27th Fighter Wing
Encyclopedia
Cannon Air Force Base
Cannon Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base, located approximately southwest of Clovis, New Mexico. It is under the jurisdiction of Air Force Special Operations Command ....
, New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
. It is assigned to the Air Force Special Operations Command
Air Force Special Operations Command
Air Force Special Operations Command is the Special Operations component of the United States Air Force and the US Air Force component command to the United States Special Operations Command , a unified command located at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida...
(AFSOC). The 27 SOW is the newest active-duty wing of AFSOC.
The mission of the 27 SOW includes infiltration, exfiltration and resupply of special operations forces; air refueling of special operations rotary wing and tiltrotor aircraft; and precision fire support. These capabilities support a variety of special operations missions including direct action, unconventional warfare, special reconnaissance, counter-terrorism, personnel recovery, psychological operations and information operations.
The 27 SOW also is responsible for Melrose Range, an air training range near the neighboring town of Melrose, New Mexico
Melrose, New Mexico
Melrose is a village in Curry County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 736 at the 2000 census. The town is losing population due to rural exodus...
.
The Wing's origins date to 1939 as the 27th Bombardment Group. The group fought in the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean theater of World War II
The Pacific Ocean theatre was one of four major naval theatres of war of World War II, which pitted the forces of Japan against those of the United States, the British Commonwealth, the Netherlands and France....
and Mediterranean, Middle East and African theatres. Its ground personnel fought as infantry in the 1941–1942 Battle of Bataan
Battle of Bataan
The Battle of Bataan represented the most intense phase of Imperial Japan's invasion of the Philippines during World War II. The capture of the Philippine Islands was crucial to Japan's effort to control the Southwest Pacific, seize the resource-rich Dutch East Indies, and protect its Southeast...
with the survivors being forced to march as prisoners in the Bataan Death March
Bataan Death March
The Bataan Death March was the forcible transfer, by the Imperial Japanese Army, of 75,000 American and Filipino prisoners of war after the three-month Battle of Bataan in the Philippines during World War II, which resulted in the deaths of thousands of prisoners.The march was characterized by...
. Its air echelon went on to be awarded five Distinguished Unit Citations and a Philippine Presidential Unit Citation
Presidential Unit Citation (Philippines)
The Philippine Presidential Unit Citation is a decoration of the Republic of the Philippines which has been awarded to certain units of the United States military for actions both during and subsequent to the Second World War....
. The Airmen of the 27th were among the most decorated USAAF units of the war. The 27th Special Operations Group
27th Special Operations Group
The 27th Special Operations Group is the flying component of the 27th Special Operations Wing, assigned to the Air Force Special Operations Command...
carries the lineage and history of its highly decorated World War II predecessor unit.
The commander of the 27th Special Operations Wing is Colonel Stephen A. Clark. The Command Chief Master Sergeant is Chief Master Sergeant William W. Turner.
Units
- 27th Special Operations Group27th Special Operations GroupThe 27th Special Operations Group is the flying component of the 27th Special Operations Wing, assigned to the Air Force Special Operations Command...
(27 SOG)
- 27th Special Operations Support Squadron (27 SOSS)
- 3d Special Operations Squadron3d Special Operations SquadronThe 3d Special Operations Squadron flies MQ-1 Predator Remotely Piloted Aircrafts and is currently located at Cannon Air Force Base in Clovis, New Mexico. The 3d SOS is under the command of the Air Force Special Operations Command.-History:...
(3 SOS) - 16th Special Operations Squadron16th Special Operations SquadronThe 16th Special Operations Squadron is part of the 27th Special Operations Wing at Cannon AFB , New Mexico. It operates AC-130H Spectre aircraft in support of special operations.- Mission :...
(16 SOS) - 33d Special Operations Squadron33d Special Operations SquadronThe 33d Special Operations Squadron flies MQ-9 Reaper Unmanned aerial vehicles and is currently stationed at Cannon Air Force Base in Clovis, New Mexico. The 33 SOS is under the command of the Air Force Special Operations Command...
