st Recon Company made seven raids into North Korea from the USS Horace A. Bass (APD-124), one of which was conducted 12—16 August 1950, in which a combined force of sixteen Marines and twenty-five Navy Underwater Demolition Teams raided the Posung-Myon area destroying three tunnels and two railway bridges without losing one man.


1st Reconnaissance Battalion, History, Interim Years, Cuban Missile Crisis
1st Reconnaissance Battalion (Forward) deployed to Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, Cuba and Haiti in October–November 1962 to await the invasion of Cuba. Upon the resolution of the Cuban Missile Crisis, the battalion returned to MCB Camp Pendleton.


1st Reconnaissance Battalion, History, Vietnam War, Operation Kansas, June 1966
By June 1966, the 1st Marine Division had plans to expand its assigned tactical area of responsibility (TAOR) southward from Da Nang to Tam Kỳ, the capital of the Quảng Tín Province. Pressure from the Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (MACV) had placed Brigadier General William A. Stiles, the assistant division commander (ADC), position to respond by conceiving an operation by ordering an extensive reconnaissance effort between Da Nang and Tam Ky.


1st Reconnaissance Battalion, History, Vietnam War, Operation Kansas, June 1966
BGen. Stiles had divided the operation into two phases. The first phase was to send in his recon assets in an area in the vicinity of the Hiệp Đức District. The division's intelligence (D-2) section had sources of a headquarters of the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) 2nd Division lying somewhere near the western border of I Corps in the Quế Sơn Valley. The second phase consisted of a massive exploitation of the recon team's findings, by sending in a joint show-of-force; four infantry battalions from the 1st Marine Division and the ARVN 2nd Division.


1st Reconnaissance Battalion, History, Vietnam War, Operation Kansas, June 1966
On the afternoon of June 13, a thirteen-man recon team, accompanied by the command group, of 1st Recon Battalion landed by helicopters in the middle of the Quế Sơn Valley onto the small mountain of Nui Loc Son. In the course of the next 24-hours, six more recon teams were deployed in different strategic positioning sites, ringing the valley. This enabled the teams to actively report on enemy activity, and if possible, forward observe for either air strikes or artillery fire.


1st Reconnaissance Battalion, History, Vietnam War, Operation Kansas, June 1966
Up to eight battalions were on full standby— four battalions of Marines and ARVN each, ready to deploy against any hostile forces encountered. One recon team worked their way south of Hiệp Đức  after they set up positions along the heavily wooded Hill 555. They spotted several groups of PAVN of varying size that appeared to be training in the area.


1st Reconnaissance Battalion, History, Vietnam War, Operation Kansas, June 1966
The next day on June 14, a scout dog accompanying an enemy patrol caught scent of the nearby Marines and the patrol advanced towards their position; the recon team's leader immediately called for an extraction. A helicopter was inbound within minutes and the team hastily scrambled aboard and were safely flown back to Chu Lai Base Area.


1st Reconnaissance Battalion, History, Vietnam War, Operation Kansas, June 1966
The other five recon teams remained undetected and continued reporting on the enemy for the next two days, until the moment Team 2 spotted a large enemy formation as they took up positions on Nui Vu hill, at the east end of the valley. Staff Sergeant Jimmie E. Howard (a decorated Korean War veteran), called in numerous fire coordination support, from an ARVN artillery battery located at an Army Special Forces camp 7 km to the south.


1st Reconnaissance Battalion, History, Vietnam War, Operation Kansas, June 1966
The PAVN quickly adapted when they realized the barrage of artillery fire was more than mere coincidence; a battalion-size force was heading toward Nui Vu. On the night of June 15, a Special Forces team spotted the advancing enemy presence and alerted headquarters. However, they relayed the information too late. SSgt Howard had heard the enemy forces approach them as they amassed below them at the bottom of the hill. While the next few hours were quiet, by midnight, several of Howard's men spotted silhouettes as dozens of PAVN soldiers furtively climbed up the hill in the darkness. The PAVN instigated the fight by throwing grenades at the Marines. Greatly outnumbered, Howard's men held off the attackers.


1st Reconnaissance Battalion, History, Vietnam War, Operation Kansas, June 1966
Howard understood that they would soon be overwhelmed and radioed to his commander, Lt. Colonel Arthur J. Sullivan, for an immediate extraction. A short time later, the UH-34s were inbound. However, the helicopters were under immediate attack from machine gun fires, forcing them to return. Sullivan relayed the bad news back to Howard that they would not be able to be extracted until daylight.


1st Reconnaissance Battalion, History, Vietnam War, Operation Kansas, June 1966
Throughout the night, close air support, artillery strikes, and gunship fire support pounded the enemy, but the PAVN launched three strong attacks against Team 2. By 04:00 on 16 June, six out of eighteen Marines were killed in action and Howard was temporary immobilized from shrapnel wounds. Every other man was hit at least once. While they were suffering from ammunition shortages, some recon Marines resorted to throwing rocks at the enemy, others managed to pick up captured AK-47 rifles.


1st Reconnaissance Battalion, History, Vietnam War, Operation Kansas, June 1966
By dawn, Company C of 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment (1/5) landed at the base of Nui Vu and reinforced recon Team 2. The Marines of 1/5 forced their way up the small mountain through scattered but strong resistance to reach Howard and his recon team. Howard and the surviving Marines were immediately evacuated; however, Charlie Company of 1/5 continued to battle for control of Nui Vu. The PAVN finally disengaged and withdrew, leaving 42 dead.


1st Reconnaissance Battalion, History, Vietnam War, Operation Kansas, June 1966
The first phase of Operation Kansas had ended, however, the second phase of the operation was changed. On June 17, the day before the first assault was scheduled, General Walt advised Gen. Stiles that the ARVN units would be unavailable due to the Buddhist Uprising in Huế. Although aware of the circumstances, both Generals Walt and Stiles decided to continue the effort. Overall, the recon teams reported over 141 sightings of enemy forces. The second phase of the operation commenced artillery and air strikes, dispersing the enemy. Operation Kansas ended on June 22, 1966.


1st Reconnaissance Battalion, History, Vietnam War, Operation Washington, July 1966
On 6 July 1966, Lieutenant Colonel Arthur J. Sullivan, battalion commander of 1st Recon Battalion, moved his battalion headquarters to Hau Doc, a location 25 km west of Chu Lai. For eight days his recon teams covered four-hundred square kilometers of his area of operation (AO); sighting forty-six PAVN that were scattered throughout the dense, rugged double- and triple- canopy jungle terrain, roughly ranging of 200 soldiers at most. The ground combat and supporting elements resulted only in thirteen PAVN killed, with four prisoners. Because of the poor results, General Lewis J. Fields, the commanding general of the Chu Lai TOAR, ended the operation on July 14, 1966.


1st Reconnaissance Battalion, History, Vietnam War, September 1967
On 5 September 1967, Nine Paratroopers [8 USMC and 1 Navy HM2] 1st Force Recon Company, 1st Recon Battalion, 1st Marine Division parachuted into “Happy Valley” southwest of Da Nang, Quanh Nam Provience Against North Vietnam/Viet Cong supply centers. Because of unexpected high winds the mission could not be completed and the members  Evacuated. Loses were 3 injured and 1 MIA.


