1st Photographic Group

1st Photographic Group
Emblem of the 1st Photographic Group
Active	1941–1944
Country	United States
Branch	United States Army Air Forces
Role	Aerial Reconnaissance

The 1st Photographic Group is an inactive United States Army Air Forces unit. It was last assigned to the 311th Photographic Wing, stationed at Buckley Field, Colorado. It was disbanded on 5 October 1944, but reconstituted in 1985 as the 358th Special Operations Group.

Established in mid-1941 as a GHQ Air Force aerial mapping and reconnaissance group based at Bolling Field. Mission was to conduct long-range photo reconnaissance after the pattern developed by the British. Each of the four initial assigned squadrons of the group (1st, 2d, 3d, 4th) was assigned to one of the four continental air forces (1st, 2d, 3d, 4th).

The unit had almost no opportunity for training because each of its squadrons was busily engaged in carrying out mapping missions for hemisphere defense. The Photographic Squadrons were largely equipped with short-range second-line aircraft from the 1930s. Not until the end of 1942 were the first modern aircraft, B-25 (F-10) Mitchells, were assigned to observation groups

Long-range reconnaissance squadrons were established as part of combat bombardment groups in the Continental United States as well as the Caribbean and in Hawaii. These squadrons were associated with the 1st Photographic Group for crew training in aerial photography and reconnaissance. These bomber reconnaissance squadrons were designed to provide a long-range reconnaissance capability with each group. However, with the entry of the United States into World War II after the Pearl Harbor Attack, these units could no longer serve as both reconnaissance training and photo-mapping squadrons. The bombers were needed for combat bombing missions more than for reconnaissance. In April 1942 these squadrons were absorbed by those groups and were redesignated as bombardment squadrons.

During World War II, the group charted and mapped areas of the United States and sent detachments to perform similar functions in Alaska, Canada, Africa, the Middle East, India, the Caribbean, Mexico, Central and South America, and the Kurils. Inactivated in late 1944.