| Unit Name: | 19th Electronic Warfare Squadron |
| Dates: | 1942–1945; 1947–1949; 1953–1970; 2021–present |
| Role: | electronic warfare |
| Command Structure: | United States Air Forces in Europe |
| Battles: | European Theater of Operations[1] |
| Identification Symbol Label: | 19th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron emblem[2] [3] |
The 19th Electronic Warfare Squadron[4] is an active United States Air Force unit, stationed in Bann, Germany as part of the United States Air Forces in Europe Warrior Preparation Center. It was first activated during World War II as the 19th Photographic Mapping Squadron. During the war, the squadron remained in the United States and mapped areas of North America. However, starting in 1944, the air echelon of the squadron deployed to North Africa to map that area. After V-E Day, the squadron moved to England and mapped large areas of Europe until October 1945, when it began to stand down for inactivation. It was briefly active in the reserve from 1947 to 1949 as the 19th Reconnaissance Squadron.
Redesignated the 19th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, the squadron reactivated in July 1953, moving to Europe the following year. In Europe, it trained and flew night photographic reconnaissance for NATO until 1966, when it returned to the United States to perform reconnaissance training. Its mission changed to electronic warfare training as the 19th Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron in October 1967 and it was inactivated at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina in October 1970. The squadron was reactivated in its current role in ay 2021.
The squadron specializes in training United States service members and NATO partners to support transient fourth and fifth generation electronic warfare aircraft. It became a separate squadron to increase manning, resources and further their combat readiness.[5]
The 19th Photographic Mapping Squadron was activated at Peterson Field on 14 July 1942, as part of the 4th Photographic Group. It was equipped with Lockheed F-4 Lightnings. the group trained for overseas duty.
Reassigned to the 1st Photographic Group, the squadron transferred to Bradley Field, Connecticut. It deployed to Mexico to perform photographic mapping over Central and South America with long range Boeing F-9 Flying Fortress and Consolidated F-7 Liberator aircraft. It also performed photographic mapping of the United States while assigned to the 11th Photographic Group.
Reassigned to the 311th Reconnaissance Wing, the squadron moved overseas, being attached to the Royal Air Force. It was first deployed to Africa, the squadron photographed airfields and created maps of western and central Africa in support of Air Transport Command, developing logistical supply routes across the dark continent. It was later assigned to Egypt, mapping the Middle East with long-range aircraft including some Consolidated OA-10 Catalinas, photographing airfields, coastal defenses and ports.
Reassigned to England in April 1945, the squadron took bomb-damage assessment photographs of airfields, marshalling yards, bridges and other targets. It remained in the theater after combat ended, performing photo-mapping of Western Europe. It was inactivated at Foggia Airfield, Italy in December 1945.
The squadron was activated as the 19th Reconnaissance Squadron in the reserve under Air Defense Command (ADC) at Newark Airport, New Jersey, and assigned to the 66th Tactical Reconnaissance Group in November 1947.[3] It trained under the supervision of the 114th AAF Base Unit (Reserve Training) (later the 2231 Air Force Reserve Flying Training Center). It is not clear whether or not the squadron was fully staffed or equipped with tactical aircraft. [6] In 1948 Continental Air Command assumed responsibility for managing reserve and Air National Guard units from ADC.[7] President Truman’s reduced 1949 defense budget required reductions in the number of units in the Air Force,[8] and the 19th was inactivated[3] and not replaced as reserve flying operations at Newark ceased.
The 19th was reactivated at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina in July 1953 as the 19th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, assigned to the 363d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, part of the Ninth Air Force. It was equipped with North American RB-45 Tornados. It trained in the United States until it was deployed to RAF Sculthorpe, England in May 1954. It was assigned to United States Air Force in Europe's Third Air Force and attached to the 47th Bombardment Wing. It performed tactical reconnaissance and photo-mapping missions over Western Europe and North Africa. It also conducted classified deep penetration and reconnaissance flights over the Soviet Union.
The squadron upgraded to Douglas RB-66 Destroyers and replaced the obsolescent RB-45s from February 1957. It became the primary night photographic reconnaissance squadron of the USAFE, being assigned to bases in West Germany, England and France. It returned to the United States after the French withdrawal from the NATO military alliance in 1966 and became a replacement training unit for RB-66 aircrews.
In 1968, the squadron was re-equipped with EB-66B electronic countermeasures aircraft. The reconnaissance equipment was removed and replaced by electronic jamming equipment. The tail turret was also removed, automatic jamming equipment was fitted in its place. Numerous antennae protruded from the aircraft, and chaff dispensing pods were carried. Redesignated the 19th Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron and deployed to Pacific Air Forces), it was assigned to the 18th Tactical Fighter Wing first in Japan, later in Okinawa. The unit flew missions over North Vietnam as electronic warfare aircraft, joining strike missions to jam enemy radar installations.
The squadron was inactivated in 1970 at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa as part of the draw-down of USAF forces in Southeast Asia.
The squadron's most recent activation came in May 2021, when it replaced United States Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa Warfare Center Detachment 3 at Bann, Germany. The detachment had been established in 2019. The unit operates systems supporting Polygone, a multinational electronic warfare range on the German-French border. The squadron mission includes military exercise participation with partner countries.[5]
Activated on 23 July 1942
Redesignated 19th Photographic Squadron (Heavy) on 6 February 1943
Redesignated 19th Photographic Charting Squadron on 11 August 1943
Redesignated 19th Reconnaissance Squadron (Long Range, Photographic) on 15 June 1945
Inactivated on 15 December 1945
Activated in the reserve on 6 November 1947
Inactivated on 27 June 1949
Activated on 20 July 1953
Inactivated on 31 October 1970
Activated on 11 May 2021[1]