1st Reconnaissance Battalion, History, Vietnam War, Operation Scott Orchard, April 1971
Operation Scott Orchard was the last major 1st Marine Division operation of the Vietnam War, issued by the 1st Marine Division commander, MG Charles F. Widdecke. The operation began when Marines of 1st Recon Bn. commenced a heliborne assault into abandoned Fire Support Base (FSB) Dagger at 10:45 on 7 April 1971. After the brief firefight, the fire support base was declared secured. The plan was to reopen FSB Dagger in the Quế Sơn mountains by emplacing a provisional composite battery of 105-mm and 155-mm howitzers from the 1st Battalion, 11th Marines (1/11).


1st Reconnaissance Battalion, History, Vietnam War, Operation Scott Orchard, April 1971
FSB Dagger was used the previous autumn during Operation Catawba Falls. The intelligence sources from MACV had included reports of American prisoners-of-war were being held at an isolated camp in the mountainous region of the Quảng Nam Province, however no prisoners were found, contact was minimal and only abandoned base camps were discovered. The operation concluded on 12 April, the Marines had killed 4 PAVN/VC and captured 1 and 12 weapons. Many ops missing recon 1971+1973


1st Reconnaissance Battalion, History, Persian Gulf War
In 1990—1991, the 1st Reconnaissance Battalion participated in the Persian Gulf War. Upon returning from the Gulf War plans were enacted to break up 1st Reconnaissance Battalion and spread it out to AAV's, 1st Marines and 5th Marines. In June 1992 Alpha Company was moved and attached to Headquarters Battalion 1st Marine Division. Bravo Company was moved and attached to Headquarters Battalion 5th Marine Division. Charlie company was moved to the Marine Corps 8 wheeled amphibious assault vehicle (AAV) unit, forming LAR (Light Armored Reconnaissance). Delta Company was disbanded and folded into Charlie Company.


1st Reconnaissance Battalion, History, Persian Gulf War
Reconnaissance Company 5th Marines deployed as a company to Somalia in January 1993 and was spread around Somalia conducting reconnaissance and surveillance operations in Mogadishu, Biadoa and Bardere to help stop the flow of weapons being brought in by militant groups. Reconnaissance Company 5th Marines returned to Somalia on deployment multiple times in the next 5 years. Reconnaissance Company 1st Marines and Reconnaissance Company 5th Marines were brought back together in 2000 to reform 1st Reconnaissance Battalion in Camp Margarita, Camp Pendleton Ca, with only 50 unfilled billets on its first day.


1st Reconnaissance Battalion, History, Invasion of Iraq
In January 2003, the battalion deployed to Kuwait in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. The 1st Reconnaissance Battalion participated in the 2003 invasion of Iraq from March 2003 to June 2003. The battalion redeployed to Iraq for Operation Iraqi Freedom from February 2004 to October 2004, where it took part in Operation Vigilant Resolve; September 2005 to April 2006, March 2007 to October 2007, and October 2008 to April 2009. In January 2006, the 1st


1st Reconnaissance Battalion, History, Invasion of Iraq
Reconnaissance Battalion was in the national news for leading Operation Green Trident, which discovered over ten metric tons of insurgent munitions, hidden in caches throughout a large area south of Fallujah in the Euphrates River Valley. Marines of 1st Recon told military reporters that about 90 percent of their time in Operation Iraqi Freedom was spent in mounted patrols, using their Humvees.


1st Reconnaissance Battalion, History, Afghanistan
The 1st Recon were also deployed to Helmand Province, Afghanistan in 2010 where they produced 300+ enemy KIA, did not lose a single man in their seven-month deployment and was regarded as "The deadliest battalion in Afghanistan right now" by Lt. Gen James Mattis.


1st Reconnaissance Battalion, History, Afghanistan
The unit conducted a battalion-sized helicopter insert into the area of Trek Nawa, operating for 32 days straight, away from friendly lines, during that period there was contact with Taliban forces for 28 of those days using tactics and offensive action that stunned the local enemy forces. Following the missions in Trek Nawa and surrounding areas, the battalion deployed two companies to the Upper Sangin River Valley.


1st Reconnaissance Battalion, History, Afghanistan
In February 2012, there was controversy when a September 2010 photograph was published showing members of Charlie Company, 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, posing in front of a flag with a logo resembling that of the German Schutzstaffel while serving in Afghanistan. The 1st Marine Expeditionary Force inspector general found that there was no anti semitic intent on the part of the Marines to identify themselves with the organization as the symbol was in fact representative of the U.S. Marine Corps' scout sniper military occupational specialty.


1st Reconnaissance Brigade (United Kingdom)
The 1st Reconnaissance Brigade was a short-lived specialist formation of the British Army which administered the formation reconnaissance regiments not attached to a division or brigade, and was disbanded sometime between 2005 and 2006.


1st Reconnaissance Brigade (United Kingdom), Screening Force
Sometime after the publishing of the 1981 Defence White Paper "The Way Forward", the Screening Force (Corps Border Surveillance Force) was formed as an ad hoc brigade within I (British) Corps. Brigadier Royal Armoured Corps, British Army of the Rhine would become 'Commander Screening Force' on mobilisation.


1st Reconnaissance Brigade (United Kingdom), Screening Force
The force's objective, if mobilised, was to hold off a soviet frontal invasion for as long as possible until the 1st and 4th Armoured Divisions could be moved into position. If mobilised, the brigade would control al the units of the division in the reconnaissance role and providing a reconnaissance/screening force. On mobilisation, the force would have consisted:


1st Reconnaissance Brigade (United Kingdom), Screening Force
In 1992 following the disbandment of the British Army of the Rhine, the force HQ was disbanded.


1st Reconnaissance Brigade (United Kingdom), Reconnaissance Brigade
The 1st Reconnaissance Brigade was established on 1 April 1997.


