Mission
The 13th Reconnaissance Squadron is an associate
unit that provides theater commanders with near-real-time intelligence,
surveillance, reconnaissance and target acquisition data. The squadron operates
and maintains deployable, long-endurance RQ-4 Global Hawk aircraft and ground control elements to fulfill
training and operational requirements generated by the Joint Chiefs of Staff in
support of unified commanders and the Secretary of Defense. The 13th
Reconnaissance Squadron is a geographically-separated unit assigned to the 726th Operations Group
out of Creech Air Force Base, Nevada, but is located at Beale Air Force Base, California.
Supported Commands
The 13 RS supports Air Combat Command when performing peacetime and training missions,
Central Command, Southern Command, Pacific Command, European Command and Africa Command when performing wartime
taskings and Northern Command during disaster response.
Personnel
Approximately 195 (135 Traditional Reservists; 60 Full-Time
Reservists)
Major Operational Participation
Operations ENDURING FREEDOM
2001-present, IRAQI FREEDOM 2003-2010, NEW DAWN 2010-2011, RESTORE HOPE 2010,
TOMODACHI 2011, ODYSSEY DAWN 2011, UNIFIED PROTECTOR 2011, and DAMAYAN 2013,
FREEDOM’S SENTINEL and INHERENT RESOLVE.
Humanitarian Operations
California Wildfires 2007, Haiti Earthquake 2010, Japanese Earthquake
and Tsunami 2011, Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines 2013
Unit History
9 June 1942: Constituted
13th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron.
20 June 1942: Activated and
assigned to 3rd Photographic Reconnaissance and Mapping Group (attached to 1st
Bombardment Wing, 2 Dec 1942-16 Feb 1943 and to 8th Air Force 16 Feb-7 Jul
1942).
6 Feb 1943: Redesignated 13th
Photographic Squadron (Light), assigned to 7th Photographic Reconnaissance and
Mapping Group 7 Jul 1943-21 Nov 1945.
13 Nov 1943: Redesignated 13th
Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron and inactivated 1 Dec 1945.
11 March 1947: Redesignated 13th Reconnaissance Squadron, Photographic.
6 July 1947: Activated in the
Reserve, assigned to 65th Reconnaissance Group 6 Jul 1947-27 Jun 1949 and unit
was inactivated 27 Jun 1949.
26 May 1952: Redesignated 13th
Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium.
14 June 1952: Activated in the
Reserve, assigned to 65th Troop Carrier Group 14 Jun 1952-1 Apr 1953