Activated on 1 January 1953 as part of the 66th Tactical Reconnaissance Group at Shaw AFB, South Carolina. Equipped with RF-80A Shooting Star Jet aircraft returned from use in the Korean War in mid-1953. Moved to Laon AB, France in mid-1958 due to severe problems with the Sembach AB runway, operated from Phalsbourg AB while improvements were made to the Laon runway until September.