1st Reconnaissance Brigade (United Kingdom), Reconnaissance Brigade
he brigade might have been assigned to HQ Allied Rapid Reaction Corps. Following the 2003 reorganisation of the Army under 'LANDmark', HQ Theatre Troops was formed to oversee the specialist brigades of the army. The brigade soon joined HQ Theatre Troops, which it would remain under until disbanding in 2005-06, following the Future Army Structure programme.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron
The 1st Reconnaissance Squadron (1 RS) is a United States Air Force squadron, assigned to the 9th Operations Group, Beale Air Force Base, California.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron
The 1st Reconnaissance Squadron is the United States military's oldest flying unit, first established on 5 March 1913. The squadron has maintained an unbroken heritage of over a century from its founding. Originally organized in anticipation of a potential breach in security along the border between the United States and Mexico, General John J. Pershing directed the 1st Aero Squadron to become the first tactical aviation unit to participate in American military action. The 1st RS has flown 47 different aircraft while being stationed worldwide at 52 locations, including 4 stints at sea.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron
Since 1922 the 1st Squadron has been associated with the 9th Bomb Group and the USAF 9th Reconnaissance Wing, where it continues to be an active flying training unit operating the Lockheed U-2 and the RQ-4 Global Hawk surveillance aircraft.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, Overview
The 1st Reconnaissance Squadron is responsible for training all High-Altitude Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance aircrew for the U-2S Dragon Lady and the RQ-4 Global Hawk. Aircrew members consist of pilots and mission planners for the U-2S, and pilots and sensor operators for the RQ-4. Training for all U-2S pilots includes additional qualification in the T-38A Talon, the companion trainer to the U-2S.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, Overview
The squadron flies over 5,400 U-2S/T-38A training hours and 2,400 RQ-4 combat support hours annually. This flight training program produces 24 U-2S pilots, 48 RQ-4 pilots, and 36 RQ-4 sensor operators annually.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, Origins
Mexico's revolutionary violence early in 1913, caused President Wilson to order partial mobilization, and the army formed the "Second Division" at Texas City, Texas. On 25 February, the Chief Signal Officer, Brig. Gen. George P. Scriven, ordered the airplanes, personnel, and equipment then at Augusta, Georgia, to Texas City; and on 5 March, the army designated the small command as the 1st Aero Squadron (Provisional).


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, Origins
The unit consisted of nine airplanes, nine officers, and fifty-one enlisted men organized into two companies, and it spent much of its time practicing cross-country flying and operating from rough terrain, skills that would be of great value in the field. It was soon clear that the Second Division would not become involved in a fight.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, Origins
By June 1913, the squadron had transferred to the new Signal Corps Aviation School at San Diego, California. In December, the 1st Aero Squadron dropped the "provisional" from its title, making it the U.S. Army's first regular air squadron.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, Origins
The Chief Signal officer approved a table of organization for the unit on 7 January 1914, consisting of two companies of eight officers and 45 enlisted men each, and eight aircraft. At the time of its formation, 1st Company consisted of Burgess Model H tractors S.C. No. 9, 24, 25, and 26; while 2nd Company consisted of Curtiss aircraft S.C. No. 2 (a Curtiss Model D), 6 (Curtiss Model E), 22 (Curtiss Model G) and 23 (an aircraft assembled from spare parts for the Curtiss E). The initial composition of the squadron was short three pilots. (According to the U.S. Air Force Historical Research Agency, during this period other training aircraft included at least one example of the Wright Model B, Burgess F, Burgess I-Scout, Burgess J-Scout, and the Martin T.)


