USAF Patch Recon tb USAFE 1 TRS Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron RF 4C Phantom d3sa

USAF Patch USAFE 1 TRS Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron Patch Subdued RF 4C Phantom RAF Alconbury 1985 English made Embroidered on twill cut edge 85mm by 80mm three and five sixteenth inches by three and one eighth inches.

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Squadron History

1 Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron TRS was activated on 15 October 1945 assigned to the 10 Tactical Reconnaissance Group at Creil France equipped with Noorduyn UC 64 Norseman Beech C 45 Expeditor and Douglas C 47 Skytrain aircraft replacing 111 Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron which was returned to the National Guard. The Squadron relocated to Istres le Tube AB France on 13 January 1946 and then to Fuerth AB Germany on 10 February 1946 where it began transition to North American P 51 Mustangs. The Squadron moved to Furstenfeldbrueck AB Germany on 15 April 1947 and was redesignated 1 Reconnaissance Squadron Night Photo on 25 June 1947. 1 TRS relocated to Langley AFB VA on 25 June 1947 reequipping with F 6D then RF 51D Mustang aircraft moving to Lawson AFB GA on 8 September 1947 then to Pope AFB on 1 October 1947 flying aerial mapping and reconnaissance missions over the mid Atlantic region and supporting Army forces at Fort Bragg during maneuvers. 1 TRS was inactivated on 1 April 1949. 

1 Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron Night Photographic was reactivated on 10 July 1952 at Toul Rosieres AB France equipped with black painted Douglas RB 26 Invader aircraft for night reconnaissance missions replacing 160 Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron Alabama Air National Guard and was assigned to 10 Tactical Reconnaissance Group. The Squadron relocated to Spangdahlem AB Germany on 8 May 1953 supporting United States Army and North Atlantic Treaty Organization ground forces in West Germany and added RB 57A Canberra aircraft to its fleet in October 1954 with the last RB 26 Invaders retired at the end of 1956. In 1957 the RB 57s were transferred to Châteauroux Déols Air Depot for shipment back to the United States and the Squadron reequipped with Douglas RB 66C Destroyer recon aircraft. The Squadron was redesignated 1 Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron Night Photo Jet on 1 May 1959.

The Squadron relocated to RAF Alconbury England on 26 August 1959 with its RB 66Cs for night reconnaissance on the retirement of 47 Bombardment Wings B 45s at Alconbury and Spangdalem AB allocation for tactical fighter operations. The Squadron frequently deployed on rotation to Toul Air Base as Detachment 1 10 TRW at the Wings forward operating location until 1966. In 1966 the Squadron converted to RF 4C Phantom II aircraft and was redesignated 1 Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron on 1 October 1966. The Squadron operated from RAF Weathersfield as well as from RAF Alconbury during the 1970s supporting US and NATO exercises.

21 Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron was consolidated with 1 Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron and designated 1 Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron on 21 September 1985 to give the squadron a World War II history. The Squadron became nonoperational on 16 June 1987 with the withdrawal of the RF 4C Phantoms from Europe and was inactivated on 15 January 1988 when 10 TRW was redesignated 10 Tactical Fighter Wing and transitioned to A 10 ground support aircraft.

1 Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron was redesignated 21 Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron and converted to provisional status on 10 August 2007 assigned to USAFE United States Air Forces Europe to activate or inactivate any time after 10 August 2007. 21 ERS operated at Souda Bay Greece on 8 October 2007 under 401 Air Expeditionary Group until 9 September 2008 when it was attached to 100th Operations Group at Souda Bay.

This patch dates from 1985.