23rd Intelligence Squadron

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}

{{Use American English|date=November 2022}}

{{Infobox military unit

|unit_name=23rd Intelligence Squadron

|image=F-5E Lightning 1944.jpg

|image_size=300

|caption=F-5E Lightning of World War II

|dates=1942–1945; 1986–1996; 2000–2011; 2017–present

|country={{USA}}

|branch={{air force|USA}}

|type=

|role=Military intelligence

|size=

|command_structure=Air Force Reserve Command

|current_commander=

|garrison=Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland

|nickname="Fightin' Knights"{{citation needed|date=November 2022}}

|motto=Lights On, Fights On{{Cite web|url= https://www.dafhistory.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/3197457/23-intelligence-squadron-afrc/ |title=Factsheet 23 Intelligence Squadron (AFRC) |last1=Lahue|first1=Melissa|date=13 October 2022|publisher=Air Force Historical Research Agency|access-date=November 1, 2022}}
{{langnf|la|Per Lucem Vincimus|We Conquer Through Light}} (World War II)Watkins, p. 124

|colors=

|march=

|mascot=

|battles=Mediterranean Theater of Operations

|anniversaries=

|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

|identification_symbol=165px

|identification_symbol_label=23d Intelligence Squadron emblemApproved 15 November 2000.

|identification_symbol_2=165px

|identification_symbol_2_label=23rd Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron emblem

}}

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.

Mission

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History

=World War II=

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.Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 123-124

=Intelligence operations=

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.

The squadron was again activated as the 23rd Information Operations Squadron in 2000. The mission of the squadron was to deliver full spectrum information operations tactics to the warfighter.{{Clarify|date=February 2014}} The squadron was inactivated in 2011 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.

Lineage

; 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

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

; 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

=Assignments=

=Stations=

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=Decorations=

=Aircraft=

See also

References

=Notes=

; Explanatory notes

{{Reflist|group=note}}

; Citations

{{Reflist|40em}}

=Bibliography=

{{Air Force Historical Research Agency}}

  • {{cite book|last=Johnson|first=1st Lt. David C.|title=U.S. Army Air Forces Continental Airfields (ETO) D-Day to V-E Day|url=http://www.afhra.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-081010-026.pdf|year=1988|publisher=Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center|location=Maxwell AFB, AL|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150929064443/http://www.afhra.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-081010-026.pdf|archive-date=29 September 2015|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}
  • {{cite book|editor=Maurer, Maurer|title=Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II|origyear=1969|url= http://media.defense.gov/2010/Dec/02/2001329899/-1/-1/0/AFD-101202-002.pdf|archive-url= https://archive.today/20230820144531/https://media.defense.gov/2010/Dec/02/2001329899/-1/-1/0/AFD-101202-002.pdf|url-status= dead|archive-date= 20 August 2023|edition= reprint|year=1982|publisher=Office of Air Force History|location=Washington, DC|isbn=0-405-12194-6|oclc=72556|lccn=70605402}}
  • {{cite book|last=Watkins|first=Robert A.|title=Insignia and Aircraft Markings of the U.S. Army Air Force In World War II|volume=IV, European-African-Middle Eastern Theater of Operations|year=2009|publisher=Shiffer Publishing, Ltd.|location=Atglen,PA|isbn=978-0-7643-3401-6}}