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, Origins
Detachments of the 1st Aero Squadron returned to Fort Crockett, Texas, on 30 April 1914 when the Tampico Affair threatened war again, although they arrived too late to be transshipped to Mexico and their aircraft were never uncrated. The 1st Aero Squadron had made its first flights at Fort Sill on 10 August, but accomplished little flying in the next few weeks, as manufacturing problems in the airplanes and engines quickly appeared. A fatal crash occurred on 12 August 1915 followed by a second crash on 5 September after protests about its safety were overruled by squadron commander Capt. Benjamin D. Foulois.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, Punitive expedition
During the Mexican Revolution, hundreds of Pancho Villa's horsemen crossed the United States border and raided Columbus, New Mexico on 9 March 1916. The town was looted and burned, and 17 Americans were killed.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, Punitive expedition
President Wilson immediately asked President Carranza of Mexico for permission to send United States troops into his country, and Carranza reluctantly gave permission "for the sole purpose of capturing the bandit Villa." Wilson then ordered General John J. Pershing to "pursue and disperse," the forces commanded by Villa. In his orders to Southern Department commanding general Frederick Funston, United States Secretary of War Newton D. Baker instructed him to have the 1st Aero Squadron moved to Columbus to provide liaison and aerial reconnaissance for Pershing's headquarters.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, Punitive expedition
Despite the shortcomings, the squadron was ordered to send all available aircraft, pilots and personnel to support Pershing. There would be neither replacements nor a reserve. The squadron disassembled its aircraft and left Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas, by train on 13 March. Two days later it arrived in Columbus with eight Curtiss JN-3 aircraft, 11 pilots and 82 enlisted men and established an airfield to the southeast of the town. From Columbus, the squadron flew its first reconnaissance sortie on 16 March.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, Punitive expedition
On 19 March 1916, the squadron received orders to fly into Mexico and report without delay to his headquarters at Casas Grandes. Shortly after 17:00, the planes took off but one returned almost immediately with engine problems. Darkness proved a formidable challenge and none of the aircraft completed the movement on the first day. Four landed near La Ascension, about halfway to destination, and completed the flight the next morning, although one was a total loss in a landing accident. Another aircraft overflew Casas Grandes in the dark and landed in the desert, where it was destroyed by vandals. Two others landed in the desert short of Casas Grandes, where one continued on the next morning, but the last did not arrive until repairs were completed to it on 26 March. Pershing had only five operational airplanes available for immediate duty.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, Punitive expedition
It was found that the squadron's 90 horsepower (67 kW) Curtiss JN-3 airplanes were unable to climb over the 10,000 to 12,000-foot (3,700 m) mountains of the region or overcome the high winds of the passes through them. Dust storms frequently grounded the aircraft and wooden propellers de-laminated in the heat. Using its base in Columbus, the 1st Aero Squadron concentrated on carrying mail and dispatches between Columbus and Pershing's Army columns moving south into Mexico. During the last few days of March, the squadron's planes flew approximately 20 missions with messages for the various columns of Pershing's command. By 20 April, only two airplanes remained in service (neither flyable, and both were destroyed), four having crashed and two others scavenged to provide replacement parts. After the losses, the remaining two JN-3s and the rest of the squadron were ordered back to Columbus for refitting.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, Punitive expedition
While the Punitive Expedition searched for Villa and his men, events in the United States provided some help for the 1st Aero Squadron. Secretary of War Baker was following the squadron's activities closely. On the following day, Congress took action to deal with the deficiencies reported from Mexico. On 31 March, it passed the Urgent Deficiency Act, which provided the army with $500,000 for the immediate purchase of twenty-four airplanes, eight for the 1st Aero Squadron.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, Punitive expedition
The initial practical result of this legislation was the delivery of four Curtiss N-8s, S.C. Nos. 60–63, which were essentially variants of the JN–3 with a different wing and airfoil and powered by a 90 hp engine. Tests conducted over the next six days verified that these were incapable of meeting the operational conditions in Mexico. On 1 May, it was concluded that the Curtiss N–8 was too slow and under-powered and the landing gear too weak for rough terrain. The squadron packed up the N–8s and shipped them to the Signal Corps Aviation School at San Diego.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, Punitive expedition
On the same day, the first of twelve Curtiss R-2s reached Columbus. The R–2 was a larger, modified version of the original Curtiss Model N powered by a 160 hp engine. However, the 1st Aero Squadron spent the next three months fighting problems with the new airplanes. The catalogue of deficiencies was enormous and inexcusable. Further, most of the airplanes were poorly constructed from shoddy materials. Clearly, Curtiss had lost control of quality at the manufacturing plant. These critical deficiencies had repercussions in Washington, D.C. and reports on the R–2s had stirred up the Signal Office about the Curtiss Company's miserable performance.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, Punitive expedition
Beyond wrestling with the R–2s and propellers, the 1st Aero Squadron experimented with a variety of other airplanes and aviation equipment. In addition to the R–2s, the squadron received three Standard H–2s, six Curtiss twin-engine JNs, about seven Curtiss JN–4 "Jennies", and other planes from Martin, Sturtevant, Thomas, and LWF. All told, counting the four Curtiss N–8s, the 1st AeroSquadron received fifty-one airplanes at Columbus by 6 April 1917. The 1st Aero Squadron remained at Columbus, with a detachment in Mexico, until Pershing withdrew the Punitive Expedition from Mexico in early February 1917.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, Punitive expedition
The Punitive Expedition is often portrayed as a failure because Pershing's force failed to capture or kill Pancho Villa. This view is something less than the truth. While Pershing's mission was to catch Villa if possible, Pershing's orders from the War Department had directed him only to pursue and disperse the band of raiders that had attacked Columbus, not to eliminate Villa. In addition to the 69 bandits captured and killed during the fighting in Columbus on 9 March, the Punitive Expedition had killed 248 and taken 19 prisoners by 31 July.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, Punitive expedition
The mission of the 1st Aero Squadron during the Punitive Expedition was primarily one of communications and observation, and during the first phase of the Punitive Expedition the 1st Aero Squadron was of considerable help in enabling Pershing to keep in touch with his thinly spread, fast-moving troopers. The squadron also performed several reconnaissance missions, and although these failed to locate enemy forces, that information in itself was important for the commander to know. The second phase of the Punitive Expedition was probably most important for the squadron, because the officers and men gained experience and knowledge by experimenting with a variety of airplanes and aviation equipment.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, Punitive expedition
The deficient, unsuitable airplanes the 1st Aero Squadron took to Mexico also served as a warning for the future. The U.S. aviation industry at the end of 1916 consisted of fewer than a dozen firms, only a handful of which—Curtiss, Martin, Wright, and Sturtevant, for example—had produced a reasonable number of airplanes. 1st Aero Squadron remained at Columbus until August 1917, when it was ordered to France after the United States' entry into World War I.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, World War I
When the United States declared war on Germany on 6 April 1917, the 1st Aero Squadron was still based at Columbus, New Mexico. The Army ordered the 1st Aero Squadron to Fort Jay, New York City, to accompany the 1st Division to France.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, World War I
There was an advanced company of the 1st Aero Squadron which flew under French direction as reconnaissance for French troops prior to the USA officially entering the war. Henry Gabriel of Rocky River, Ohio was one of those first pilots.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, World War I
The squadron departed on 5 August 1917 on a troop train, arriving at Jersey City, New Jersey on the 9th. It embarked on the Red Star Liner SS Lapland on 13 August for its trans-Atlantic crossing, reaching Liverpool, England on 1 September without incident. The squadron then boarded a train for Southampton, and crossed the channel the next day, resting at British Rest Camp No. 2, Le Havre, France.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, World War I, Combat in France
After a few days rest in Le Havre, the squadron moved to the French depot and airdrome of Étampes-Mondesir, then to the French aviation school at Avord. At the Avord Aerodrome, training was begun on 13 September on several types of aircraft: Blériot Penguin, a flightless aircraft that gave the sensation of flying while still on the ground; then Nieuport 30, 23 and 10s. After two weeks at Avord and completing the training course, the 1st Aero Squadron moved to Issoudun Aerodrome in central France on 20 September.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, World War I, Combat in France
However, the training facilities there were not yet ready and the squadron was moved on 19 October to Amanty Airdrome in Lorraine, where the squadron was prepared for active service on the front. On 5 February, Stephen W. Thompson, a member of the squadron, became the first American in the US military to shoot down an enemy aircraft. He was on a bombing mission with a French squadron. At Amanty, the squadron was equipped with Avion de Reconnaissance 1 (AR 1) trainers. Classes were held in radio and machine-gun work and ground training was conducted by French officers. By the end of February 1918, the AR 1 trainers were replaced by SPAD S.XIA.2s. While at the training school, a number of squadron observers were sent to the front line trenches and to other French squadrons for training.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, World War I, Combat in France
On 4 April 1918, the 1st Aero Squadron was assigned to the I Corps Observation Group, Air Service, First Army, and was designated as a Corps Observation Squadron. Movement was made to Ourches Aerodrome for combat duty. In combat, the mission of the 1st Aero Squadron was general surveillance of the enemy rear areas by means of both visual and photographic reconnaissance. These missions were carried out for the purpose of intelligence-gathering and informing First Army headquarters informed of enemy movements and preparations for attacks or retreats of its infantry forces.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, World War I, Combat in France
The 1st identified enemy activity along roads and railroads, ground stations, various storage dumps and airfields, the numbers of fires, and activities of enemy aircraft, and the amount of anti-aircraft artillery was also monitored and reported. Due to the nature of the missions and the depths of enemy area which was penetrated, the missions were carried out at high altitudes, usually between 4,500 and 5,500 meters (14,800 and 18,000 ft).


