23rd Intelligence Squadron

23rd Intelligence Squadron
F-5E Lightning of World War II
Active	1942–1945; 1986–1996; 2000–2011; 2017–present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Role	Military intelligence
Part of	Air Force Reserve Command
Garrison/HQ	Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland
Nickname(s)	"Fightin' Knights"[citation needed]
Motto(s)	Lights On, Fights On[1] Per Lucem Vincimus (Latin for 'We Conquer Through Light') (World War II)[2]
Engagements	Mediterranean Theater of Operations[1]
Decorations	Distinguished Unit Citation Air Force Outstanding Unit Award French Croix de Guerre with silver gilt star air Force Organizational Excellence Award Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
Insignia
23d Intelligence Squadron emblem[note 1][1]
23rd Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron emblem[2]

The United States Air Force's 23d Intelligence Squadron is a military intelligence unit located at Joint Base San Antonio, Texas. Its first predecessor was organized during World War II as the 23rd Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron. After training in the United States, the squadron deployed to the Mediterranean Theater of Operations, until V-E Day, earning a Distinguished Unit Citation and French Croix de Guerre. It inactivated in theater in September 1945.

The squadron's second predecessor is the 6947th Electronic Security Squadron, which was organized at Key West Naval Air Station in 1986. In 1993 the two squadrons were consolidated as the 23d Intelligence Squadron in 1993. The squadron was inactivated in 1996, but activated again as the 23d Information Operations Squadron at Kelly Annex from 2000 to 2011. The squadron returned to the 23d Intelligence Squadron designation and was activated in the reserves in 2017.

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The squadron was first activated as the 23d Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron in 1942. It served in combat in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations, where it earned a Distinguished Unit Citation and a French Croix de Guerre for combat operations.^[3]

The 6947th Electronic Security Squadron was activated at Key West Naval Air Station in 1986 as an electronic intelligence squadron. In 1993, the two squadrons were consolidated as the 23rd Intelligence Squadron. The consolidated squadron was inactivated in 1996.^[1]

The squadron was again activated as the 23rd Information Operations Squadron in 2000.^[1] The mission of the squadron was to deliver full spectrum information operations tactics to the warfighter.^{[clarification needed]} The squadron was inactivated in 2011^[1] and its resources and personnel transferred to the 318th Operations Support Squadron.

The squadron was activated in the reserve in 2017 as the 23rd Intelligence Squadron.^[1]

23d Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron

Constituted as the 23rd Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron on 14 July 1942

• Activated on 2 September 1942

Redesignated 23rd Photographic Squadron (Light) on 6 February 1943

Redesignated 23rd Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron on 13 November 1943

Inactivated on 12 September 1945^[3]

Consolidated with the 6947th Electronic Security Squadron on 1 October 1993 as the 23rd Intelligence Squadron^[1]

23d Information Operations Squadron

• Designated as the 6947th Electronic Security Squadron and activated on 1 July 1986

Consolidated with the 23rd Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron on 1 October 1993 as the 23rd Intelligence Squadron

Redesignated 23rd Information Operations Squadron on 17 July 2000

• Activated on 1 August 2000

Inactivated on 7 December 2011

Redesignated 23rd Intelligence Squadron on 4 August 2017

• Activated on 2 September 2017^[1]

• 5th Photographic Group (later 5th Photographic Reconnaissance and Mapping Group, 5th Photographic Reconnaissance Group, 5th Photographic Group): 2 September 1942 (attached to 3d Photographic Reconnaissance and Mapping Group (later 3d Photographic Group), c. 15 July - 8 September 1943, 9 February - 9 March 1944, after 23 August 1944)
• 3d Photographic Group (later 3d Reconnaissance Group): 15 November 1944 – 12 September 1945^[3]
• 6940th Electronic Security Wing: 1 Jul 1986
• Continental Electronic Security Division: 1 Apr 1987
• 694th Electronic Security Wing: 15 Jul 1988
• Continental Electronic Security Division: 1 Jan 1991
• 693d Intelligence Wing: 1 Oct 1991
• 67th Intelligence Group: 1 Oct 1993 – 30 Jun 1996
• 318th Information Operations Group: 1 Aug 2000 – 7 December 2011
• 655th Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Group: 2 September 2017 – present^[1]

• Distinguished Unit Citation 28 February 1944^[3]
• Air Force Organizational Excellence Award^[1]
• Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with six oak leaf clusters^[1]
• French Croix de Guerre with gilt star 15 August 1943 – 15 October 1944^[3]

• F-5 (1943–1945)
• Lockheed P-38 Lightning (1943–1945)^[3]

• 24th Air Force

Explanatory notes

Citations

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

• Johnson, 1st Lt. David C. (1988). U.S. Army Air Forces Continental Airfields (ETO) D-Day to V-E Day (PDF). Maxwell AFB, AL: Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 September 2015.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556.
• Watkins, Robert A. (2009). Insignia and Aircraft Markings of the U.S. Army Air Force In World War II. Vol. IV, European-African-Middle Eastern Theater of Operations. Atglen,PA: Shiffer Publishing, Ltd. ISBN 978-0-7643-3401-6.

• 37th Training Wing Public Affairs: Lackland AFB, Texas