31st Tactical Reconnaissance Training Squadron The 31st Tactical Reconnaissance Training Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit . Its last assignment was with 363d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing stationed at Shaw Air Force Base , South Carolina . It was inactivated on 18 February 1971 . History . World War II . Established in 1939 as the 31st Pursuit Squadron and activated on 1 February 1940 at Albrook Field , Panama Canal Zone . This unit was part of the build - up of the Canal Zone ' s defenses as war approached . Initially equipped with a mixture of second - line pursuit aircraft , consisting of Boeing P - 26A Peashooter s , Northrup A - 17 Nomads , and some North American BC - 1s . The mission of the squadron was air defense of the Panama Canal . The Squadron was briefly moved to Rio Hato Field on 5 October 1940 and , following a month there , returned to Albrook on 13 November , where it remained until 24 November 1941 . In July 1941 , the Squadron started re - equipping with new Curtiss P - 40 Warhawk s . After the Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor , the Squadron was moved to La Chorrera Army Airfield where it shared the field with its sister unit , the 30th Pursuit Squadron . The unit was operating as an element of the Panama Interceptor Command ( PIC ) . On 15 May 1942 , the designation was changed to 31st Fighter Squadron . In September 1942 , the unit moved from Albrook to Howard Field and started to convert to Bell P - 39 Airacobra s , In December , " E " Flight was moved to San Jose Airport , Costa Rica where it was almost immediately reassigned to the 53d Fighter Squadron . The unit served out the remainder of its Panama tour at several airfields until April 1944 , when it became a single - engine fighter Replacement Training Unit for Second Air Force at Lincoln Army Airfield , Nebraska . It was then reassigned to Muroc Army Airfield , California , where it became a testing unit for the Bell P - 59 Airacomet and P - 80 Shooting Star Jet Aircraft under the Fourth Air Force 412th Fighter Group where the squadron served in a training role for transitioning pilots from piston - engine to jet engine fighters . The squadron provided USAAF pilots and ground crews with valuable data about the difficulties and pitfalls involved in converting to jet aircraft . This information proved quite useful when more advanced jet fighters finally became available in quantity . Inactivated in July 1946 . Air Defense Command . Reactivated by Air Defense Command in early 1953 . Equipped with F - 86D Sabre interceptors , engaged in air defense of the Pacific Northwest at Larson AFB , Washington . Reassigned to Wurtsmith AFB , Michigan where the squadron was re - equipped with F - 102 Delta Dagger s , then deployed to Elmendorf AFB , Alaska Territory performing intercepts of intruding aircraft as part of Alaskan Air Command , arriving in Alaska on 16 September 1957 . Inactivated due to budget restraints , October 1958 , aircraft reassigned to the 317th Fighter Interceptor Squadron . Reactivated by Tactical Air Command at Shaw AFB , SC in 1969 as an RF - 4C Phantom II training squadron for aerial reconnaissance pilots . Inactivated in 1971 due to budget reductions , aircraft assigned to 33d Tactical Reconnaissance Training Squadron .