The 45th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron was not the only tac recon squadron in the pacific. The 67th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, which the 45th was a part of, had a number of squadrons spread across Japan. At the start of the second Taiwan Strait crisis, the 15th Tac Recon Squadron was at Kadena air base on Okinawa. The 11th and 12th were at Yokota air base (near Tokyo) along with the wing headquarters. The 67th TRW had also absorbed the 6007th Reconnaissance Group in 1957, retaining its 6091st Reconnaissance Squadron. The 45th up at Misawa was the farthest from Taiwan, 1500 miles away.   From the mid-50s due to the risks and diplomatic issues, overflights and that sort of thing began to be shifted to more covert or deniable operations. Taiwanese pilots were trained and had recon aircraft transferred to them and the CIA of course had its U-2s. At the time of the crisis the ROC air force had a recon force of 7 RF–86Fs, 25 RF–84Fs, and one RB–57A. CIA U-2s of Detachment C (home-based out of Atsugi) are known to have flown at least 6 missions over China during the crisis.   You seem to be assuming because there is not a lot of information about a unit, down to all its flight and mission details, something extreme must have happened and it is being covered up. I would just caution against that kind of thinking. 

I am unsure if these numbers hand written on the left side of the general orders are the numbers on the medals.  On the same roll I found a LOM award with a number written next to it which is 5281  and a silver star with the number 4211.   4211   is a very low number for WWII  silver star awards.  what does everyone else think?  

Looks like my files got shrunk down so as not to be readable. Let me try again. Tim  

I would suggest picking up a copy of the QMC Historical Studies. I believe reprints are available on line. Here is the section on raincoats and ponchos.  Tim

Birchwood Casey Plum Brown solution gives a good approximation of the original finish.  Furniture on LF&C sabers is more black; browning and then boiling the parts gives a good approximztion for those parts.