▁ ▁The ▁squad ron ▁then ▁switched ▁yet ▁again . ▁As ▁a ▁combat ▁mapping ▁squad ron , ▁the ▁unit ' s ▁air cre ws ▁fle w ▁over ▁Japanese ▁held ▁islands ▁photograph ing ▁and ▁mapping ▁the ▁terrain ▁and ▁enemy ▁positions . ▁The ▁ 8 6 th ▁prepared ▁the ▁way ▁for ▁the ▁taking ▁of ▁the ▁Marshall ▁Islands , ▁W ake , ▁Sa ip an . ▁Gu am , ▁and ▁I wo ▁J ima . ▁Finally , ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 4 , ▁the ▁squad ron ▁made ▁the ▁first ▁phot ographic ▁m osa ics ▁of ▁Tokyo . ▁The ▁squad ron ▁was ▁red es igned ▁as ▁the ▁ 4 3 rd ▁Re con na issance ▁Squadron ▁( Long ▁Range ▁Phot ographic ) ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 5 ▁then ▁was ▁in activ ated ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 6 . ▁ ▁In ▁January ▁ 1 9 5 4 , ▁the ▁ 4 3 rd ▁was ▁again ▁activ ated , ▁this ▁time ▁at ▁Shaw ▁Air ▁Force ▁Base , ▁South ▁Carolina . ▁The ▁squad ron ▁was ▁initially ▁equ ipped ▁with ▁the ▁Martin ▁R B - 5 7 ▁Can ber ra . ▁However , ▁once ▁the ▁Air ▁Force ▁received ▁enough ▁Douglas ▁R B - 6 6 B ▁Dest roy er ▁to ▁equip ▁more ▁than ▁a ▁single ▁squad ron , ▁the ▁squad ron ▁transition ed ▁to ▁the ▁Dest roy er . ▁It ▁accomplished ▁a ▁night ▁phot ographic ▁mission . ▁The ▁unit ▁was ▁in activ ated ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 9 . ▁ ▁Red es igned , ▁the ▁ 4 3