Help identifying aircraft unit

[berthag]

Help needed to identify the correct unit of this aircraft. Found this photograph on the net, the caption appears to be wrong. I can find no reference to a 65th Tactical Reconnaissance Group with the 7th Army. Another copy of this photograph appears in a booklet by Roger Freeman, entitled,'US Tactical Air Power, Europe 1942-1945', where it states " served a US 7th Army unit".

 

[GrauGeist]

The serial of this Stinson seems hard to find.
The closest block of serials that falls within this particular aircraft's number, appear to have gone to the 9th AF.

1942 USAAF Serial Numbers (42-91974 to 42-110188)

 

[vikingBerserker]

I do not think it's the 65th and they do not have that aircraft listed. I wonder if it belongs to the 7th photographic reconnaissance group.

 

[berthag]

I do not think it's the 65th and they do not have that aircraft listed. I wonder if it belongs to the 7th photographic reconnaissance group.

 

[berthag]

I do not think it's the 65th and they do not have that aircraft listed. I wonder if it belongs to the 7th photographic reconnaissance group.

I have been trying to find out a bit more for myself, and according to 'Air Force Combat Units of World War II', by Maurer Maurer, there was no 65th 'Tactical' Reconnaissance Group, during WW2. The two photo sources I quoted both mention the 7th US Army, which had two Liaison Squadrons assigned, the 72nd and the 167th. Could be the 'plane was assigned to one of them.

 

[Gerald Asher]

My money is on the 72nd Liaison Squadron. Most of their aircraft appear to have been unmarked, but your image reinforces the chance that "S" was assigned to the squadron, with the second assigned letter for the individual aircraft. I have a shot from one of the squadron pilots' records showing an aircraft marked "SV."