00497523 2-2714-24A UNCLASSIFIED 2433921 10-01-1951 2434012 12-31-1951

SQUADRON/0058/STRATEGIC RECONNAISSANCE, MEDIUM, WEATHER

History K360.4-58 16816 K3827 4 326 06 43 2451747 07-21-2000 2451752 07-26-2000 ACTIVATED 21 FEB 1951 AT EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE (AFB) AK. MISSION WAS TO PROVIDE AERIAL WEATHER RECONNAISSANCE TO FULFILL REQUIREMENTS ESTABLISHED BY 2107 AIR WEATHER GROUP (AWG); PROVIDE WEATHER REPORTS FROM AREAS INACCESSIBLE OTHERWISE AS RESULT OF GEOGRAPHICAL OR TACTICAL OBSTACLES; ACCOMPLISH SHCEDULED AND NONSCHEDULED WEATHER RECONNAISSANCE MISSION IN SUPPORT OF SPECIAL PROJECTS; PROVIDE ICE OBSERVATION OF ARCTIC REGIONS; PERFORM REQUIRED PERSONNEL TRAINING; OBTAIN AND DISSEMINATE INTELLIGENCE INFORMATION OT MAXIMUM EXTENT POSSIBLE; AND CONDUCT OTHER PROJECTS DIRECTED BY HIGHER HEADQUARTERS. MAJ CLARENCE N. CHAMBERLAIN JR ASSUMED COMMAND 22 DEC 1951. UNDERWENT QUARTERLY AIR INSPECTION. DROPSONDE SHOWED HIGH RATE OF INSTRUMENT FAILURES. INSTALLED IN AIRCRAFT BRACKETS TO SUPPORT MOTION PICTURE EQUIPMENT USED TO PHOTOGRAPH ICE PACK. RECONNOITERED ICE ISLAND T-1. CONDUCTED WINTER OPERATIONS TEST TO DETERMINE BASE CAPACITY TO RESIST ATTACK WHILE UNDER WINTER SNOW. PARTICIPATED IN CONFERENCE AT WRIGHT RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER IN DAYTON OH TO DISCUSS POLAR FLYING. ATTENDED CONFERENCE AT EQUIPMENT LABORATORY'S INSTRUMENT AND NAVIGATION BRANCH CENTERING ON THEMES OF NAVIGATIONAL METHODS INCIDENTAL TO POLAR AREA, INSTRUMENTS USED AND INSTRUMENTS UNDER DEVELOPMENT. COMPILED REPORT, MODIFICATION REQUIREMENTS OF ORGANIZATIONAL WB-29 AIRCRAFT. ZACK MOSELY'S SMILIN' JACK COMIC STRIP DEPICTED CHARACTER AS FOLLOWING WB-29 BELONGING TO SQUADRON TO ESTABLISH DIRECTION. FLEW WEATHER MISSIONS WITH 56 STRATEGIC RECONNAISSANCE SQUADRON (SRS) AT YLKOTA AIR FORCE BASE (AFB), JAPAN. NONE INCLUDES PHOTOGRAPHS, MAPS, ORDERS, NUMBERED SQUADRON LETTERS, WEATHER MISSION DATA, GRAPHS, STATISTICAL SUMMARIES, AND NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS. 2451752 07-26-2000 CG 2451752 07-26-2000