91 Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron
History Notes

Chapter 3, Page 1 of 7 Pages

World War II: Uncharted Territory

As Nazi Germany and Tojo’s Japan began their campaigns of world domination, the U.S. started taking steps to prepare for its eventual participation in World War II. After almost 20 years on the U.S. West coast, the 91st Observation Squadron (Medium) was transferred to Wheeler-Sack Field, New York in September 1941. There, the 91st flew cooperative missions with the 4th Armored Division and participated in extensive Army Armored Division maneuvers in middle Tennessee in an effort to prepare American troops for their invasion of North Africa.

Edior's Note:

There are two, Chapter 3-related additional pages to the Clarence
Freeman Photo Collection that was introduced in Chapter 2.
You may click here to access that presentation with a
quick return to this page to continue your
review of the 91st Squadron History.
O-38

Observation

Aircraft
O-47

Observation

Aircraft

with

three-man crew

at the ready

(1)
Photo of a

restored O-47B

on display at the

USAF Museum,

Dayton, Ohio
After the troops shipped out for North Africa and Europe, the 91st Squadron was redesignated from “Observation” to “Reconnaissance” and transferred to the 26th Reconnaissance Group. The aircraft flown by the unit changed over from smaller O-46, 47 and 52 aircraft to A-20s and B-25s. In September 1943, the 91st’s headquarters was moved to Reading, Pennsylvania though most of its flying flights were sent south for important work.
Artist Cartoon of a Mission Cancellation (2)
(Editors note: If you would like to learn more about the A-20 and O-52, click on these URLs to the USAF Museum, WPAFB, and use your back button to return to this page.

A-20: http://www.wpafb.af.mil/museum/research/attack/a3/attack3.htm

O-52: http://www.wpafb.af.mil/museum/modern_flight/mf16.htm
Cameramen

in typical

posed position

for photo

reconnaissance

enjoyed an

increasingly wider

field of vision.

Attributions

1. Spy in the Sky, Robert L. Trimble, Air Classics Magazine, Volume 15, Number 9, September 1979, page 48.

2. Drawing provided to author by former Sgt. Irvin Janofsky of the 91st Observation Squadron at Fort Lewis.

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