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The 72nd Reconnaissance Group (USAAF) was a reconnaissance group that was based in the Panama Canal Zone during 1942 and 1943.
The group was activated in the United States in September 1941 and operated a mix of different liaison, observation and reconnaissance aircraft.
In December 1941-January 1942 the group moved to the Panama Canal Zone. It was used to carry out a range of duties including patrol missions over the sea, carrying air mail, searching for aircraft that had gone missing in the area, supporting the US ground forces defending the Canal and carrying out some photographic mapping.
The group was disbanded in place in November 1943.
Lt Col Jasper K McDuffie: Oct 1941
Col Perry B Griffin: c.1
Feb 1942
Col Vernon C Smith: 19 May-1 Nov 1943
North American O-47 , Stinson O-49 Vigilant, Curtiss O-52 Owl, Stinson L-1 Vigilant, Piper L-4 Grasshopper, B-18, Bell P-39 Airacobra
| 21 August 1941 | Constituted as 72nd Observation Group |
| 26 September 1941 | Activated |
| 1943 | Redesignated as 72nd Reconnaissance Group |
| 1 November 1943 | Inactivated |
Test
Shreveport, La: 26 Sep 1941
Little Rock, Ark: Oct 1941
Marshall
Field, Kan: 11-c. 27 Dec 1941
Howard
Field, CZ: c. 18 Jan 1942-1 Nov 1943.
1st: 1941-43
4th: 1942-43
39th: 1942-43
108th: 1941-43
124th: 1941
1942-1943: Panama Canal Zone