65th Reconnaissance Group

65th Military Airlift Support Group
C-124C Globemaster II of Military Airlift Command
Active	1941-1943; 1946-1949; 1952-1953; 1966-1972
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Role	Airlift Support
Part of	Military Airlift Command
Decorations	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award

The 65th Military Airlift Support Group is an inactive unit of the United States Air Force. It was last active as part of Military Airlift Command at Yokota Air Base, Japan, where it was inactivated on 1 June 1972.

The group was first activated as the 65th Observation Group in September 1941 at Columbia Army Air Base, South Carolina. It initially consisted of three federalized National Guard squadrons, the 105th, 112th and 121st Observation Squadrons. The group supported ground units during the Carolina Maneuvers in the fall and winter of 1941. After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the group moved to Langley Field, Virginia with its 105th and 121st Squadrons and flew antisubmarine patrols off the East Coast until inactivating in October 42. The 112th Squadron operated patrols from Lantana Airport, Florida.

The group was reactivated at Columbia in March 1943 and within a few days was renamed the 65th Reconnaissance Group. It served as a training organization for aircrews that were transitioning from observation aircraft to North American B-25 Mitchells. It moved to Florence Army Air Field later in April, and the 309th Bombardment Group continued operational and replacement training at Columbia. The group continued B-25 training at Florence until August 1943, when it was disbanded and its personnel were transferred to the 411th Bombardment Group, which moved to Florence from Will Rogers Field, Oklahoma.