1st Photographic Group

The 1st Photographic Group was a United States Army Air Forces unit established in 1941 to expand the American military's ability to conduct photographic mapping, charting, and long-range photographic reconnaissance. It was organized at Bolling Field in the District of Columbia as the Army Air Forces developed a dedicated structure for aerial surveying and imagery production before and during the Second World War. The group drew its initial cadre from the 1st Photographic Squadron and incorporated four principal squadrons located across the United States: the 1st at Bolling Field, the 2d at Gray Field in Washington, the 3d at Maxwell Field in Alabama, and the 4th at Moffett Field in California. Operational responsibility for these squadrons was distributed among the continental numbered air forces. In its early period, the group also helped observation organizations train reconnaissance units, although its own squadrons were heavily occupied with mapping work connected to hemispheric defense. The unit's role became more clearly defined as the Army Air Forces separated photographic reconnaissance from the older arrangement in which bombardment groups operated reconnaissance squadrons as secondary elements. The group was redesignated the 1st Mapping Group in January 1942 and later became the 1st Photographic Charting Group. It remained the only Army Air Forces noncombat mapping group in the United States until the activation of the 11th Photographic Group in December 1943. During the war, the group mapped and charted extensive areas of the United States and supported detachments in a wide range of overseas and outlying locations. These assignments included Alaska, Canada, Africa, the Middle East, India, the Caribbean, Mexico, Central and South America, and the Kuril Islands. The unit's work supported military planning, navigation, defense preparation, and reconnaissance by producing aerial photographic coverage and cartographic information rather than conducting conventional combat operations. In February 1944, the 1st Photographic Group was assigned to the newly established 311th Photographic Wing. The group operated from Peterson Field, Colorado, beginning in December 1943, and from Buckley Field, Colorado, from July 1944 until its dissolution. On 5 October 1944, the group and the 11th Photographic Group were disbanded, with their components transferred directly to the 311th Wing. The organization was subsequently carried in inactive status by the United States Air Force after its creation in 1947. The lineage was reconstituted in 1985 under a different designation, the 358th Special Operations Group. That reconstituted organization was not activated, and the original 1st Photographic Group has not been active since its wartime disbandment. It is therefore best understood as a historical military unit and lineage rather than a current operating brand or organization.

The 1st Photographic Group was constituted on 15 May 1941 and activated on 10 June 1941 at Bolling Field, District of Columbia. Its creation reflected the rapid expansion of the General Headquarters Air Force's photographic and mapping capabilities in the period before the United States entered the Second World War. The group inherited personnel and experience from the 1st Photographic Squadron and was organized with four initial squadrons distributed among American air installations: the 1st Photographic Squadron at Bolling Field, the 2d at Gray Field in Washington, the 3d at Maxwell Field in Alabama, and the 4th at Moffett Field in California. The group's original mission combined photographic mapping with experimentation in long-range photographic reconnaissance. The Army Air Forces were studying foreign experience, including the Royal Air Force's operational use of aerial photography, while also preparing coverage for the defense of North America. Before 1942, reconnaissance squadrons associated with bombardment groups often trained primarily for bombing, despite reconnaissance being their nominal principal function. In April 1942, the Army Air Forces reorganized this arrangement, moving photographic-reconnaissance responsibilities into more specialized organizations. The 1st Photographic Group supported the training of reconnaissance units, although its own squadrons were extensively engaged in mapping missions. The group was redesignated the 1st Mapping Group on 13 January 1942. It was assigned to the Second Air Force on 13 October 1942 and continued to perform broad geographic-survey work. Around 11 August 1943, it became the 1st Photographic Charting Group. Additional photographic and mapping elements were attached or assigned during 1943, including the 6th Photographic Squadron, the 19th Photographic Charting Squadron, and the 91st Photographic Mapping Squadron. The group was not primarily a combat formation; its value lay in generating the aerial imagery and charts required for military operations, planning, navigation, and territorial defense. Its wartime geographic reach was extensive. The group charted areas of the continental United States and sent detachments to Alaska, Canada, Africa, the Middle East, India, the Caribbean, Mexico, Central America, South America, and the Kuril Islands. One cited activity was participation in Operation Rusty in Africa. These deployments demonstrate the transition of military aerial photography from a local support activity into a global strategic capability. In December 1943, the Army Air Forces activated the 11th Photographic Group at Reading Army Air Field, Pennsylvania, creating a second American mapping group. The 1st, 3d, and 19th Photographic Charting Squadrons were transferred from the 1st Group to the new organization. The 1st Group moved to Peterson Field, Colorado, on 23 December 1943. On 5 March 1944, it was assigned to the 311th Photographic Wing, which coordinated the Army Air Forces' photographic and charting formations. The 1st and 11th Groups were both later dissolved as separate groups on 5 October 1944, with their component units assigned directly to the 311th Wing. The 1st Group had been operating from Buckley Field, Colorado, since 2 July 1944. After the war, the organization's inactive lineage transferred to the newly established United States Air Force in 1947. On 31 July 1985, the lineage was reconstituted and redesignated the 358th Special Operations Group. This was a lineage action rather than a return to operational service: the reconstituted group was never activated. The 1st Photographic Group itself has not been active since its 1944 disbandment.

• 1985

  Lineage reconstituted

  [1]1st Photographic Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The lineage was reconstituted on 31 July as the 358th Special Operations Group, but that organization was never activated.

• 1944

  Assignment to the 311th Photographic Wing

  [1]1st Photographic Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The group joined the 311th Photographic Wing on 5 March.

• 1944

  Disbandment

  [1]1st Photographic Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The group was disbanded on 5 October, and its personnel and equipment were absorbed into the 311th Wing.

• 1943

  Redesignation as 1st Photographic Charting Group

  [1]1st Photographic Groupen.wikipedia.org

  Around 11 August, the group received the 1st Photographic Charting Group designation and added further mapping and charting elements.

• 1943

  Creation of a second American mapping group

  [1]1st Photographic Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The 11th Photographic Group was activated in December, ending the 1st Group's status as the Army Air Forces' only United States noncombat mapping group.

• 1942

  Redesignation as 1st Mapping Group

  [1]1st Photographic Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The organization adopted the 1st Mapping Group designation on 13 January as its mapping mission became more central.

• 1941

  Constitution and activation

  [1]1st Photographic Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The unit was constituted on 15 May and activated on 10 June at Bolling Field, District of Columbia.

A specialized noncombat Army Air Forces unit focused on aerial mapping, photographic charting, and reconnaissance support.

• Military cartography · 1941

  Aerial photographic mapping

  The group's central wartime function was collecting and processing aerial photography to map areas of the United States and overseas territories. This work supported defense planning, navigation, reconnaissance, and the preparation of military charts rather than direct combat operations.

• Military intelligence support · 1941

  Photographic reconnaissance

  The unit conducted experiments and missions involving long-range photographic reconnaissance. It also assisted the broader Army Air Forces reconnaissance-training system as specialized photographic units replaced older arrangements tied to bombardment groups.

• Overseas survey operations · 1941

  Photographic charting detachments

  Detachments operated across North America, Africa, the Middle East, India, the Caribbean, Latin America, Alaska, and the Kuril Islands. Their output consisted of geographic imagery and charts for military use.

1. 11st Photographic Groupen.wikipedia.org