548th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group

The United States Air Force's 548th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group is an intelligence unit located at Beale AFB, California.

548th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group
Active1967-1991, 1992-1994; 2003-present
Country United States
Branch United States Air Force
RoleIntelligence
Part ofAir Combat Command
Garrison/HQBeale Air Force Base, California
EngagementsSouthwest Pacific Theater
DecorationsAir Force Meritorious Unit Award
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
Insignia
548th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group emblem (Approved 11 December 1968)[1]

The group was first activated as the 6th Photographic Technical Squadron in November 1943. After training in the United States, it deployed to the Southwest Pacific Theater, serving in the Pacific until VJ Day. After the end of World War II the squadron remained in the Far East, serving in the occupation forces in Japan. It was still in Japan as the 548th Reconnaissance Technical Squadron, when the Korean War began in June 1950. It supported reconnaissance units in Japan until inactivated in 1960.

The squadron was activated to support Pacific Air Forces at Hickam Air Force Base in October 1965. As the Vietnam War increased the need for photographic interpretation, it expanded to become a group two years later. The 548th continued to serve in the Pacific until inactivating in 1992.

As the 548th Air Intelligence Group the unit was activated in August 1992, supporting Air Combat Command intelligence requirements until October 1994 when it was again inactivated. Its most recent activation at Beale Air Force Base took place in October 2003.

Mission

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The mission of the 548 ISRG is to operate and maintain a $1B AN/GSQ-272 "Sentinel" weapon system (also known as Distributed Ground Station or DGS), and provide combatant commanders with processing, exploitation, and dissemination (PED) of actionable intelligence data collected by U-2, MQ-1, MQ-9 and RQ-4 aircraft and other platforms as required.

History

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The group was first activated in November 1943 as the 6th Photographic Technical Squadron.

Lineage

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  • Constituted as the 6th Photographic Technical Squadron on 20 November 1943
Activated on 1 Dec 1943
  • Redesignated 548 Reconnaissance Technical Squadron on 7 January 1950
Discontinued on 8 March 1960
Organized on 8 October 1965
  • Redesignated 548th Reconnaissance Technical Group on 1 October 1967
Inactivated on 3 July 1991
  • Redesignated 548th Air Intelligence Group on 1 August 1992
Activated on 27 August 1992
Inactivated on 1 October 1994
  • Redesignated 548th Intelligence Group on 23 October 2003
Activated on 1 December 2003
  • Redesignated 548th Intelligence, surveillance and Reconnaissance Group on 1 January 2009[1]

Assignments

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Components

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Stations

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Awards and campaigns

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Award streamer Award Dates Notes
  Air Force Meritorious Unit Award 1 June 2004-31 May 2006 548th Intelligence Group[1]
  Air Force Meritorious Unit Award 1 June 2006-31 May 2007 548th Intelligence Group[1]
  Air Force Outstanding Unit Award 27 June 1950-10 April 1951 548th Reconnaissance Technical Squadron[1]
  Air Force Outstanding Unit Award 11 April 1951-26 November 1954 548th Reconnaissance Technical Squadron[1]
  Air Force Outstanding Unit Award 14 October 1954-30 June 1956 548th Reconnaissance Technical Squadron[1]
  Air Force Outstanding Unit Award 23 January 1968-25 March 1968 548th Reconnaissance Technical Group[1]
  Air Force Outstanding Unit Award 30 March 1972-15 August 1972 548th Reconnaissance Technical Group[1]
  Air Force Outstanding Unit Award 1 February 1974-31 May 1975 548th Reconnaissance Technical Group[1]
  Air Force Outstanding Unit Award 1 July 1978-30 June 1980 548th Reconnaissance Technical Group[1]
  Air Force Outstanding Unit Award 1 June 1986-31 May 1988 548th Reconnaissance Technical Group[1]
  Air Force Outstanding Unit Award 1 April 1989-31 March 1991 548th Reconnaissance Technical Group[1]
  Air Force Outstanding Unit Award 1 January 1993-30 September 1994 548th Air Intelligence Group[1]
  Air Force Outstanding Unit Award 1 June 2007-31 May 2009 548th Intelligence Group[1]
Campaign Streamer Campaign Dates Notes
  New Guinea 13 May 1943 – 31 December 1944 6th Photographic Technical Squadron[1]
  World War II Army of Occupation (Japan) 17 May 1946 – 27 April 1952 6th Photographic Technical Squadron
(later 548th Reconnaissance Technical Squadron)
  Korean Service Medal without inscription 27 June 1950 – 27 July 1853 548th Reconnaissance Technical Squadron[1]

References

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Notes

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Citations

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s Robertson, Patsy (20 April 2012). "Factsheet 548 Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group (AFISRA)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Archived from the original on 27 September 2015. Retrieved 20 January 2016.

Bibliography

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  This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

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