27th Special Operations Group - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The 27th Special Operations Group (27 SOG) is the flying component of the 27th Special Operations Wing, 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 group is stationed at Cannon Air Force Base

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...

.

During World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

, its predecessor unit, the 27th Bombardment (later Fighter) 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.

Overview

The 27th Special Operations Group accomplishes global special operations taskings as an Air Force component member of the United States Special Operations Command. It conducts infiltration/exfiltration, combat support, helicopter and tilt-rotor aerial refueling, psychological warfare, and other special missions. It directs the deployment, employment, training, and planning for four squadrons that operate the MC-130W Combat Spear, MQ-1B Predator, U-28A aircraft, and provide operational support to flying operations.

Components

There are several squadrons within the group.

3d Special Operations Squadron

The 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:...

16th Special Operations Squadron

The 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 :...

20th Special Operations Squadron

The 20th Special Operations Squadron is part of the 27th Special Operations Wing at Cannon AFB, New Mexico. It operates CV-22 Osprey aircraft in support of special operations.-Mission:...

27th Special Operations Support Squadron

33d Special Operations Squadron

The 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...

56th Intelligence Squadron

73d Special Operations Squadron

The 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:...

318th Special Operations Squadron

318th 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...

522d Special Operations Squadron

The 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...

524th Special Operations Squadron

551st Special Operations Squadron

The 551st Special Operations Squadron is a squadron of the United States Air Force. It is assigned to the 27th Special Operations Wing at Cannon AFB, New Mexico...

Det. 56th Special Operations Squadron

History

See 27th Special Operations Wing for additional history and lineage information

On 1 February 1940, the United States Army Air Corps

United States Army Air Corps

The United States Army Air Corps was a forerunner of the United States Air Force. Renamed from the Air Service on 2 July 1926, it was part of the United States Army and the predecessor of the United States Army Air Forces , established in 1941...

activated the 27th Bombardment Group (Light) at Barksdale Army Airfield (AAF)

Barksdale Air Force Base

Barksdale Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located approximately east-southeast of Bossier City, Louisiana.The host unit at Barksdale is the 2d Bomb Wing , the oldest Bomb Wing in the Air Force. It is assigned to the Air Force Global Strike Command's Eighth Air Force...

, Louisiana

Louisiana

Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...

and equipped it with the Douglas B-18 Bolo

B-18 Bolo

The Douglas B-18 Bolo was a United States Army Air Corps and Royal Canadian Air Force bomber of the late 1930s and early 1940s. The Bolo was built by Douglas Aircraft Company and based on its DC-2 and was developed to replace the Martin B-10....

Light bomber

A light bomber is a relatively small and fast class of military bomber aircraft which were primarily employed before the 1950s. Such aircraft would typically not carry more than one ton of ordnance....

aircraft. The group consisted of the 15th

15th Bombardment Squadron

The 15th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the Twelfth Air Force, based at Nouvion Airfield, Algeria...

, 16th and 17th Bombardment Squadrons. In October of that year the group moved to Hunter Army Airfield

Hunter Army Airfield

Hunter Army Airfield , located in Savannah, Georgia, United States, is a military airfield and subordinate installation to Fort Stewart.Hunter features a runway that is 11,375 feet long and an aircraft parking area that is more than 350 acres...

, Georgia

Georgia (U.S. state)

Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...

, less the 15th Bombardment Squadron

15th Bombardment Squadron

The 15th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the Twelfth Air Force, based at Nouvion Airfield, Algeria...

, which was reassigned to V Air Support Command on 14 October. On 21 October the group was ordered to the Philippine Islands

Philippines

The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...

in response to the growing crisis in the Pacific.

