4th Reconnaissance Group

Constituted as 4th Photographic Group on 14 Jul 1942 and activated on 23
Jul. Trained for overseas duty with F-4's. Moved to the South Pacific late
in 1942. Assigned to Thirteenth AF in Jan 1943. Redesignated 4th
Photographic Reconnaissance and Mapping Group in May 1943, 4th Photographic
Group (Reconnaissance) in Nov 1943, and 4th Reconnaissance Group in May 1945.
From Dec 1942 to May 1945 the group, based successively on New Caledonia,
Espiritu Santo, Guadalcanal, and Morotai, flew reconnaissance missions over
enemy territory to supply air force units with target and damage assessment
photographs and to provide army and navy units with intelligence on Japanese
troop concentrations, installations, shore defenses, supply routes, and
shipping. It also produced maps of Allied and enemy-held territory and
prepared navigation charts for US units. During the last three months of the
war the group photographed Japanese positions and installations on Mindanao
and Borneo to aid US and Australian operations. Moved to Leyte in Sep 1945.
Inactivated on 15 Jan 1946. Disbanded on 6 Mar 1947.

Squadrons. 17th: 1942-1946. 18th: 1942-1944. 19th: 1942-1943.
20th: 1942-1943. 38th: 1945-1946.

Stations. Colorado Springs, Colo, 23 Jul-24 Oct 1942; New Caledonia, 22
Nov 1942; Espiritu Santo, 22 Jan 1943; Guadalcanal, 6 May 1944; Morotai, 12
Dec 1944; Leyte, Sep 1945-15 Jan 1946.

Commanders. 2nd Lt Everett E Shaw, 23 Jul 1942; Lt Col Francis L Rivard,
10 Aug 1942; Lt Col Charles P Hollstein, 3 Sep 1942; Col Paul C Schauer, 18
Jul 1943; Lt Col Hillford R Wallace, 7 Jun 1944; Maj Sidney L Hardin, 4 Aug
1944; Lt Col Hershell E Parsons, 20 Jan 1945-unkn.

Campaigns. Guadalcanal; New Guinea; Northern Solomons; Bismarck
Archipelago; Western Pacific; Leyte; Southern Philippines.

Decorations. Philippine Presidential Unit Citation.

Insigne. Shield: Azure, three piles and three like ordinaries
transposed conjoined in honor point or. (Approved 28 Nov 1942.)

Data from Air Force Combat Units of World War II By Maurer, Maurer, Published 1986