(33 SOS) - 73d Special Operations Squadron73d Special Operations SquadronThe 73d Special Operations Squadron is part of the 27th Special Operations Wing at Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico. It operates MC-130W Dragon Spear aircraft in support of special operations.-History:...
(73 SOS) - 318th Special Operations Squadron318th Special Operations Squadron318th Special Operations Squadron flies Pilatus PC-12 and is currently stationed at Cannon Air Force Base in Clovis, New Mexico. The 318 SOS is under the command of the Air Force Special Operations Command...
(318 SOS) - 522d Special Operations Squadron522d Special Operations SquadronThe 522d Special Operations Squadron , the Fireballs, is a unit of the United States Air Force. It is part of the 27th Special Operations Group, the flying component of the 27th Special Operations Wing at Cannon AFB...
(522 SOS) - Det. 1, 25th Intelligence Squadron (Det 1 25 IS)
- 27th Special Operations Mission Support Group (27 SOMSG)
- 27th Special Operations Logistics Readiness Squadron
- 27th Special Operations Force Support Squadron
- 27th Special Operations Civil Engineer Squadron
- 27th Special Operations Contracting Squadron
- 27th Special Operations Security Forces Squadron
- 27th Special Operations Communications Squadron
- 27th Special Operations Maintenance Group (27 SOMXG)
- 27th Special Operations Maintenance Squadron (27 SOAMXS)
- 27th Special Operations Aircraft Maintenance Squadron
- 27th Special Operations Equipment Maintenance Squadron
- 27th Special Operations Component Maintenance Squadron
- 27th Special Operations Medical Group (27 SOMDG)
- 27th Special Operations Medical Operations Sq
- 27th Special Operations Aerospace Medicine Sq
- 27th Special Operations Medical Support Sq
Postwar era
Established as 27 Fighter Wing on 28 July 1947 at Kearney AAFKearney Air Force Base
Kearney Air Force Base , was a military airport located four nautical miles northeast of the central business district of Kearney, a city in Buffalo County, Nebraska, United States. After its closure, it was redeveloped into Kearney Regional Airport....
, Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
with the 27th Fighter Group as its operational component. Fighter Squadrons of the 27th were the 522nd, 523rd and 524th.
The 27th was initially equipped with the North American P-51D Mustang, and in 1948 was upgraded to the new North American F-82E Twin Mustang. In June 1948 the designation "P" for pursuit was changed to "F" for fighter. Subsequently, all P-51s were redesignated F-51s. The mission of the 27th Fighter Wing was to fly long-range escort missions for SAC Boeing B-29 Superfortress bombers. With the arrival of the F-82s, the older F-51s were sent to Air National Guard
Air National Guard
The Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...
units.
The first production F-82Es reached the 27th in early 1948, and almost immediately the group was deployed to McChord AFB, Washington, in June where its squadrons stood on alert on a secondary air defense mission due to heightened tensions over the Berlin Airlift. It was also believed that the 27th would launch an escort mission, presumably to the Soviet Union, if conflict broke out in Europe. From McChord, the group flew its Twin Mustangs on weather reconnaissance missions over the northwest Pacific, but problems were encountered with their fuel tanks. Decommissioned F-61 Black Widow external tanks were found at Hamilton AFB, California that could be modified for the F-82 which were fitted on the pylons of the Twin Mustang that solved the problem. With a reduction in tensions, the 27th returned to its home base in Nebraska during September where the unit settled down to transition flying with their aircraft.
Four F-82s were deployed to Alaska from McChord where the pilots provided transition training to the 449th Fighter (All Weather) Squadron which used Twin Mustangs in the air defense mission. They remained in Alaska for about 45 days, returning to rejoin the rest of the group at the beginning of November 1948.