Philippine Campaign (1941–42)

Arriving at Fort William McKinley

Fort William McKinley

Fort William McKinley, was established in the Philippines during the Philippine–American War in 1901 when the whole land south of Pasig River down to Alabang was declared a U.S. Military Reservation. During the World War II era, it was where USAFFE had its headquarters for the Philippine Department...

in the Philippines on 20 November, the 27th BG (L) readied itself for delivery of its A-24 Dauntless

SBD Dauntless

The Douglas SBD Dauntless was a naval dive bomber made by Douglas during World War II. The SBD was the United States Navy's main dive bomber from mid-1940 until late 1943, when it was largely replaced by the SB2C Helldiver...

aircraft. Concern grew as days turned into weeks and still the planes had not arrived. When the Imperial Japanese Army

Imperial Japanese Army

-Foundation:During the Meiji Restoration, the military forces loyal to the Emperor were samurai drawn primarily from the loyalist feudal domains of Satsuma and Chōshū...

attacked the Philippines on 9 December 1941, the situation had not changed. Unknown to the 27th BG (L) Airmen, to avoid capture or destruction, the ship carrying the planes was diverted to Australia when the war escalated.

On 18 December Major John H. Davies, 27th BG (L) commander, and an aircrew of 20 flew from Clark Field

Clark Air Base

Clark Air Base is a former United States Air Force base on Luzon Island in the Philippines, located 3 miles west of Angeles City, about 40 miles northwest of Metro Manila. Clark Air Base was an American military facility from 1903 to 1991...

on Luzon

Luzon

Luzon is the largest island in the Philippines. It is located in the northernmost region of the archipelago, and is also the name for one of the three primary island groups in the country centered on the Island of Luzon...

in two B-18s and one Douglas C-39

Douglas DC-2

The Douglas DC-2 was a 14-seat, twin-engine airliner produced by the American company Douglas Aircraft Corporation starting in 1934. It competed with the Boeing 247...

of Transport Command to Tarakan Island

Tarakan Island

Tarakan is an island off the coast of East Kalimantan, Indonesia. It is a marshy island situated in the eastern Celebes Sea, off the northeastern coast of Borneo. The island occupies an area of .-Petroleum:...

in the Dutch East Indies

Dutch East Indies

The Dutch East Indies was a Dutch colony that became modern Indonesia following World War II. It was formed from the nationalised colonies of the Dutch East India Company, which came under the administration of the Netherlands government in 1800....

to Darwin

Darwin, Northern Territory

Darwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. Situated on the Timor Sea, Darwin has a population of 127,500, making it by far the largest and most populated city in the sparsely populated Northern Territory, but the least populous of all Australia's capital cities...

Australia arriving on 22 December. Flying from Darwin, the group arrived in Brisbane

Brisbane

Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...

on 24 December to pick up their A-24s off the ship USAT Meigs. However, as a swift Japanese advance prevented his group from returning to the Philippines, the air echelon of the 27th was ordered to operate from Brisbane.

The ground echelon of the 27th still in the Philippines was evacuated south from Luzon on 25 December to the Bataan Peninsula

Bataan

Bataan is a province of the Philippines occupying the whole of the Bataan Peninsula on Luzon. The province is part of the Central Luzon region. The capital of Bataan is Balanga City and it is bordered by the provinces of Zambales and Pampanga to the north...

, arriving to form the 2nd Battalion (27th Bombardment Group) Provisional Infantry Regiment (Air Corp). For the 99 days following the attack on Pearl Harbor

Attack on Pearl Harbor

The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on the morning of December 7, 1941...

until their surrender to the Japanese after the Battle of Bataan

Battle of Bataan

, the men of the 27th BG became the only Air Force unit in history to fight as an infantry regiment, and were the only unit to be taken captive in whole. After surrendering, they were forced to endure the infamous Bataan Death March

Bataan Death March

. Of the 880 or so Airmen who were taken, less than half survived captivity.

However, a number of officers and enlisted men of the 27th Bomb Group were evacuated out of the Philippines in five U.S. Navy

United States Navy

The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...

submarines just before it was overrun by the Japanese during April. The USS Seawolf

USS Seawolf (SS-197)

USS Seawolf , a Sargo-class submarine, was the second submarine of the United States Navy named for the seawolf.Her keel was laid down on 27 September 1938 by the Portsmouth Navy Yard in Kittery, Maine. She was launched on 15 August 1939 sponsored by Mrs. Edward C. Kalbfus and commissioned on 1...