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, World War I, Combat in France
Bad weather and engine trouble with the SPAD aircraft plagued the squadron upon its arrival at the front, and on 12 April, the first contact with enemy aircraft was made, when Lt Coyle was attacked by three German planes. He escaped, his plane having several bullet holes. The work done by the squadron in its early days of combat operations was judged to be of a high order. A great deal of valuable intelligence was obtained. This was recognized when French General Passage, Chief of Staff of the 32d French Corps, awarded the "Croix de guerre" to several aircrews for exceptional bravery in combat.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, World War I, Combat in France
At the beginning of June, the 1st Aero Squadron was re-equipped with the latest in French observation aircraft, the Salmson 2A2. Also in June, the 1st Aero Squadron adopted the American flag as its squadron emblem, it being the first Air Service squadron on the front lines. The insignia was painted on the fuselage of all of its aircraft.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, World War I, Combat in France
On 29 June, the squadron moved to Saints Aerodrome to take part in the Chateau Thierry offensive, the first major American operation of the war. Flying over the front began on 1 July and from the beginning, a great number of combats with enemy aircraft were encountered. The Germans appeared to have concentrated a large number of aircraft over the sector, to counter a large number of British aircraft which had operated there prior to the 1st Squadron's arrival. The combat sustained in the offensive therefore, was quite heavy.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, World War I, Combat in France
The squadron was tasked with missions of the greatest importance, and heroic actions were frequent. Operations began with the squadron having less than its full number of aircraft, pilots and observers. Until replacements were received, ground mechanics and other support personnel worked day and night, and observation patrols were flown from dawn until dusk, sometimes into the night, with two or three sorties per day with each aircraft.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, World War I, Combat in France
In preparation for the St. Mihiel Offensive, the 1st Aero Squadron moved to Croix de Metz Aerodrome, near Toul, on 22 August. The St. Mihiel salient in the line covered an area of 390 square kilometers (150 sq mi) and its elimination was the next major task for the American Expeditionary Forces. About 02:00 on 12 September, their artillery opened up to begin the offensive.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, World War I, Combat in France
The squadron received orders to fly no lower than 600 meters (2,000 ft) in overflying enemy territory, but the 1st flew much lower than that, flying anywhere between 50 and 400 meters (160 and 1,310 ft) in altitude in order to avoid enemy machine-gun fire. Shortly after daylight, squadron aircraft No. 6 took off. The sun was clear before it arrived over the lines, but then disappeared behind the clouds.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, World War I, Combat in France
American infantry had just crossed the German lines and it was noted that panels had been placed on the ground indicating that their artillery barrage was falling about 100 meters short. That information was sent to division headquarters. This routine was repeated for the next several hours as the advance continued. It was observed that the Germans were making a hasty retreat and deserting their guns, with their officers on horseback. Squadron aircraft attacked the retreating enemy with machine guns on low-level attacks. Wagons and trucks in the enemy rear were also attacked until fuel was nearly exhausted, landing back at Toul with nearly empty tanks. During the offensive, the ground infantry were continually supported by observation aircraft, assisting them in every manner possible.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, World War I, Combat in France
During the offensive, the work done by the 1st Aero Squadron was of the most importance, giving divisional commanders the vital information as to where the front line elements actually were, where artillery barrages need to be laid down in advance of the infantry and for causing disruption to enemy forces behind his lines. Later, as positions became stabilized, photographs were obtained behind enemy lines to learn the dispositions of enemy forces.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, World War I, Combat in France
After flying in the St. Mihiel sector for several weeks, on 21 September the squadron was moved to the Remicourt Aerodrome in the Argonne Forest, getting ready for the next big American push. Squadron personnel began to believe they were a "shock" squadron, having taken the lead in the previous battles of Chateau Thierry and Saint-Mihiel, coming out of both bruised and battle-scarred. Intelligence raft of the 1st Aero Squadron provided the critical intelligence of what lay ahead of them, trying to find out what the half-routed enemy was trying to do. Constant flying and continual combats with enemy aircraft were routine and deadly, but the intelligence and photography carried out by the squadron was of the highest importance.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, World War I, Combat in France
Operations continued until 9 November when the order came from Corps headquarters to cease flying, and it was believed it simply meant to move to another sector. However, on 11 November, news was received that an armistice has been signed.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, World War I, Combat in France
1st Aero Squadron pilots recorded 13 aerial victories during the war, commemorated by 13 Maltese crosses encircling their squadron emblem. The 1st Aero squadron lost 16 pilots killed in action and three missing-in-action.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, World War I, Combat in France
After the armistice, the I Corps Observation Group was disbanded and the squadron was assigned to serve as part of the occupation force of the Rhineland under the Third Army Air Service, III Corps Observation Group at the former Andernach Airdrome, near Coblenz. One of its duties was to fly over Cologne and other parts of the Rhineland occupied by Third Army. In addition, the squadron was able to perform test flights on surrendered German aircraft. Flights of the Fokker D.VII, Pfalz D.XII, Halberstadts and Rumpler aircraft were made and evaluations were made.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, World War I, Combat in France
On 13 June 1919, the squadron first went to the 1st Air Depot at Colombey-les-Belles Airdrome, to turn in all of its supplies and equipment and was relieved from duty with the AEF. The squadron's planes were delivered to the Air Service Production Center No. 2. at Romorantin Aerodrome. It then moved to a staging camp in France for the return crossing of the Atlantic back to the United States.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, World War I, World War I honors
DSC: Distinguished Service Cross; DSM: Distinguished Service Medal; SSC: Silver Star Citation