In January 1949, Eighth Air Force planned a large celebration at Carswell AFB. All of its assigned units were to participate in a coordinated flyover. Most of SAC's bombers were to participate, along with SAC's only "Long Range" fighter group, the 27th. The weather in Nebraska in January that year was especially horrible, with most airports in the Midwest weathered in the day of the display. At Kearney AFB, the base was socked-in with a blizzard. Nevertheless, the crews had an early morning mission briefing, the aircraft in the hangars were preflighted and prepared for the flyover mission. Paths were cut though the snow for the aircraft to taxi and somehow the F-82s got airborne, with the 27th's Twin Mustangs joining up with SAC bombers over Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
on schedule. The flyover by the Twin Mustangs was a tremendous success, with SAC leadership being amazed that the F-82 was truly an "all weather" aircraft and the 27th being able to carry out their mission despite the weather.
In early 1949, the 27th began carrying out long-range escort profile missions. Flights to Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
, Mexico, the Bahamas and nonstop to Washington D.C were carried out. For President Truman's 1949 inauguration, the 27th FEW launched 48 aircraft to fly in review, along with several other fighter units, in formation down Pennsylvania Avenue. Another flyover over the newly -dedicated Idlewild Airport in New York City soon followed, with the aircraft flying non-stop from Kearney AFB.
With the tight defense budgets in the late 1940s, the decision was made by Strategic Air Command decided to close Kearney AFB in 1949. The 27th Fighter Wing was transferred to Bergstrom AFB Texas on 16 March.
At Bergstrom, the 27th transitioned to jet aircraft with Republic Aviation F-84E Thunderjet
F-84 Thunderjet
The Republic F-84 Thunderjet was an American turbojet fighter-bomber aircraft. Originating as a 1944 United States Army Air Forces proposal for a "day fighter", the F-84 flew in 1946...
in 1950, and was redesignated the 27th Fighter-Escort Wing on 1 February. The wing won the Mackay Trophy for successful deployment of 90 F-84s from Bergstrom AFB, to Furstenfeldbruck Air Base
Fürstenfeldbruck Air Base
Fürstenfeldbruck Air Base is a German Air Force airfield located near the town of Fürstenfeldbruck in Bavaria, near Munich, Germany....
West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
, in September 1950, via Labrador
Labrador
Labrador is the distinct, northerly region of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It comprises the mainland portion of the province, separated from the island of Newfoundland by the Strait of Belle Isle...
, Greenland
Greenland
Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for...
, Iceland, and England. This was the Second (the first being the 20th FG flying 64 F-84Ds on 20 July 1950 during Operation "READY" from Shaw AB, SC to RAF Manston, UK) long-range mass flight of jet aircraft in aviation history.
Korean War
- See 27th Fighter-Escort Group for more information about the wing's combat duties during the Korean War
The Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
began in June 1950 and by November the wing was transferred with the advance echelon landing at Taegu AB, South Korea on 5 December and the rear echelon at Itazuke AB
Fukuoka Airport
, formerly known as Itazuke Air Base, is an international and domestic airport located east of Hakata Station in Fukuoka, Japan. It is officially designated a second class airport. It is operating at full capacity, and cannot be further expanded. Flights stop at 10 p.m...
, Japan on 1 December. Combat operations in support of the UN ground forces began immediately and continued after the advance echelon was transferred to Itazuke in late January 1951.
The 27th Fighter Escort Wing was one of the first F-84 units to see combat action in Korea and earned numerous honors and awards for their combat record during the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
. The 27th flew missions in support of ground forces, earning another DUC for missions between 26 January and 21 April 1951. Among these missions was close support of the largest paratroop landing in the Korean War and escort for B-29 Superfortress
B-29 Superfortress
The B-29 Superfortress is a four-engine propeller-driven heavy bomber designed by Boeing that was flown primarily by the United States Air Forces in late-World War II and through the Korean War. The B-29 was one of the largest aircraft to see service during World War II...
bombers on raids over North Korea, including air-to-air combat with enemy MiG-15 fighters.
For its Korean War service, the 27th Fighter-Escort Wing received the Distinguished Unit Citation, covering the period of 26 January through 21 April 1951, for their actions in Korea.
