[1][4] The formation of the squadron was delayed by an administrative error that caused some of the unit's cadre to report to Davis-Monthan Field, Arizona instead of McCook.

Meanwhile, Eighth Air Force formed a new ground echelon for the squadron in England from other units assigned to the 3d Bombardment Division.

The squadron's air echelon departed for England via the northern ferry route on 1 May, while a small ground component left McCook and sailed from Boston, Massachusetts on the SS Brazil (1928) on 12 May 1944.

It also attacked lines of communications, including a railroad tunnel at Ahrweiler, bridges at Irlich, and marshalling yards near Cologne.

It struck enemy ground forces south of Caen and during Operation Cobra, the breakout at St Lo.

That month, the Air Force began Project Phyllis Ann, which modified 35 Douglas C-47 Skytrains by installing AN/ARD-18 direction finding equipment in them..[6] The squadron's second predecessor, 361st Reconnaissance Squadron, was organized at Nha Trang Air Base, South Vietnam in April 1966, flying RC-47 aircraft equipped for ARDF.

[7] In July 1966, Detachment 1 of the squadron was established at Pleiku Air Base, although its first "Electric Goony" did not arrive until December.

During the battle, squadron identification of the location of enemy units was used to target Boeing B-52 Stratofortress strikes on "known base areas, infiltration routes and strong points."

[8] In late February 1968, a squadron aircraft returning to base from a mission picked up signals coming from the South China Sea.

The pilot was able to crash land the plane on an abandoned Special Forces camp across the border in South Vietnam.