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, Inter-War era
Upon its return to the United States, the 1st Aero Squadron was based first at Park Field, Tennessee, on 4 August 1919, and then at Mitchel Field, New York, on 10 October 1919, where it remained until 1940.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, Inter-War era
Assigned as a component of the Air Service's 1st Army Observation Group (briefly the 7th Observation Group in 1921) from 1 October 1919, to 30 August 1921, the 1st Aero Squadron was redesignated the 1st Squadron (Observation) on 14 March 1921. It was attached to the 1st Provisional Air Brigade from 1 May to 3 October 1921. This temporary unit, organized by Gen. William L. Mitchell, sank the German battleship Ostfriesland on 21 July in bombardment tests. The squadron functioned briefly as part of the 2nd Wing before being assigned to the Second Corps Area on 30 September 1921. The 1st Aero Squadron used the de Havilland DH-4 observation airplane as its primary equipment from 1919 to 1928.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, Inter-War era
The 1st Squadron was assigned as a component squadron of the new 9th Observation Group on 1 August 1922. It was assigned directly to the II Corps on 23 March 1923, as the 1st Observation Squadron, but remained attached to the 9th Observation Group. This command arrangement continued until 15 February 1929, when the 1st Observation Squadron was permanently assigned to the 9th Group.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, Inter-War era
Its aircraft from 1928 to 1935 was primarily the Curtiss O-1B Falcon observation plane, but it also field tested and employed other Falcon variants (O-13, O-39, and Y1O-40 Raven) and several Douglas observation types, the Y1O-31, Y1O-35 and O-35. The 1st Observation Squadron's O-35s all participated in delivering the U.S. Mail in 1934 without loss.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, Inter-War era
The Air Service became the U.S. Army Air Corps on 2 July 1926, and kept that title until reorganized as the United States Army Air Forces on 20 June 1941. In early 1935 the Air Corps was re-organized, with all combat groups being centrally controlled for the first time, under a new command organization called General Headquarters, Air Force. The role of observation as the primary function of the air arm had been de-emphasized in the creation of eight new Air Corps groups between 1927 and 1932. With the creation of General Headquarters Air Force (GHQAF) it was further de-emphasized when the 9th and its component squadrons were converted into a bombardment group and made a part of the 2nd Wing, responsible for the air defense of the East Coast of the United States.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, Inter-War era
The 1st Observation Squadron became the 1st Bombardment Squadron on 1 March 1935, and was equipped with Keystone B-6 bombers. It converted to Martin B-10 bombers in 1936 and operated these until 1938, when it again re-equipped, with Douglas B-18 bombers. The designations of the squadron changed in the late 1930s as the role of bombardment became pre-eminent in the Air Corps, becoming the 1st Bomb Squadron (Medium) on 6 December 1939, and the 1st Bomb Squadron (Heavy) on 20 November 1940. During the period 1935–1940 the 1st Bomb Squadron trained aircrews, took part in maneuvers, and participated in air shows.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, World War II, Sixth Air Force
The 1st deployed with its parent group on 5 November 1940 on the USAT Chateau Thierry and arrived on 12 November 1940 at Rio Hato Army Air Base, Panama on 13 November 1940 from Langley Field, Virginia. The squadron was one of the units designated to move to Piarco Airport on Trinidad in late April 1941 after the U.S. gained base rights there from the British in the Destroyers for Bases Agreement.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, World War II, Sixth Air Force
In fact, the 1st Bomb Squadron's entire sojourn in the Caribbean after its brief interval at Rio Hato was based on Trinidad, moving from Piarco to the new Waller Field by 12 May 1941 and, later, to Edinburgh Field on 23 August 1942. As of the United States' entry into the war, it was the only USAAF antisubmarine unit on Trinidad.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, World War II, Sixth Air Force
By August 1941, the squadron was the proud operator of a solitary Boeing B-17B Flying Fortress (probably sin 38-264) at Waller (together with six Douglas B-18A Bolos), certainly one of the very few B-17's to fly anti-submarine patrols in the Caribbean. Although the surviving records arc rather confusing and very truncated, it appears that the squadron may have briefly been assigned or attached to the 72d Observation Group, although no orders or formal correspondence to this effect survive. By January 1942, the B-17B was gone, and only five of the B-18As were still airworthy at Waller, where the squadron was nominally under the operational control of the Trinidad Base Command.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, World War II, Sixth Air Force
By mid-February 1942, with four airworthy B-18A's still on hand, the squadron received a number of Consolidated LB-30 Liberators originally intended for the British. With these, the unit flew patrols over the Caribbean approaches to the Panama Canal to test the newly sited radars placed there, as well as routine anti-submarine patrols. The unit was technically still based at Waller Field, however, the Squadron was also called upon to detach an element to conduct patrols of the Vichy French Martinique area during April and May 1942. ed antisubmarine patrols and conducted reconnaissance of the Vichy French fleet at Martinique.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, World War II, Sixth Air Force
Although scant records survive, the 1st Bomb Squadron attacked a German U-boat on at least one occasion. On 17 August 1942, a squadron B-18A sighted a submarine some 20 miles from a convoy and dropped four depth charges after it crash dived. About 10 minutes later, a patch of oil appeared on the surface where the now-submerged submarine had been. The B-18A remained in the area a further 45 minutes, until it was relieved by another aircraft. There was no further sign of the submarine.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, World War II, Sixth Air Force
Two days later, another squadron B-18A sighted a completely surfaced submarine at a distance of five miles from an altitude of 1,800 feet. Three depth charges were released, the third of which caused the sub to list away from the attack, side-slipping into the water. A fourth depth charge was believed to have hit the stern, then about 20 feet below the surface. The results of these attacks, however, were never confirmed.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, World War II, Army Air Force School of Applied Tactics
The 9th Bomb Group and its squadrons were withdrawn from Trinidad, and returned without personnel or equipment to the United States in late August 1942, where all were reconstituted as part of the Air University Army Air Force School of Applied Tactics (AAFSAT) at Orlando Army Air Base, Florida. AAFSAT operated a combat simulation facility in Florida. Units and airfields were established throughout an 8,000-square-mile (21,000 km2) area of central and north central Florida designated a mock "war theater," stretching roughly from Tampa to Titusville and from Starke to Apalachicola in which war games were conducted using numerous military airfields.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, World War II, Army Air Force School of Applied Tactics
The 1st was equipped with a mixture of medium and heavy bombers. The squadron operated primarily from Brooksville Army Airfield which runways could better accommodate the heavy bombers. Its squadrons trained bomber crews in organization and operations, performed bombing pattern tests, experimented with tactical formations to attack moving ships, and performed equipment tests. The squadron also flew in maneuvers and took part in many experiments at Eglin Field, Florida. During this period, the 1st BS had twelve B-17 Flying Fortresses, two B-25 Mitchells and two L-3Cs observation aircraft assigned.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, World War II, Twentieth Air Force
The training mission of the 9th Bomb Group at AAFSAT was replaced by the 903d Army Air Forces Base Unit on 1 March 1944 with "Section D", the bombardment training in an administrative reorganization. As a result, the 1st Bomb Squadron was moved without aircraft or personnel to Dalhart Army Airfield, Texas. On 28 March, it was re-designated the 1st Bombardment Squadron (Very Heavy) and began to organization process for training as a B-29 Superfortress squadron.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, World War II, Twentieth Air Force
During April the key personnel of the new squadron assembled at Dalhart, forming the command cadre, and were transferred with the group to McCook Army Airfield, Nebraska. After a brief period establishing the unit at McCook, the cadre of group and squadron operations staffs went by train to AAFSAT in May for the 4-week training course in organizing and operating very heavy bombardment units in the field. While the cadre was at AAFSAT, the influx of new personnel continued at McCook.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, World War II, Twentieth Air Force
After the return of the squadron staff in June 1944, the squadron organized new crews and conducted an intensive program of ground and flying training using B-17 aircraft to practice takeoffs, landings, instrument and night flying, cross-country navigation, high altitude formation flying, and bombing and gunnery practice.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, World War II, Twentieth Air Force
The development of the B-29 as an operational weapon had been plagued since an early flight test on 28 December 1942, resulted in an engine fire, culminating in a massive emergency modification program in the winter of 1943–44 ordered by General Henry H. Arnold, Chief of the Army Air Forces, and nicknamed the "Battle of Kansas". In particular, the program sought to resolve a spate of problems with serious engine fires and faulty gunnery central fire control systems.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, World War II, Twentieth Air Force
All B-29s modified in this program were diverted to the 58th Bomb Wing to meet President Franklin D. Roosevelt's commitment to China to have B-29s deployed to the China-Burma-India Theater in the spring of 1944, leaving none available to equip the 12 new groups being formed in the 73rd, 313th, and 314th Wings.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, World War II, Twentieth Air Force
The 9th Group received its first training B-29 on 13 July 1944. After four further months of training the group commander declared the unit ready for movement overseas, and its ground echelon left McCook for Seattle, Washington, Port of Embarkation on 18 November 1944, traveling by troopship to the Mariana Islands on a voyage that required thirty days. The ground echelon of the group debarked at Tinian on 28 December and was assigned a camp on the west side of the island between the two airfields.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, World War II, Twentieth Air Force
The air echelon of the 1st Bomb Squadron began its overseas movement on 15 January 1945, from its staging base at Mather Army Airfield, California, after accepting the first of its 14 new B-29s at Herington Army Airfield, Kansas. The squadron's bombers proceeded individually by way of Hickam Field, Hawaii, and Kwajalein to North Field, Tinian, with the first three arriving on 18 January 1945. The final two of the original 14 airplanes arrived on Tinian on 3 February by which time the squadron had already flown three practice missions to the Maug Islands in the Northern Marianas.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, World War II, Twentieth Air Force