The 27th was relieved of its duties supporting U.N. forces in Korea and returned to Bergstrom on 31 July 1951. Re-equipped with F-84G Thunderjets, the wing redeployed to Misawa Air Base
Misawa Air Base
right|thumb|A US Navy C-2 at Misawa is a United States military facility located northeast of the railway station in Misawa, west of the Pacific Ocean, northeast of Towada, northwest of Hachinohe, and north of Tokyo, in Aomori Prefecture, in the Tōhoku region in the northern part of the...
, Japan, for a tour in providing air defense of the Japanese home islands. This mission made stops at Travis AFB, California; Hickam AFB, Hawaii Territory, and Midway Island. At Misawa, the 27th relieved the 31st FEW which had been performing the air defense mission. The 27th was itself relieved at Misawa on 13 February 1953 by the 508th Strategic Fighter Wing and reutnred to Bergstrom where they were re-equipped with new F-84F Thunderstreak
F-84F Thunderstreak
The Republic F-84F Thunderstreak was an American-built swept-wing turbojet fighter-bomber. While an evolutionary development of the straight-wing F-84 Thunderjet, the F-84F was a new design. The RF-84F Thunderflash was a photo reconnaissance version....
s.
Cold War
On 20 January 1953 the wing was redesignated as the 27th Strategic Fighter Wing. From June 1953 – June 1957 the 27th had air refueling as an additional mission, with the 27th Air Refueling Squadron flying the KB-29PB-29 Superfortress
The B-29 Superfortress is a four-engine propeller-driven heavy bomber designed by Boeing that was flown primarily by the United States Air Forces in late-World War II and through the Korean War. The B-29 was one of the largest aircraft to see service during World War II...
aerial tanker.
Wing pilot Capt Forrest W. Wilson, in an F-84G, won the Allison Trophy jet aircraft race of the National Aircraft Show at Dayton, Ohio, on 6 September 1953, flying the 110.3-mile course at an average speed of 537.802 mph in 12:17.2 minutes.
Due to the phasing out of the B-50 and B-36 and the arrival of the B-47 Stratojet and B-52 Stratofortress into the SAC inventory, SAC began to phase out its strategic fighter program in 1956. It was felt that the long-range fighter escorts were no longer necessary for the new fast jet bombers. On 1 July 1957, the 27th was redesigned the 27th Fighter-Bomber Wing and was assigned to Tactical Air Command
Tactical Air Command
Tactical Air Command is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was a Major Command of the United States Air Force, established on 21 March 1946 being headquartered at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia...
along with Bergstrom AFB.
Under TAC, the Wing was assigned to the Twelfth Air Force was re-equipped with the new McDonnell F-101A Voodoo
F-101 Voodoo
The McDonnell F-101 Voodoo was a supersonic military jet fighter which served the United States Air Force and the Royal Canadian Air Force...
. Consisting of the 481st, 522nd, and 523rd Fighter-Bomber squadrons, the mission of the 27th FBW was to deliver a centerline nuclear bomb to a target. The F-101A was capable of little else and although designated as a fighter aircraft, it had poor aerial combat capabilities and would not have fared well in any air-to-air combat against enemy aircraft. Maj Adrian E. Drew, wing F-101 project officer, broke the world speed record on 12 December 1957 when he flew an F-101A over a Mojave Desert
Mojave Desert
The Mojave Desert occupies a significant portion of southeastern California and smaller parts of central California, southern Nevada, southwestern Utah and northwestern Arizona, in the United States...
course at 1,212.8 mph in one direction and 1,207.5 mph in the opposite direction.
HQ USAF redesignated the wing the 27th Tactical Fighter Wing on 1 July 1958 as part of a worldwide naming change. On 18 February 1959, the 27th was deactivated in place, as SAC reacquired Bergstrom as a B-52/KC-135 base. The 27th was immediately transferred and reactivated at Cannon AFB, New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
, being equipped with the North American F-100 "Super Sabre"
F-100 Super Sabre
The North American F-100 Super Sabre was a supersonic jet fighter aircraft that served with the United States Air Force from 1954 to 1971 and with the Air National Guard until 1979. The first of the Century Series collection of USAF jet fighters, it was the first USAF fighter capable of...
