III Reconnaissance Command
The III Reconnaissance Command is a disbanded United States Army Air Forces unit. Its last assignment was with Third Air Force stationed at Rapid City Army Air Base, South Dakota, where it was inactivated on 8 April 1946. After transferring to the United States Air Force in September 1947, it was disbanded in October 1948.
| III Reconnaissance Command | |
|---|---|
A Lockheed F-5 Lightning as used by photographic reconnaissance units training under III Reconnaissance Commband | |
| Active | 1941-1946 |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | United States Army United States Air Force |
| Role | Command of air support and reconnaissance training units |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | William E. Kepner |
| Insignia | |
| III Reconnaissance Command Distinctive Unit Insigne | |
The command was organized in September 1941 as the 1st Air Support Command, an element of 1st Air Force to control light bombardment and observation units in its area of responsibility. Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, the command's units conducted antisubmarine warfare patrols off the Atlantic Coast. In August 1942, it transferred to 3rd Air Force, which had the responsibility to train air support units for the Army Air Forces (AAF) and assumed the mission of training units and aircrews for overseas deployment. In 1943, it became the I Tactical Air Division (later III Tactical Air Division) under III Tactical Air Command. In the final months of the war, it specialized in training reconnaissance units.