The 1st Bomb Squadron conducted its first combat mission on 9 February 1945, against a Japanese naval airfield located on the island of Moen at Truk atoll (now known as the Chuuk Islands). Flown by day at an altitude of 25,000 feet (7,600 m), it was in actuality a further training mission, encountering no opposition. Its second mission was to Iwo Jima on 12 February, one week prior to D-Day for Operation Detachment. The capture of Iwo Jima had as its objective an emergency landing field for Twentieth Air Force bombers attacking Japan and a base for escorting P-51 and P-47 fighters.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, World War II, Twentieth Air Force
The first mission to the Japanese home islands was the 1st Bomb Squadron's fifth, flown 25 February 1945. Again a day mission flown at high altitude, the target was the port facilities of Tokyo. On the squadron's seventh mission, 9–10 March 1945, Tokyo was attacked with incendiaries by night and at low altitudes of 6,400 to 7,800 feet (2,400 m). This mission also resulted in the first loss of a 1st Squadron B-29 when the crew of L'il Iodine was forced to crash-land at sea when it ran out of fuel returning to Tinian, although the crew was rescued.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, World War II, Twentieth Air Force
The Tokyo fire raid was the first of five flown between 9 and 18 March, resulting in devastation of four urban areas (Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka and Kobe) and extensive civilian loss of life. The squadron had a B-29 bomber [44-69748] shot down and crew lost on 24 March 1945, attacking the Mitsubishi Aircraft factory at Nagoya, ironically the same crew that had ditched on 10 March.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, World War II, Twentieth Air Force
On 27 March, the 1st Squadron began a week of night missions sowing aerial anti-shipping mines of Japanese harbor approaches and Inland Sea ship passages, a mission they would again conduct during the entire second half of May. Attacks in April were a combination of night and medium altitude day missions against the Japanese aircraft industry, and beginning 18 April, three weeks of daytime attacks against Japanese airfields on Kyūshū launching Kamikaze attacks against U.S. naval forces at Okinawa.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, World War II, Twentieth Air Force
On 1 June, the 1st Bomb Squadron began a grim campaign of night fire raids against the remaining urban areas of Japan not previously attacked that continued to its final mission, 14 August 1945. In all, the 1st Bomb Squadron flew 71 combat missions, 3 post-hostilities flyover missions, and one mission to drop medical and food supplies to liberated prisoners-of-war.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, World War II, Twentieth Air Force
Of the 71 combat missions, 27 were fire raids, 14 mining, 13 against airfields, 9 against aircraft production, and 9 against other industry or targets other than the home islands. 39 of the missions were flown at night, and 32 by day. Only 6 of the 71 combat missions were flown above 20,000 feet (6,100 m) altitude.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, World War II, Twentieth Air Force
The 1st Bomb Squadron had 28 B-29s assigned to it on Tinian. Two were reassigned to other units, one was declared "war-weary" and used for local flights only, two were written off for salvage, one crashed on takeoff 20 May, destroying two parked bombers of another group and itself, and six were lost on missions—an aircraft attrition rate of 34.6% over six months. The squadron had 33 combat crews of 11 airmen each on its rosters during its combat operations. Four crews were missing in action or killed (12%), and three crews completed a full operational tour of 35 missions before the Japanese surrender.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, World War II, Twentieth Air Force
After the end of the war, the squadron received two Presidential Unit Citations as part of the 9th Bomb Group, for a mission against Kawasaki On 15–16 April 1945, and for mine-laying operations 13–28 May 1945.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, World War II, Twentieth Air Force
The 1st Bomb Squadron remained on Tinian until 7 March 1946, although most of its crews and aircraft were returned to the United States in the interim to be de-mobilized. On 14 March 1946, the group and squadron set up limited operations at Clark Field, Luzon, where they remained until 9 June 1947. By that date, although still an active unit, the squadron was unmanned, and was transferred "on paper" to Harmon Field, Guam, where it remained in a paper status until 10 October 1948.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, Strategic Air Command
The United States Air Force became a separate military service on 18 September 1947, during the period of time when the 1st Squadron was without personnel or equipment. On 10 October 1948, the 1st Squadron was removed from the 9th Bomb Group (which was inactivated), re-designated the 1st Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron, Photographic (SRS), and assigned to the 311th Air Division of Strategic Air Command (SAC) at Topeka Air Force Base, Kansas. In Kansas, squadron members immediately began training with RB-29 Superfortresses.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, Strategic Air Command
In May 1949, the squadron moved to Fairfield-Suisun AFB (now Travis AFB), California, and was assigned to the 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing. Initially equipped with a mix of B-29, RB-29 and RB-17 aircraft, the 1st SRS was earmarked to become an RB-36 Peacemaker unit and did receive three B-36B bombers in preparation for this assignment. However, in April 1950, the Air Force re-designated the 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing the 9th Bombardment Wing and, consequently, the 1st SRS became the 1st Bombardment Squadron and started to receive conventional B-29s and also atomic-capable B-29MRs.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, Strategic Air Command
During the Korean War, the 1st Bombardment Squadron participated in several rotations to Harmon AFB, Guam, as a contingency atomic-capable force. The 1st BS along with its parent wing, the 9th BW, would transfer to Mountain Home AFB, Idaho, in May 1953. There the squadron would continue to fly B-29s until 1954 when they started to receive Boeing B-47 Stratojet bombers.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, Strategic Air Command
During the Air Force's first decade, budgetary shortfalls led to the search for more cost-efficient Wing operations. In 1952, many of the World War II Combat Groups began to be phased out and inactivated as more wings assumed direct control of the combat squadrons. On 16 June 1952, the 9th Group was inactivated and the squadron was assigned directly to Wing control.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, Strategic Air Command
For the next twelve years, the 1st BS remained at the forefront of America's nuclear deterrent force. In November 1955, the squadron helped established a non-stop point-to-point long distance record during a flight from Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, to New Zealand, a distance of 8,300 miles, with the aid of aerial refueling. And from 1955 through 1958, the squadron would deploy to RAF Fairford, England; Kadena Air Base, Okinawa; Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska; and Andersen AFB, Guam.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, Strategic Air Command
From 1962–1965, the 1st BS operated several EB-47E Stratojets, a classified program which were electronics countermeasure conversions of the standard B-47E. These was equipped with what was known as the Phase IV (or Blue Cradle) ECM package, consisting of 16 AN/ALT-6B electronic jammers mounted on a cradle inside the bomb bay. Some of the EB-47ss carried a pressurized capsule inside the bomb bay that carried two electronics warfare officers that operated a suite of up to 13 different jammers that could focus on specific threats.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, Strategic Air Command
In late 1965, SAC and Tactical Air Command (TAC) completed a transfer agreement assigning Mountain Home to TAC effective 1 January 1966, with TAC transferring Bergstrom AFB, Texas to SAC. Since 1960, the B-47 was being phased out of service, as Soviet Air Defenses improved and the development of ICBMs had taken more and more of the nuclear mission. With the transfer of Mountain Home AFB, the B-47s of the 1st Bomb Squadron were retired. The last B-47E departed on 10 February and the personnel followed soon after.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, Strategic Air Command, Strategic Reconnaissance
The SR-71 Blackbird joined the Air Force inventory in 1966. From Beale and several overseas operating locations, the 1st Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron conducted worldwide strategic reconnaissance missions, supporting national intelligence gathering requirements.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, Strategic Air Command, Strategic Reconnaissance
The Blackbird‖ carried a crew of two—a pilot and a reconnaissance systems operator (RSO). The SR-71's versatility included simple battlefield surveillance, multiple-sensor high-performance interdiction reconnaissance, and strategic surveillance over large areas of the world. Flying over 2,000 mph at approximately 80,000 feet, the SR-71 carried sensors with a 45-degree viewing angle on each side that could survey 100,000 square miles in an hour.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, Strategic Air Command, Strategic Reconnaissance
Following the end of American involvement in Southeast Asia, the 1st turned to more peaceful accomplishment. The most spectacular of these was the SR-71 speed runs from New York to London and from London to Los Angeles. On 14 September 1974, Major James Sullivan, pilot and Major Noel Widdifield, RSO, flew their SR-71 from New York to London in 1 hour, 55 minutes, 42 seconds for an average speed of 1,817 mph. This bettered the old record set by a RAF F-4 Phantom jet of 4 hours, 46 minutes set in 1969. The SR-71 crew of Captain Harold Adams, pilot, and Major William Machorek, RSO, established a record for the London to Los Angeles route when they flew the 5,645-mile leg in 3 hours, 48 minutes on 13 September.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, Strategic Air Command, Strategic Reconnaissance
Because of budgetary reasons the Air Force retired the SR-71 in July 1990. But in March 1990, on its final journey from California to Washington D.C., where it became part of the collection at the Smithsonian Institution, an SR-71 flown by the 1st SRS made the coast-to-coast trip in a record time of 68 minutes, 17 seconds—at a record speed of 2,242.48 mph.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, Strategic Air Command, Strategic Reconnaissance
Flying the SR-71, the squadron was awarded a Presidential Unit Citation for the period 31 March – 31 December 1968, and an Air Force Outstanding Unit Award With Combat "V" Device for the period 1 July 1972 – 30 June 1973. The 1st SRS also received ten Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards for the periods 1 July – 30 June of the years 1967–1968, 1970–1971, 1971–1972, 1975–1977, 1981–1982, 1983–1984, 1985–1986, 1986–1987, 1989–1990, and 1991–1993.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, Air Combat Command
After the initial interviews, orientation flights, and selection for the program, the new pilot undergoes approximately six months of extensive training, including twenty sorties in the U-2. Upon graduation, the new crewmember is not only mission-ready in the U-2, but also checked out in the T-38 companion trainer. The graduate then transfers to the 99th Reconnaissance Squadron and prepares for a tour at one of the overseas detachments.