, replacing the 312th Tactical Fighter Wing
312th Aeronautical Systems Wing
The 312th Aeronautical Systems Group is a component of the United States Air Force 312th Aeronautical Systems Wing. It is stationed at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio and is assigned to Air Force Material Command ....
.
Vietnam War
Units from Cannon deployed the first F-100 squadron to Thailand in 1962–1963, and South Vietnam
South Vietnam
South Vietnam was a state which governed southern Vietnam until 1975. It received international recognition in 1950 as the "State of Vietnam" and later as the "Republic of Vietnam" . Its capital was Saigon...
in 1964. Beginning in 1964 and throughout the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
years squadrons from the 27th TFW were deployed and detached to Air Force units and bases around the world. The 27th did not recombine as a cohesive wing until 1973.
In December 1965, with most of its operational squadrons deployed, the mission of the 27th changed from a Tactical Fighter Wing to a replacement training unit. The 27th Tactical Fighter Wing became the largest such unit in TAC. The 4585th Student Squadron was initially activated on 1 January 1966 to perform this mission. Later, the 4429th Combat Crew Training Squadron was activated on 15 May 1968 as a 2nd training squadron, replacing the deployed 523rd TFS.
Many F-100 pilots that flew in the Vietnam War were trained at Cannon AFB. From Cannon, the aircrews were transferred to the F-100 bases in South Vietnam – Phù Cát Air Base
Phu Cat Airport
- History :Phù Cát Airport was built in 1966 during the Vietnam War by the United States Air Force . During the war, it was a major air base for the South Vietnamese Air Force and USAF. After 1975, it was used as a military airfield for the Vietnamese Air Force , and developed into a regional...
(37th TFW); Phan Rang AB
Phan Rang Air Base
Phan Rang Air Base is a Vietnam People's Air Force military airfield in Vietnam. It is located north-northwest of Phan Rang-Thap Cham in Ninh Thuan Province....
(35th TFW) and Tuy Hoa AB
Tuy Hoa Air Base
Tuy Hoa Air Base is a former air force base in Vietnam, being closed in 1970. It was built by the United States between 1965-1966 and was used by the United States Air Force during the Vietnam War in the II Corps Tactical Zone of South Vietnam. It was seized by the Vietnam People's Army in April...
(31st TFW).
The 27th also trained forward air controllers and air liaison officers in Lockheed T-33 Shooting Stars
T-33 Shooting Star
The Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star is an American-built jet trainer aircraft. It was produced by Lockheed and made its first flight in 1948, piloted by Tony LeVier. The T-33 was developed from the Lockheed P-80/F-80 starting as TP-80C/TF-80C in development, then designated T-33A. It was used by the...
from 1969 to 1976. The 4468 Tac Control Squadron initially performed this mission in 1969, being replaced by the 609th Tactical Control Squadron. The 609th TCS was inactivated on 15 June 1976.
Post-Vietnam era
General Dynamics F-111
The General Dynamics F-111 "Aardvark" was a medium-range interdictor and tactical strike aircraft that also filled the roles of strategic bomber, reconnaissance, and electronic warfare in its various versions. Developed in the 1960s by General Dynamics, it first entered service in 1967 with the...
.
In July 1969, on loan from Nellis AFB Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
, 10 F-111As facilitated training while the wing waited for its own planes. F-111Es began arriving in October 1969, but their stay was short. In the summer of 1971 wing aircrews ferried the last of them to RAF Upper Heyford
RAF Upper Heyford
RAF Upper Heyford was a Royal Air Force station located north-west of Bicester near the village of Upper Heyford, Oxfordshire, England. The base was brought into use for flying in July 1918 by the Royal Flying Corps. During World War II it was used by many units of the RAF, mainly as a training...
