USAF Patch Recon tb USAFE b 30 TRS Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron RF 4C Phantom c4b

USAF Patch USAFE 30 TRS Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron RF 4C Phantom RAF Alconbury 1970 Embroidered on twill cut edge 101mm four inches diameter.

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Squadron History  

30 Reconnaissance Squadron Photo was activated in the Reserve on 25 July 1947 at Newark Army Air Base New Jersey as a Tenth Air Force Reserve corollary unit under the guidance of active duty units at McGuire AFB equipped with RF 51D Mustang aircraft and assigned to 66th Reconnaissance Group to train and maintain its reserve personnel in reconnaissance operations. The Squadron relocated to McGuire AFB and redesignated 30 Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron Electronics on 27 June 1949. The Squadron was ordered to active service on 1 May 1951 to support the Korean War with personnel and aircraft being reassigned to various active duty units before inactivation on 16 May 1951. 

The Squadron was reactivated as 30 Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron Night Photo at Shaw AFB South Carolina on 1 January 1953 equipped with RB 26B Invader aircraft assigned to 66 Tactical Reconnaissance Group deploying to Sembach AB West Germany to USAFE for night reconnaissance to support NATO operations. The Squadron reequipped with RB 57A Canberra reconnaissance jet aircraft in 1955.  

The Squadron was redesignated 30 Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron Night Photo Jet on 8 January 1957 reequipping with RB 66C Destroyer reconnaissance aircraft. 66 TRG was upgraded to Wing stratus as 66 Tactical Reconnaissance Wing on 8 December 1957 and the Squadron relocated to Spangdahlem AB attached to 10 Tactical Reconnaissance Wing on 8 Jan 1958 before being assigned to 10 TRW on 8 March 1958. 

The Squadron relocated to RAF Alconbury England with 10 TRW on 25 August 1959 when Spangdahlem AB was redesignated a Tactical Fighter base. The Squadron undertook regular rotational TDY deployments to Toul Rosieres AB France as part of 10 TFWs forward operating detachment Det 1 until 1965. The Squadron reequipped with RF 4C Phantom II reconnaissance aircraft in 1966 for day and night operations and was redesignated 30 Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron on 1 October 1966. 30 TRS deployed to operate from Moron AB Spain on 9 May to 10 June 1968. 

30 TRS operated the RF 4C from RAF Alconbury in support of NATO operations until inactivation on 1 April 1976 with the reduction in the numbers of frontline tactical reconnaissance aircraft following the end of the Vietnam war and the advent of satellite reconnaissance.  

The Squadron reactivated as 30th Reconnaissance Squadron at Tonopah Test Range Airport on 1 September 2005 assigned to 57 Operations Group equipped with RQ 170 Sentinel unmanned reconnaissance aircraft. The Squadron was reassigned to 432 Air Expeditionary Wing AEW on 1 May 2007 and relocated to Creech AFB Nevada on 1 July 2007. The Squadron deployed a detachment to Al Dhafra Air Base United Arab Emirates in 2010 to undertake reconnaissance missions on the Iranian nuclear program.

This patch dates from 1970.