7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group

Group
Photographic officers of the 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group look through camera lenses infront of a B-17 Flying Fortress. Image stamped on reverse: 'Esten Illustrated.' [stamp], 'Passed for Publication 8 Jul 1943.' [stamp] and '273528.' [Censor no.]. A printed caption was previously attached to the reverse, however this has been removed. media-380976.jpg FRE 2170 Photographic officers of the 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group look through camera lenses infront of a B-17 Flying Fortress. Image stamped on reverse: 'Esten Illustrated.' [stamp], 'Passed for Publication 8 Jul 1943.' [stamp] and '273528.' [Censor no.]. A printed caption was previously attached to the reverse, however this has been removed. Roger Freeman Collection

IWM, Roger Freeman Collection

Object Number - FRE 2170 - Photographic officers of the 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group look through camera lenses infront of a B-17 Flying Fortress. Image stamped on...

Based for the majority of their service at Mount Farm, Oxfordshire, the 7th Photographic Group (Reconnaissance) took over three million intelligence photos during the course of 4,251 sorties over occupied Europe. The Group was awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation for photo sorties over the Normandy coast between 31 May and 30 June 1944, which were a crucial part of the preparation for the land invasion that began on 6 June 1944.

Commanding Officers

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
  • Role/Job: Commanding Officer
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Civilian
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group
Colonel James G Hall, Commander, Major James Wright, Group operations and Captain George A Lawson of the 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group with the nose of an F-5 Lightning. 1943. Image stamped on reverse: 'Passed by AAF STA 234. Not to be published.' [stamp]
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group 22nd Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 0436518, 046605-8389A
  • Highest Rank: Colonel
  • Role/Job: Pilot; Commanding Officer
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group
  • Role/Job: Commanding Officer
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 325th Photographic Reconnaissance Wing 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group 27th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-732160
  • Highest Rank: Major
  • Role/Job: Commanding Officer
A pilot of the 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group in the cockpit of an F-5 Lightning. Image stamped on reverse: 'Esten Illustrated.' [stamp], 'Passed for Publication 8 Jul 1943.' [stamp] and '273522.' [Censor no.]. A printed caption was previously attached to the reverse, however this has been removed. Handwritten caption on reverse: '28/3/43.'
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group 13th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 489875
  • Highest Rank: Colonel
  • Role/Job: Commanding Officer
An F-5 Lightning of the 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group at Mount Farm. Image by Robert Astrella, 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group. Handwritten on slide case "NMF [Natural Metal Finish] F-5 Mount Farm 1944 268205 R Astrella"
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group 22nd Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-729166
  • Highest Rank: Colonel
  • Role/Job: Pilot - Group Commanding Officer
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group
  • Service Numbers: O-17852
  • Highest Rank: Brigadier General
  • Role/Job: Commanding Officer

Connections

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Unit stations

Station Location Date

Other

Constituted as 7th Photographic Group.

5 February 1943

Other

Activated

1 May 1943

Based

Mount Farm 7 July 1943 - 22 March 1945

Based

Chalgrove 22 March 1945 - 25 October 1945

Based

Hitcham 25 October 1945 - 21 November 1945

Other

Redesignated as as 7th Photographic Reconnaissance and Mapping Group.

Other

Redesignated as 7th Photographic Group (Reconnaissance)

Other

Redesignated as 7th Reconnaissance Group

Encompassing

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group
  • Service Numbers: 12293362
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Civilian
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group 27th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Civilian
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group 13th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 36031653

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: P-38 Lightning
  • Unit: 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group 22nd Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron
An F-5 P-38 Lightning of the 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group takes off at Mount Farm. Image by Robert Astrella, 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group. Written on slide casing: " 423709 R. Astrella Mount Fm"
  • Aircraft Type: F-5 Lightning
  • Unit: 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group 22nd Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: P-38 Lightning
  • Unit: 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group
  • Aircraft Type: P-38 Lightning
  • Unit: 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group
  • Aircraft Type: P-38 Lightning
  • Unit: 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group

Revisions

Date
ContributorEmily
Changes
Sources

Air Force Combat Units of WWII

Date
Changes
Sources

Consolidation of duplicate units and connections to reflect the Group's structure according to "Air Force Combat Units of World War 2", Ed. Maurer Maurer, Office of Air Force History. Washingto D.C. 1983. (p.45)

Date
Contributor466thHistorian
Changes
Sources

Chris Brassfield

Date
Contributor466thHistorian
Changes
Sources

"Eyes of the Eighth" - Patricia Fussell Keen

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / The Mighty Eighth. A History of the Units, Men and Machines of the US 8th Air Force.' by Roger A. Freeman (1989). 'Air Force Combat Units of World War II' compiled by the Department of the US Air Force, edited by Maurice Maurer (1983).

7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group: Gallery (631 items)