101st Bombardment ( Photographic ) Squadron The 101st Bombardment ( Photographic ) Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit . Its last assignment was with the XIX Tactical Air Command , based at Brooks Field , Texas . It was inactivated on 25 December 1945 . History . Initially established as an Army Air Service World War I Aero Squadron in 1917 . Performed flying training in Texas and did not deploy overseas . Demobilized in 1918 . Re - activated in 1935 at Kelly Field , Texas as a light observation Squadron and supported Army forces at Fort Sam Houston as part of the Air Corps Advanced Flying School . World War II . Reactivated at France Field , Canal Zone , and subordinated to Headquarters , Panama Canal Department , on 1 February 1940 as the dedicated observation unit for the command . The Squadron acquired the very first examples of the then modern North American O - 47 A when its complement of ten of these new aircraft were flight delivered down to Panama by Squadron personnel from San Antonio starting 14 June 1940 . Also had a number of Northrop A - 17 s and with these , conducted its first six - ship night formation flight across the Isthmus to Albrook Field , then up the Pacific coast to Aguadulce Army Airfield . Then the flight continued on to the Atlantic coast and on home to France Field . In August , 1940 , the Squadron started participating in the then - weekly tactical problems laid on by the 19th Composite Wing and , during one of these , acted as a scouting screen out to sea to " intercept " an expected in - coming flight of " enemy " bombers heading for the Panama Canal . Later that same month , now transitioned into their 0 - 47 ' s completely , the Squadron made an aerial tour of Central America , visiting every capital city in Central America except British Honduras . Training continued through the end of the year , and , on 20 November ; the Squadron was subordinated directly to Headquarters , Panama Canal Department Air Force , rather than Department Headquarters itself as it had previously been assigned . The Squadron became attached to the 12th Pursuit Wing in February 1941 . With the coming of war , the Squadron was still at France Field and on 25 February 1942 the unit was redesignated as the 39th Observation Squadron ( Medium ) . By 3 March 1942 , unit first - line strength had dropped to just six 0 - 47A ' s , but two new Stinson O - 49 s had been added and , on the 7th , the unit was subordinated to the newly arrived 72d Observation Group , and moved to Howard Field on the 20th . Re - designated as the 39th Observation Squad¬ron on 4 July 1942 , the unit got ready for a major move to Waller Field in Trinidad , where it was attached after 6 August as a vital element of the Trinidad Sector & Base Command . By the end of the year , still nominally a part of the 72d Observation Group but detached in Trinidad . Following its arrival on Trinidad , the unit ' s aircraft were kept very busy Hying very low - level patrols around Trinidad arid , occasionally , some of the other nearby islands in the Lesser Antilles , morning and night , with special instructions to keep a watch for possible German saboteur landing attempts . On 25 June 1943 , the character of the unit changed significantly when it was redesignated as the 39th Reconnaissance Squadron and was assigned five Bell P - 39N Aircobra s . The Squadron had been assigned to the Antilles Air Command from 1 June . With the war now having essentially passed the Lesser Antilles by , the need for the Squadron quickly ebbed and , on 26 February 1944 , the unit was relieved from the AAC and transferred back to the U . S . where it went on to become the 101st Photo Reconnaissance Squadron on 12 June 1944 . Returned to its prewar training mission at Brooks Field until inactivated at the end of the war .