| Unit Name: | 20th Intelligence Squadron |
| Dates: | 1942–1946; 1947–1951; 1954–1967; 1992–present |
| Role: | Intelligence |
| Size: | Squadron |
| Command Structure: | Air Combat Command |
| Garrison: | Offutt Air Force Base |
| Decorations: | Distinguished Unit Citation Presidential Unit Citation Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat "V" Device Air Force Meritorious Unit Award Air Force Outstanding Unit Award Air Force Organizational Excellence Award Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm[1] |
| Mascot: | Yosemite Sam |
| Battles: | Southwest Pacific Theater Vietnam War |
| Identification Symbol Label: | 20th Intelligence Squadron emblem (approved 7 July 1958) |
The 20th Intelligence Squadron is a United States Air Force unit, assigned to the 363d Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Group at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska. It has served at Offutt since June 1992, when it was activated as the 20th Air Intelligence Squadron.
The squadron was first activated as the 20th Photographic Mapping Squadron in July 1942. In September 1943, it moved to the Southwest Pacific Theater, engaging in combat mapping missions until V-J Day, moving forward with Allied forces through New Guinea, the Philippine Islands and the Ryuku Islands, earning a Distinguished Unit Citation and a Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation. It briefly served with the occupation forces before inactivating in June 1946. As the 20th Reconnaissance Squadron (later 20th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron), it served in the reserve from 1947 until it was mobilized for the Korean War in 1951. It was inactivated shortly after being called to active duty and its personnel and equipment were used to bring other units up to strength.
The squadron was activated at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina in March 1954 as the 20th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron. It trained in reconnaissance missions, deploying to MacDill Air Force Base during the Cuban Missile Crisis. In 1965, the squadron moved to Southeast Asia, where it flew combat reconnaissance missions until inactivating in November 1967.
The mission of the 20th is to provide prompt, precise intelligence enabling warfighters to safely engage and achieve global objectives. The 20th processes and analyzes raw electronic intelligence data, and prepares both operational and technical electronic intelligence reports and studies. The 20th is organized into three flights:
The squadron was originally formed as the 20th Photographic Mapping Squadron in mid-1942.[2] In these early years, the unit worked under several different names and was stationed in the Pacific Theater as an element of Fifth Air Force. The units operated a variety of photographic reconnaissance aircraft in the South Pacific, engaging in combat reconnaissance. It moved to Japan in 1945, carrying out postwar reconnaissance and mapping of the Japanese Home Islands and Korean Peninsula as part of the War Department's Post Hostilities Mapping Project. It was inactivated June 1946[2]
The squadron was activated in the reserve in 1947 as the 20th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron, a long range reconnaissance squadron. It was called to active duty during the Korean War at the start of May 1951. Its personnel were used as fillers for other United States Air Force units and it was inactivated two weeks later.[2]
The squadron was reactivated in the regular Air Force as the 20th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron in 1954 under the 432d Tactical Reconnaissance Group as a Lockheed RF-80A Shooting Star reconnaissance training squadron at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. It upgraded to Republic RF-84F Thunderflashes in 1955. The squadron transferred to operational missions in 1959 with reassignment to the 363d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing and re-equipped with McDonnell RF-101 Voodoos. The unit deployed to Florida in 1962 during Cuban Missile Crisis and flew tactical reconnaissance flights over Cuba during the Crisis. It returned to Shaw in late 1962. The squadron deployed to Tan Son Nhut Air Base, South Vietnam, 1963–1965 flying tactical reconnaissance in Southeast Asia. It was inactivated in 1967.
The squadron was reactivated and designated the 20th Air Intelligence Squadron under the newly formed Air Combat Command in 1992, at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska.[1] A year later, it was redesignated as the 20th Intelligence Squadron.[1]
Activated on 23 July 1942
Redesignated 20th Photographic Squadron (Heavy) on 6 February 1943
Redesignated 20th Combat Mapping Squadron on 11 August 1943
Redesignated 20th Reconnaissance Squadron, Long Range (Photographic-RCM)[3] on 10 May 1945
Inactivated on 20 June 1946
Activated in the reserve on 25 July 1947
Redesignated 20th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron, Photographic Mapping on 27 June 1949
Ordered to active service on 1 May 1951
Inactivated on 16 May 1951
Activated on 18 March 1954
Redesignated 20th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadronon 8 October 1966
Discontinued and inactivated 1 November 1967
Activated 12 June 1992
Redesignated 20th Intelligence Squadron on 1 October 1993[1]