England. In 1971, the 27th TFW received the first of its F-111Ds, and in July 1972, the last operational active duty Air Force F-100s were transferred from the 27th TFW to the Air National Guard
Air National Guard
The Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...
.
The mission of the 27th TFW expanded in 1988 as a result of decisions made by the Secretary of Defense’s Commission on Base Realignment and Closures when the 27th was equipped with the F-111G. (The "G" model was a conversion of the SAC FB-111A all-weather strategic bombing version of the F-111, which was originally intended as an interim successor to the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress and Convair B-58 Hustler
B-58 Hustler
The Convair B-58 Hustler was the first operational supersonic jet bomber capable of Mach 2 flight. The aircraft was designed by Convair engineer Robert H. Widmer and developed for the United States Air Force for service in the Strategic Air Command during the 1960s...
.) These aircraft, less their nuclear delivery capability, were transferred to Cannon following the disbandment of SAC's 509th Bomb Wing
509th Bomb Wing
The 509th Bomb Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Force Global Strike Command, Eighth Air Force. It is stationed at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri....
at Pease AFB New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
and the 380th Bomb Wing at Plattsburgh AFB, New York.
The F-111Gs were used primarily for training, but was scheduled to be supplanted in the training role by the F-111E. This made the F-111G surplus to USAF requirements, and the F-111G began to be transferred to AMARC for storage in 1991 with the arrival of the "E" models with the 428th TFTS. The last G model was sent to AMARC in 1993.
Personnel of the 27th TFW played a role during Operation Desert Shield/Storm. Aircrews and aircraft of the 27th did not deploy to the region, but support personnel and a combat support group element of the wing's 27th Combat Support Group, commanded by Colonel David Benson, deployed to Taif. On 16 January 1991, when the U.S. led coalition force initiated the Desert Storm air campaign against Iraq, the 27th TFW had 325 personnel serving in the Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
region in combat support roles.
1990s to today
On 1 November 1991, the 27 TFW was re-designated the 27th Fighter Wing as part of an Air Force-wide reorganization. As part of the implentation of the "Objective Wing" concept adapted by the Air Force The 27th Operations Group was bestowed the lineage, honors and history of its predecessor history and honors of the 27 Tactical Fighter Group and its predecessor units. The 27 OG took control of the wings fighter squadrons upon activation.In June 1992, the 27 FW became part of a new major command – Air Combat Command
Air Combat Command
Air Combat Command is a major command of the United States Air Force. ACC is one of ten major commands , reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force ....
. ACC was created when SAC, TAC, and the Military Airlift Command
Military Airlift Command
The Military Airlift Command is an inactive United States Air Force Major Command of the USAF which was headquartered at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. It was constituted on 1 January 1966 and active until the end of the Cold War, when the Air Force table of organization was revised...
merged to form two commands, ACC and the Air Mobility Command
Air Mobility Command
Air Mobility Command is a Major Command of the U.S. Air Force. AMC is headquartered at Scott AFB, Illinois, east of St. Louis....
.
After enemy attacks on New York and Washington in 2001, the wing deployed personnel and aircraft globally in operations associated with the War on Terror.
History
- See 27th Special Operations Group27th Special Operations GroupThe 27th Special Operations Group is the flying component of the 27th Special Operations Wing, assigned to the Air Force Special Operations Command...
for additional history and lineage information
Lineage
- Established as 27th Fighter Wing on 28 July 1947
- Organized on 15 August 1947
- Redesignated: 27th Fighter-Escort Wing on 1 February 1950
- Redesignated: 27th Strategic Fighter Wing on 20 January 1953
- Redesignated: 27th Fighter-Bomber Wing on 1 July 1957
- Redesignated: 27th Tactical Fighter Wing on 1 July 1958
- Redesignated: 27th Fighter Wing on 1 October 1991
- Redesignated: 27th Special Operations Wing on 1 October 2007.
