33d Network Warfare Squadron The United States Air Force ( USAF ) ' s 33d Network Warfare Squadron ( 33 NWS ) is a network warfare unit located at Lackland AFB , Texas . The squadron was established as the 70th Reconnaissance Squadron during World War II and saw combat in the European Theater of Operations as the 31st Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron , where it earned a Distinguished Unit Citation for its efforts in preparing for the Normandy Invasion . After briefly serving as part of the occupation forces in Germany it was inactivated in late 1945 . The squadron was activated again in the reserves as the 31st Reconnaissance Squadron in 1947 . It was redesignated the 33d Reconnaissance Squadron ( apparently to avoid confusion with the regular USAF 31st Reconnaissance Squadron ) . The squadron never reached full strength or received aircraft before inactivation when Continental Air Command reorganized its reserve units under the wing base organization plan . In 1985 Electronic Security Command established the 6933d Electronic Security Squadron in Panama . The squadron participated in Operation Just Cause . In 1993 , as the USAF eliminated Major Command controlled ( MAJCON ) four digit organizations , the 6933d was consolidated with the 33d as a single unit , the 33d Intelligence Squadron . The squadron was inactivated as the USAF departed Panama , but was activated once again as an information operations and network warfare unit . Mission . The 33 NWS ' s mission , as the USAF ’ s lone network warfare squadron dedicated to Air Force network defense , is to execute all aspects of AF network defense as an element of the distributed AF Network Operations Center . The squadron monitors , secures , and protects Air Force and Central Command global networks , ensures network integrity , reliability , availability , and confidentiality and responds to hostile network threats and attacks . History . The squadron was established in mid - 1943 as the 70th Reconnaissance Squadron , a tactical reconnaissance squadron . Shortly afterwards the squadron converted to a photographic reconnaissance unit and was redesignated the 31st Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron . It trained in the southeast United States as an element of Third Air Force . The squadron deployed to the European Theater of Operations ( ETO ) in the spring of 1944 . It was initially engaged in aerial photography of the French English Channel coastline and Low Countries . The squadron flew F - 4 , F - 5 , and F - 6 reconnaissance aircraft supporting Allied buildup for the Normandy Invasion . It furnished vitally important photographs of the beaches and defenses on the Continent for briefing and training of assault troops . The unit ' s low - level missions under difficult weather and combat conditions led to the awarding of the Distinguished Unit Citation for the period of 6 through 20 May 1944 . After D - Day , the squadron moved to France and performed battlefield tactical reconnaissance primarily for the Third Army , but also for First and Ninth Armies during the Northern France Campaign in 1944 . The squadron moved into Germany in the spring of 1945 continuing to supply battlefield reconnaissance for Army ground forces . After the German surrender the 31st remained as part of the United States Air Forces in Europe occupation forces , gradually drawing down during the fall of 1945 until inactivated . The squadron was activated again in the reserves as the 31st Reconnaissance Squadron in 1947 . It was redesignated the 33d Reconnaissance Squadron ( apparently to avoid confusion with the regular USAF 31st Reconnaissance Squadron ) . The squadron never reached full strength or received aircraft before inactivation when Continental Air Command reorganized its reserve units under the wing base organization plan . The 6933d Electronic Security Squadron was activated by Electronic Security Command in Panama at Howard Air Force Base on 1 October 1985 . Starting in December 1989 and continuing into the end of the operation in 1990 the squadron conducted signals intelligence and other intelligence missions and supported Operation Just Cause in 1989 - 1990 . By 1993 the USAF was eliminating its Major Command controlled ( MAJCON ) ( four digit ) units . To preserve the heritage of the 6933d , the squadron was consolidated with the 33d Reconnaissance Squadron as the 33d Intelligence Squadron . It continued to provide intelligence support in Panama until inactivating on 30 June 1996 . The squadron was again activated on 1 August 2000 as the 33d Information Operations Squadron at Kelly Annex , Lackland AFB , Texas . It conducted information operations and after 5 July 2005 , network defense operations . Lineage . 33d Reconnaissance Squadron 33d Network Warfare Squadron Assignments . Awards and Campaigns . Manual campaign table