1st Reconnaissance Squadron, History, Air Combat Command
The 1st also trains the mission planners. Mission planners have to know the wing's mission, the aircraft and sensors capabilities, plus detailed information on target and threat assessment at specific locations. After planners complete their training, they deploy to the overseas detachments and design flight tracks that allow the pilots to gather the best data with the least personal risk. The 1st Reconnaissance Squadron graduates about twelve pilots and twomission planners each year.


1st Recruit Training Battalion (United States)
The 1st Recruit Training Battalion is a battalion of the United States Marine Corps which is used to train new enlisted personnel. It is composed of four Training Companies; Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, and Delta. The recruit training battalion is responsible for ensuring that each company is following the procedures set forth by the Recruit Training Regiment. Each company is responsible to follow the standards established by the Commandant of the Marine Corps to train, teach, mentor, and above all lead recruits through a demanding standard-based training system. 51 percent of all male Marines attend recruit training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego (MCRDSD), California."


1st Recruit Training Battalion (United States), History, 1st Recruit Training
"In 1921, the MCRDSD was formally commissioned and in 1923, it became the primary recruiting center for the west coast. During World War II, the flow of recruits into the base surged, with 18,000 recruits arriving in one month. In 1948, the base was formally named Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego and was home to the Recruit Training Regiment.


1st Recruit Training Battalion (United States), History, 1st Recruit Training
First Recruit training Battalion is one of the three Battalions under the Recruit Training Regiment, whose main mission is to train new United States Marine Corps recruits, specifically males recruited from west of the Mississippi River, but also from some areas east of the river, such as Wisconsin, Michigan, the Chicago metropolitan area and New Orleans. Recruit training includes a thirteen-week process during which the recruit becomes cut off from the civilian world and must adapt to a Marine Corps lifestyle.


1st Recruit Training Battalion (United States), History, 1st Recruit Training
During training, drill instructors train recruits in a wide variety of subjects including weapons training, Marine Corps Martial Arts Program, personal hygiene and cleanliness, close order drill, and Marine Corps history. The training emphasizes physical fitness, and recruits must attain a minimum standard of fitness to graduate by passing a Physical Fitness Test. Recruits must also meet minimum combat-oriented swimming qualifications, qualify in rifle marksmanship with the M16A4 service rifle, and pass a 54-hour simulated combat exercise known as 'The Crucible'."


1st Red Banner Army
The 1st Red Banner Army (Russian: 1-я Краснознамённая армия) was a Red Army field army of World War II that served in the Soviet Far East.


1st Red Banner Army, Before 1941
The 1st Army was created in July 1938 under the name of the 1st Coastal Army (or, depending on translation, 1st Maritime Army) in the Far East, part of the Far Eastern Front. Previously, the Special Far Eastern Army had been the theatre command in the Far East, but due to increased tensions with Japan it was expanded into the Far Eastern Front. The 1st Army was created from the Primorsky Group of Forces, and was responsible for the Ussuri area with its headquarters at Voroshilov (now Ussuriysk). Elements of the army fought in the Battle of Lake Khasan.


1st Red Banner Army, Before 1941
On 4 September, the front was dissolved, and the army became the 1st Separate Red Banner Army, controlling troops in Ussuriysk Oblast and parts of Khabarovsk and Primorsky Oblasts. It was directly subordinated to the People's Commissariat of Defense and operationally controlled the Pacific Fleet. It included the 21st, 22nd, 26th, 32nd, 39th, 40th, 59th, 66th, 92nd, and 105th Rifle Divisions, as well as the 8th, 22nd, and 31st Cavalry Divisions from 4 September. Elements of the army fought in the Battles of Khalkhin Gol in mid-1939.


1st Red Banner Army, Before 1941
By an order of the People's Commissariat of Defense dated 21 June 1940, the Far Eastern Front was reformed. The army became part of the front and was redesignated the 1st Red Banner Army.


1st Red Banner Army, Before 1941
Its initial commander was the later Marshal of the Soviet Union, Andrei Yeremenko. When Yeremenko arrived in early 1941, the Army was responsible for all the frontier between Vladivostok and Khabarovsk; on 18 March 1941, the 25th Army was established to cover the southern sector. The 32nd, 40th, and 105th Rifle Divisions transferred to the 25th Army in May. In June, the 79th Fighter Aviation Division began forming as part of the army's Air Force. The 32nd and 34th Mixed Aviation Divisions had joined the army by June as well.


1st Red Banner Army, Order of battle, 22 June 1941
The official Soviet archives list the composition of the Army on 22 June 1941:


1st Red Banner Army, Order of battle, 9 Aug 1945
6 rifle divisions, 3 tank brigades (75th, 77th, 257th), 3 SP regiments, 6 SP battalions, 1 heavy tank/SP gun regiment, 5 artillery brigades.