Assignments
- Eighth Air ForceEighth Air ForceThe Eighth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana....
, 15 August 1947
- Attached to Far East Air Forces, 19–29 November 1950
- Attached to Fifth Air ForceFifth Air ForceThe Fifth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Pacific Air Forces . It is headquartered at Yokota Air Base, Japan....
, 30 November 1950 – 15 July 1951- 42nd Air Division, 6 August 1951
- Attached to Far East Air Forces, 6–13 October 1952
- Attached to 39th Air Division [Defense], 13 October 1952-c. 13 February 1953
- Attached to 7th Air Division, 7 May-17 August 1955
- Twelfth Air Force, 8 January 1958
- Attached to 834th Air Division, 15 July 1958 – 18 February 1959
- 832nd Air Division, 18 February 1959
- Attached to 3 Air Division [Provisional], 21 October-1 December 1962
- Twelfth Air Force, 1 July 1975
- Eighth Air ForceEighth Air ForceThe Eighth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana....
, 1 June 1992 - Twelfth Air Force, 1 October 2002
- Air Force Special Operations CommandAir Force Special Operations CommandAir Force Special Operations Command is the Special Operations component of the United States Air Force and the US Air Force component command to the United States Special Operations Command , a unified command located at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida...
, 1 October 2007–present
Components
Wing- 136 Fighter-Bomber Wing136th Airlift WingThe United States Air Force's 136th Airlift Wing is an airlift unit located at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth. The wing operates the Lockheed C-130H cargo/transport aircraft and is the parent unit of the 181st Airlift Squadron.-Mission:...
: attached 20 May-30 June 1951.
Group
- 27 Fighter (later, 27 Fighter-Escort; 27 Operations) Group27th Special Operations GroupThe 27th Special Operations Group is the flying component of the 27th Special Operations Wing, assigned to the Air Force Special Operations Command...
: 15 August 1947 – 16 June 1952; 1 November 1991–present
Squadron
- 27th Air Refueling Squadron27th Air Refueling SquadronThe United States Air Force's 27th Air Refueling Squadron was an aerial refueling unit that operated the Boeing KB-29P Superfortress at Bergstrom AFB, Texas....
: 25 October 1953 – 1 July 1957 (detached 7 May-17 August 1955) - 307th Air Refueling Squadron307th Air Refueling SquadronThe 307th Air Refueling Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 410th Bombardment Wing, stationed at K.I. Sawyer AFB, Michigan. It was inactivated on 1 August 1990.-History:...
: attached 6 June-25 October 1953 - 428th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron: 2 April 1990 – 1 November 1991
- 429th Tactical Fighter Squadron: attached 15 May 1967 – 15 May 1968
- 465th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron: attached 1 December 1972 – 1 August 1973
- 481st Fighter-Bomber (later, 481st Tactical Fighter; 481st Tactical Fighter Training) Squadron481st Tactical Fighter Squadron-History:In 1957, the 27th Fighter-Escort Wing was assigned to Bergstrom Air Force Base near Austin, Texas and at that time it was part of the Strategic Air Command. In the summer of 1957, it was re-named as the 27th Tactical Fighter Wing and transferred to the Tactical Air Command...
