The 69th Reconnaissance Group operates and maintains deployable, high-altitude, long-endurance RQ-4/EQ-4 aircraft and ground control elements to fulfill requirements generated by the Joint Chiefs of Staff in support of unified commanders and the Secretary of Defense. The group provides theater commanders with near real-time intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and target acquisition data and enhances theater command and control by providing persistent communications relay capability in austere areas.
The 69th Reconnaissance Group includes the 12th Reconnaissance Squadron at Beale Air Force Base, CA as well as the 348th Reconnaissance Squadron and 69th Maintenance Squadron at Grand Forks Air Force Base, ND. The 7th Reconnaissance Squadron at NAS Sigonella, IT and Detachment 1 at Anderson AFB, Guam are located overseas.
Mission
Provide strategic and tactical globally cohesive ISR across the range of military operations to the warfighter.
Vision
Be the DoD's premiere HAISR group providing timely and fully integrated strategic and tactical decision-making advantage to the warfighter.
Assignments
4 Air Support Command, 3 Sep 1941; IV Ground Air Support Command, 30 Jun 1942; Second Air Force, 21 Aug 1942; II Ground Air Support Command, 7 Sep 1942; 3 Air Support Command, 6 Aug 1943; III Reconnaissance Command, 25 Sep 1943; Third Air Force, 9 Oct 1943; III Tactical Air Division, 18 Apr 1944; XII Tactical Air Command, 27 Mar 1945; Ninth Air Force, 20 May 1945; Third Air Force, 9 Jul 1945; Tactical Air Command, 21 Mar-29 Jul 1946. 9 Reconnaissance Wing, 19 Sep 2011-Present.
Lineage
Established as 69 Observation Group on 21 Aug 1941. Activated on 3 Sep 1941. Redesignated as: 69 Reconnaissance Group on 15 Apr 1943; 69 Tactical Reconnaissance Group on 11 Aug 1943; 69 Reconnaissance Group on 15 Jun 1945. Inactivated on 29 Jul 1946. Activated on 19 Sep 2011.
Stations
Paso Robles, CA, 3 Sep 1941; Salinas, CA, c. 3 Oct 1941; San Bernardino, CA, 13 Dec 1941; Ontario, CA, c. 1 Jun 1942; Laurel AAB, MS, 11 Nov 1942; Esler Field, LA, 31 Mar 1943; Abilene AAFld, TX, 10 Sep 1943; Esler Field, LA, 13 Nov 1943; Key Field, MS, 25 Jan-26 Feb 1945; Nancy, France, c. 22 Mar 1945; Haguenau, France, c. 2 Apr-c. 30 Jun 1945; Drew Field, FL, 3 Aug 1945; Stuttgart AAFld, AR, 11 Nov 1945; Brooks Field, TX, Dec 1945-29 Jun 1946. Grand Forks AFB, ND, 19 Sep 2011-Present.