111th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron

Squadron
An airman of the 338th Fighter Squadron, 55th Fighter Group with a P-51 Mustang nicknamed "Darlin' Presh." Handwritten caption on reverse: '55th FG, 338th FS, 8th Air Force.' media-401216.jpg FRE 2622 An airman of the111th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, attached to the 9th Air Force with his F-6 Mustang nicknamed "Darlin' Presh". Dijon France October 1944F-6C Mustang (CL, serial number 42-103403) is in the background. It was my Fathers aircraft and named by him. He did not fly after August 18 1944. This was another pilot in the squadron who then flew it. Serial number was 42-103199. Scott E Hornsby


Handwritten caption on reverse: '55th FG, 338th FS, 8th Air Force.' Roger Freeman Collection

111th TRS war diary.

Object Number - FRE 2622 - An airman of the111th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, attached to the 9th Air Force with his F-6 Mustang nicknamed "Darlin' Presh". Dijon France...

With the onset of World War II, the unit was called into federal service 25 November 1940 and trained with the 36th Division at Brownwood Airfield Texas[3] until Pearl Harbor was bombed, it was sent to the Mexican border, Fort Clark Springs Texas. The border patrol was short, and on 14 February 1942, the squadron left Texas for Daniel Field in Augusta, Georgia, and became part of the 68th Observation Group. Pilots trained on Douglas O-43A, Vultee/Stinson O-49/L-1 Vigilant and Douglas A-20B Havoc aircraft in preparation for deployment to the European Theater of Operations (ETO).[citation needed]



In 1942 the ground echelon and some pilots made their way to Scotland then England in preparation for landing on the Algerian beaches as part of Operation Torch, their shiny new P-39 Airacobras had to be assembled and tested before flying from England to Algeria. Some of the pilots of the 68th Group flew their A-20s directly across the Atlantic on the "Southern Route" and immediately began flying over the Mediterranean in anti-submarine patrols, sinking at least one submarine. As the invasion force moved inland, the three squadrons of the group divided up the A-20s and P-39s by squadron and the 111th took on the Fighter Reconnaissance role in the P-39.[citation needed]



In March 1943, the 111th left the 68th Group to defend against a possible invasion of French Morocco from Spanish Morocco while the rest of the group was selected to support the Tunisian Campaign of the Army’s II Corps. In June 1943 the newly redesignated 111th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, flying Allison engined F-6A or F-6B Mustangs (taken from a British order of Mk IAs), became the eyes of the 7th Army in Sicily, Operation Husky. They were temporarily assigned to the 5th Army in Italy, but returned in July 1944 in time to support the 7th Army’s invasion of southern France, Operation Dragoon. In addition to the older F-6A/F-6B Mustangs, they began receiving F-6C Mustangs (the photo recon version of the P-51C). The 111th remained with the 7th Army through the end of the war. From VE Day until December 1945, the Squadron served in the occupation force, and conducted postwar photo-mapping of the devastation in France.[citation needed]



During 23 months of continuous combat flying, from June 1943 through May 1945, the 111th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron flew 3,840 reconnaissance missions. While keeping Army Headquarters informed of enemy movements, the 111th destroyed 44 enemy aircraft, damaged 29 others and claimed 12 probable kills. The squadron received eight Battle Stars, a Distinguished Unit Citation, and the French Croix de Guerre for its World War II accomplishments

Connections

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People

An airman of the 338th Fighter Squadron, 55th Fighter Group with a P-51 Mustang nicknamed "Darlin' Presh." Handwritten caption on reverse: '55th FG, 338th FS, 8th Air Force.'
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 111th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron
  • Service Numbers: A000812091
  • Highest Rank: Captain
  • Role/Job: Tactical Reconnaissance Pilot Single-Engine 1061

Aircraft

An F-6 Mustang (serial number 42-103018) of the 111th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, 12th Air Force. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'North Amer P-51 Pomigliano, Italy, 111th Tac Recce Sqdn, 12th AF Feb '44.'
  • Aircraft Type: F-6 Mustang
  • Unit: 68th Reconnaissance Group 111th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron
A P-51C Mustang ('CV', serial number 42-103227) of the 111th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, XII Tactical Air Command, 12th Air Force, at Dijon-Longvic airbase in October 1944. Handwritten caption on reverse: '42-103227, CV, P-51C-I-NT. 111th TRS (XII Tac) Dijon-Longvic A/F, October 1944.'
  • Aircraft Type: F-6 Mustang
  • Unit: 111th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron
A P-51C Mustang ('NT') of the 111th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, XII Tactical Air Command, 12th Air Force at Dijon-Longvic airfield in October 1944. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'P-51-C-5-NT. NT of 111 TRS, possibly 42-103380. Dijon-Longvic, October 1944.'
  • Aircraft Type: F-6 Mustang
  • Unit: 111th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron
A P-51C Mustang ('NH', serial number 42-103388) of the 111th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, XII Tactical Air Command, 12th Air Force at Nancy-Azelot airbase in late 1944. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'P-51C-5-NT, 42-103388 - probably of 111th TRS at Nancy-Azelot - late 1944.'
  • Aircraft Type: F-6 Mustang
  • Unit: 111th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron
A crewman with a P-51C Mustang ('NQ', serial number 42-103460) nicknamed "Rome Gnome" of the 111th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, XII Tactical Air Command, 12th Air Force at Lyon-Bron airfield, in September or October 1944. "Weenie Merchant 2" is also inscribed on the nose. Handwritten caption on reverse: '42-103460, P-51C-5-NT, probably 111th TRS, seen Lyon-Bron, Sept/Oct 1944. 29C.'
  • Aircraft Type: F-6 Mustang
  • Nicknames: Weenie Merchant II
  • Unit: 111th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron

Revisions

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ContributorScScotto
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Sources

Found my fathers patch from the 3rd and direct correlation from the 12th air force to the 3rd as well as the 3rd's bases in Italy which are where the 111th were therefore based during the Italian and French campaigns.

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ContributorScScotto
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My Personal Collection

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Contributor466thHistorian
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111th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron: Gallery (24 items)