: 25 September 1957 – 31 August 1973 (detached 1–25 June 1959, 9 June-11 October 1961, 24 April-20 May 1963, 19 November 1963 – 1 February 1964, 9-c. 20 April 1964, 2 September-4 December 1964, and 15 June-30 November 1965); 15 January 1976 – 8 July 1980 - 522nd Fighter Escort (later, 522nd Strategic Fighter; 522nd Fighter-Bomber; 522nd Tactical Fighter; 522nd Fighter) Squadron: attached 6 August 1951 – 15 June 1952, assigned 16 June 1952 – 1 November 1991 (detached 6 September-18 December 1958, 18 October 1959 – 22 February 1960, 13 February-c. 7 March 1961, 5 February-15 June 1962, 12 December 1962-c. 15 February 1963, 16 March-6 May 1964, 8 August-15 November 1964, and 15 August-25 November 1965)
- 523rd Fighter-Escort (later, 523rd Strategic Fighter; 523rd Fighter-Bomber; 523rd Tactical Fighter; 523rd Fighter) Squadron: attached 6 August 1951 – 15 June 1952, assigned 16 June 1952 – 20 November 1965 (detached c. 24 February-17 June 1960, c. 5 September-20 November 1961, c. 12 October 1962-c. 15 January 1963, c. 17 September-20 November 1963, 12 June-4 September 1964, and 22 March-30 June 1965); 31 August 1973 – 1 November 1991
- 524th Fighter-Escort (later, 524th Strategic Fighter; 524th Fighter-Bomber; 524th Tactical Fighter; 524 Fighter) Squadron524th Fighter SquadronThe 524th Special Operations Squadron is a Special Operations squadron of the United States Air Force, based at Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico, with the 27th Special Operations Wing.It is nicknamed the “Hounds of Heaven”.-History:...
: attached 25 August 1951 – 15 June 1952, assigned 16 June 1952 – 1 November 1991 (detached 17 June-8 July 1959, 10 February-16 June 1961, 30 October-14 November 1961, 9 June-c. 27 June 1963, 21 January-19 March 1964, and 1 December 1964 – 28 March 1965) - 4427th Tactical Fighter Replacement Squadron: 1 October 1971 – 15 January 1976
- 4429th Combat Crew Training Squadron: 20 December 1968 – 1 December 1972
Stations
- Kearney AAFld (later, AFB), NebraskaNebraskaNebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
, 15 August 1947 - Bergstrom AFB, Texas, 16 March 1949
- Cannon AFB, New MexicoNew MexicoNew Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
, 18 February 1959–present
Aircraft
- P/F-51 Mustang, 1947–1949
- F-82 Twin MustangF-82 Twin MustangThe North American F-82 Twin Mustang was the last American piston-engine fighter ordered into production by the United States Air Force. Based on the P-51 Mustang, the F-82 was originally designed as a long-range escort fighter in World War II; however, the war ended well before the first...
, 1948–1950 - F-84 ThunderjetF-84 ThunderjetThe Republic F-84 Thunderjet was an American turbojet fighter-bomber aircraft. Originating as a 1944 United States Army Air Forces proposal for a "day fighter", the F-84 flew in 1946...
, 1950–1951, 1951–1958 - KB-29 Superfortress (Tanker), 1953–1955, 1955–1957
- F-101 VoodooF-101 VoodooThe McDonnell F-101 Voodoo was a supersonic military jet fighter which served the United States Air Force and the Royal Canadian Air Force...
, 1957–1958 - F-100 Super SabreF-100 Super SabreThe North American F-100 Super Sabre was a supersonic jet fighter aircraft that served with the United States Air Force from 1954 to 1971 and with the Air National Guard until 1979. The first of the Century Series collection of USAF jet fighters, it was the first USAF fighter capable of...
, 1959–1972 - T/AT-33 Shooting StarT-33 Shooting StarThe Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star is an American-built jet trainer aircraft. It was produced by Lockheed and made its first flight in 1948, piloted by Tony LeVier. The T-33 was developed from the Lockheed P-80/F-80 starting as TP-80C/TF-80C in development, then designated T-33A. It was used by the...
, 1968–1973
- General Dynamics F-111General Dynamics F-111The General Dynamics F-111 "Aardvark" was a medium-range interdictor and tactical strike aircraft that also filled the roles of strategic bomber, reconnaissance, and electronic warfare in its various versions. Developed in the 1960s by General Dynamics, it first entered service in 1967 with the...
, 1969–1970, 1970–1996 - EF-111 Raven, 1992–1998
- F-16 Falcon, 1995–2007
- MQ-1B Predator, 2005–present
- U-28A(PC-12), 2008–present
- MC-130W Combat Spear, 2009–present
- MQ-9 Reaper, 2009–present