Lineage. Constituted as 338 Fighter Squadron (Twin Engine) on 10 Sep 1942. Activated on 12 Sep 1942. Redesignated as: 338 Fighter Squadron, Twin Engine on 20 Aug 1943; 338 Fighter Squadron, Single Engine on 5 Sep 1944. Inactivated on 20 Aug 1946. Redesignated as 338 Reconnaissance Squadron, Very Long Range, Mapping on 3 Feb 1947. Activated on 15 Mar 1947. Redesignated as 338 Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron, Photographic Mapping on 1 Jul 1949. Inactivated on 14 Oct 1949. Redesignated as 338 Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron, Medium, Photographic Mapping on 27 Oct 1950. Activated on 1 Nov 1950. Redesignated as 338 Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron, Medium on 15 Jul 1954. Discontinued, and inactivated, on 15 Jun 1963. Redesignated as 338 Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron, and activated, on 24 Feb 1967. Organized on 25 Mar 1967. Discontinued, and inactivated, on 25 Dec 1967. Redesignated as 338 Combat Training Squadron on 7 Sep 1999. Activated on 20 Sep 1999.
Assignments. 55 Fighter Group, 12 Sep 1942 20 Aug 1946. 5 Reconnaissance Group, 15 Mar 1947; Strategic Air Command, 26 May 1949; 55 Strategic Reconnaissance Group, 1 Jun 14 Oct 1949. 55 Strategic Reconnaissance Group, 1 Nov 1950 (attached to 91 Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, 1 Nov 1 Dec 1950); 55 Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, 16 Jun 1952 15 Jun 1963. Strategic Air Command, 24 Feb 1967; 55 Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, 25 March-25 Dec 1967. 55 Operations Group, 20 Sep 1999.
Stations. Paine Field, WA, 12 Sep 1942; McChord Field, WA, 12 Sep 1942 20 Aug 1943; Nuthampstead, England, 14 Sep 1943; Wormingford, England, 16 Apr 1944; Kaufbeuren, Germany, 22 Jul 1945; Giebelstadt, Germany, 30 Apr 20 Aug 1946. Harmon Field AAB, Guam, 15 Mar 1947; Los Negros, 20 Jun 1947; Clark Field, Philippines, 9 Jan 1948 6 May 1949; Fairfield Suisan AFB, CA, 26 May 1949; Topeka (later, Forbes) AFB, KS, 1 Jun 14 Oct 1949. Barksdale AFB, LA, 1 Nov 1950; Rainey AFB, PR, 25 Nov 1950; Forbes AFB, KS, 21 Oct 1952 15 Jun 1963. Offutt AFB, NE, 24 Feb 25 Dec 1967. Offutt AFB, NE, 20 Sep 1999.
Commanders. Capt Richard W. Busching, c. Sep 1942; Maj John G. Bright, Dec 1942; Capt Richard W. Busching, Jan 1943; Maj Charles W. Sawyer, 11 Apr 1943; Maj Richard W. Busching, 4 Jul 1943; Maj Charles O. Jones, 8 Mar 1944; Maj Val W. Bollwerk, c. 30 Apr 1944; Lt Col John L. McGinn, 11 Jun 1944; Maj Lanoy D. Anderson, c. 16 Oct 1944; Lt Col Elwyn G. Righetti, c. 23 Nov 1944; Maj Darrell S. Cramer, 22 Jan 1945; Maj Philip Brooks, 19 Feb 1945; Maj Eugene E. Ryan, 20 Apr 1945; Maj Douglas A. Parker, Jul 1945; Capt Robert DeLoach, 8 Dec 1945; unkn, Dec 1945; Maj Archie A. Tower, 26 Feb 1946; Maj Robert L. Ramsey, 17 May 1946 unkn. Lt Col Frank A. Sharp, 1947; Maj James M. Smith, 1948; 1 Lt Norman H. Cogswell, 1 Jun 1949; Maj E.B. Thurlow, by 30 Jun 1949; Capt William J. Horton, by 31 Aug 1949; Capt Norman H. Cogswell, 28 Sep 14 Oct 1949. Lt Col Ernest L. Blanton, 5 Nov 1950; Lt Col Gerard F. Wientjes, 16 Oct 1953; Lt Col Robert S. Rich, 13 May 1954; Maj Richard F. Thomas, 30 Jun 1954; Maj Marion E. Minor Jr., 24 Jul 1954; Lt Col Robert S. Rich, 8 Sep 1954; Lt Col Fred A. Shirley, 15 Sep 1954; Maj Robert E. Dinwiddie, Aug 1955; Lt Col Marion E. Minor Jr., Oct 1955; Maj Harlan L. Laughlin, Nov 1957; Maj George L. Danforth Jr., Mar 1959; Lt Col Warren R. Aylesworth, Mar 1960; Maj George L. Danforth Jr., Sep 1960; Maj Douglas E. Hagie, 29 May 1961; Lt Col Donald A. Grant, 15 Jun 1962; Maj Richard F. Thomas, May Jun 1963. Lt Col Harry F. Baker, by 31 Mar 30 Sep 1967; unkn, 1 Oct 25 Dec 1967. Unkn, 20 Sep 1999-unkn; Lt Col John Rauch, by Jan 2005; Lt Col James Dawkins, by Mar 2007-.
Aircraft. P 38, 1942 1944; P 51, 1944 1946. F 13, 1947; F 2, 1947 1949; RB 17, 1947 1949; B 29, 1949. RB 29, 1950 1951; RB 50, 1950 1954; C 82, 1951 1953; YC 97, 1953 1954; RB 47, 1954 1963. EB/RB 47, 1967.
Operations. Combat in European Theater of Operations (ETO), 15 Oct 1943 21 Apr 1945. Photographed islands in western Pacific region, 1947 1949. Aerial photography in support of short range navigation (SHORAN) projects, 1951 1954. Daily weather reconnaissance over northern North America, 1956 1963.
Service Streamers. None.
Campaign Streamers. World War II: Air Offensive, Europe; Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Ardennes Alsace; Central Europe; Air Combat, European-African-Middle Eastern Theater.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citations: European Theater of Operations (ETO), 3 13 Sep 1944; Germany, 19 Feb 1945. Meritorious Unit Awards: 1 Jun 2002-31 May 2004; 1 Jun 2004-31 May 2006; 1 Jun 2006-31 May 2007; 1 Jun 2007-31 May 2008. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: Jul 1956 Nov 1957; 25 Mar 30 Jun 1967; 1 Jun 1999-31 May 2001.
Lineage, Assignments, Stations, and Honors through 4 Jun 2009.
Commanders through Mar 2007, Aircraft, and Operations through Dec 1967.
Supersedes statement prepared on 10 Jun 2000.
Emblem. Approved on 3 Jan 1943; latest rendering, 25 Feb 2022.
Prepared by Patsy Robertson.
Reviewed by Daniel Haulman.