The unit was reorganized with the establishment of a permanent air service in , forming in the old Houston Light Guard Armory. The squadron had no airplanes, so the hot summer of was devoted to close-order drill and classroom sessions. During the next 10 years, the th performed outstanding civic service to the State of Texas, dropping medicine and relief supplies to many of the towns that were isolated by floodwaters, tornados, and fires. New Douglas O observation planes were received in January The border patrol was short, and on 14 February , the squadron left Texas for Daniel Field in Augusta, Georgia , and became part of the 68th Observation Group.
In the ground echelon and some pilots made their way to Scotland then England in preparation for landing on the Algerian beaches as part of Operation Torch , their shiny new P Airacobras had to be assembled and tested before flying from England to Algeria.
Some of the pilots of the 68th Group flew their As directly across the Atlantic on the "Southern Route" and immediately began flying over the Mediterranean in anti-submarine patrols, sinking at least one submarine. As the invasion force moved inland, the three squadrons of the group divided up the As and Ps by squadron and the th took on the Fighter Reconnaissance role in the P In March , the th left the 68th Group to defend against a possible invasion of French Morocco from Spanish Morocco while the rest of the group was selected to support the Tunisian Campaign of the Army's II Corps.
They were temporarily assigned to the 5th Army in Italy for the invasion of Salerno, "the th Fighter Reconnaissance Squadron had been trained to spot naval gunfire". The th remained with the 7th Army through the end of the war. From VE Day until December , the Squadron served in the occupation force, and conducted postwar photo-mapping of the devastation in France. During 23 months of continuous combat flying, from June through May , the th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron flew 3, reconnaissance missions.
While keeping Army Headquarters informed of enemy movements, the th destroyed 44 enemy aircraft, damaged 29 others and claimed 12 probable kills. It was organized at the Houston Municipal Airport and was extended federal recognition on 27 January by the National Guard Bureau. The th Fighter Squadron was bestowed the lineage, history, honors, and colors of the th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron and all predecessor units.
