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The 6th Reconnaissance Group was one of two reconnaissance groups to serve with the Fifth Air Force in the Pacific, supporting the campaigns in New Guinea, the Bismarck Archipelago, Borne and the Philippines.
THe group was formed in the United States in February 1943. In September-October 1943 it moved to Australian and the Fifth Air Force. It used a mix of F-5 Lightings and F-7 Liberators, and at first operated across New Guinea. The group moved to Port Moresby, at the eastern end of New Guinea, late in 1943, and was based on or close to New Guinea until the end of 1944. In August 1944 the group began to move to Biak (at the north-western end of New Guinea), and the move was completed by 15 September.
From Biak the group operated over the southern Philippines, and it received a Distinguished Unit Citation for a series of unescorted flights over Leyte in September 1944, helping to plan for the invasion.
The group officially moved to Leyte in November 1944, although a lack of suitable airfields meant that the ground echelon was rather isolated on the island, while its aircraft continued to operate from Biak for a little longer.
After moving to Leyte the group operated over Formosa, China, Luzon and Mindanao. In July 1945 it moved to Okinawa, and flew a few missions over Kyushu. The group moved to Japan in September 1945 and was inactivated there on 27 April 1946.
Pending
Lockheed F-5 Lightning
Consolidated F-7 (Liberator)
| 5 Feb 1943 | Constituted as 6th Photographic Group |
| 9 Feb 1943 | Activated |
| May 1943 | Redesignated 6th Photographic Reconnaissance and Mapping Group |
| Aug 1943 | Redesignated 6th Photographic Reconnaissance Group |
| Sep-Oct 1943 | To Southwest Pacific and Fifth Air Force |
| May 1945 | Redesignated 6th Reconnaissance Group |
| Sep 1945 | To Japan |
| 27 Apr 1946 | Inactivated |
| 6 March 1947 | Disbanded |
Lt Col Waymond A
Davis: 9 Feb 1943
Maj Cecil Darnell: 27
Feb 1943
Col David W Hutchison: 13
Mar 1943
Lt Col Cecil Darnell: 24 Mar
1943
Maj Arthur L Post: 24 Jul 1944
Lt
Col Alexander Guerry: c. 1 Sep 1944
Lt
Col Ben K Armstrong Jr: 5 Jan 1945
Lt
Col Joseph Davis Jr: 31 May 1945-unkn.
Colorado Springs, Colo: 9
Feb-7 Sep 1943
Sydney, Australia: 10 Oct
1943
Brisbane, Australia: 27 Nov 1943
Port Moresby, New Guinea: 10 Dec 1943
Nadzab, New Guinea: 17 Feb 1944
Biak:
Aug 1944
Leyte: 3 Nov 1944
Clark Field,
Luzon: 1 May 1945
Okinawa: 31 Jul 1945
Chofu, Japan: 27 Sep 1945
Irumagawa,
Japan: Jan-27 Apr 1946.
8th Reconnaissance Squadron: 1943-1946
20th Reconnaissance Squadron: 1943-1946
25th Reconnaissance Squadron: 1943-1946
26th Reconnaissance Squadron: 1943-1945
27th Reconnaissance Squadron: 1943
36th Reconnaissance Squadron: 1944-1945
1943: V Bomber Command; Fifth Air Force
1944-45: 91st Reconnaissance Wing; Fifth Air Force