, USS Seadragon

USS Seadragon (SS-194)

USS Seadragon , a Sargo-class submarine, was the first ship of the United States Navy to be named for the seadragon.Her keel was laid on 18 April 1938 by the Electric Boat Company of Groton, Connecticut. She was christened and launched on 21 April 1939, sponsored by Mrs. J.O...

, USS Sargo

USS Sargo (SS-188)

USS Sargo , the lead ship of her class of submarine, was the first ship of the United States Navy to be named for the sargo.Her keel was laid on 12 May 1937 by the Electric Boat Company in Groton, Connecticut. She was launched on 6 June 1938 sponsored by Mrs. Chester W. Nimitz , and commissioned on...

, USS Swordfish

USS Swordfish (SS-193)

USS Swordfish , a Sargo-class submarine, was the first submarine of the United States Navy named for the swordfish, a large fish with a long, swordlike beak and a high dorsal fin...

and lastly the USS Spearfish

USS Spearfish (SS-190)

USS Spearfish , a Sargo-class submarine, was the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for the spearfish, any of several large, powerful, pelagic fishes of the genus Tetrapturus allied to the marlins and sailfishes....

, on the night of the 3 May 1942 managed to sneak into Manila Bay

Manila Bay

Manila Bay is a natural harbor which serves the Port of Manila , in the Philippines.The bay is considered to be one of the best natural harbors in Southeast Asia and one of the finest in the world...

and evacuate American personnel from Corregidor

Corregidor

Corregidor Island, locally called Isla ng Corregidor, is a lofty island located at the entrance of Manila Bay in southwestern part of Luzon Island in the Philippines. Due to this location, Corregidor was fortified with several coastal artillery and ammunition magazines to defend the entrance of...

to Java and Fremantle, Western Australia

Fremantle, Western Australia

Fremantle is a city in Western Australia, located at the mouth of the Swan River. Fremantle Harbour serves as the port of Perth, the state capital. Fremantle was the first area settled by the Swan River colonists in 1829...

Dutch East Indies and New Guinea Campaigns (1942)

In Australia, the escaped airmen and aircraft of the 27th Bomb Group reformed into a combat unit. In early 12 February pilots of the 91st Sqdn flew their A-24's with gunners from Brisbane to Malang

Malang

Malang is the second largest city in East Java province, Indonesia. It has an ancient history dating back to the Mataram Kingdom. The city population at the 2010 Census was 819,708. During the period of Dutch colonization, it was a popular destination for European residents. The city is famous for...

Java

Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...

in the colonial Dutch East Indies

Dutch East Indies

to defend the island. The group participated in an attack on the Japanese invasion fleet landing troops on Bali

Bali

Bali is an Indonesian island located in the westernmost end of the Lesser Sunda Islands, lying between Java to the west and Lombok to the east...

. The attacks, carried out during the afternoon of 19 February and throughout the morning of 20 February, caused little damage and all air operations that day failed to halt the landings. The group was credited with the sinking of a Japanese cruiser and a destroyer. From 27 February through 1 March, three A-24's of the 91st Sqdn participated in Battle of the Java Sea

Battle of the Java Sea

The Battle of the Java Sea was a decisive naval battle of the Pacific campaign of World War II, that sealed the fate of the Netherlands East Indies....

. The remaining pilots & gunners of the 27th Bomb Group were flown out to Australia in early March, consolidating with the 16th and 17th Squadrons which had moved from Brisbane to Batchelor airfield in the Northern Territory

Northern Territory

The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...

.

For their heroic efforts in the Philippines and the Southwest Pacific during late 1941 and early 1942, the 27th Bombardment Group (Light) received three Distinguished Unit Citations (DUC).

On 25 March, Major Davies, and the surviving 27th Bomb Group personnel consisting of 42 officers, 62 enlisted men and 24 A-24s were assigned to the 3rd Bombardment Group at Charters Towers airfield

Charters Towers, Queensland

Charters Towers is a city in northern Queensland, Australia. It is located 137 kilometres inland from Townsville on the Flinders Highway. In 2006 the population was 7,979 people, some 450 fewer than in the 2001 census. During the last quarter of the 19th century the town boomed as the rich gold...

in Queensland, Australia. Davies would take over as CO of the 3rd BG while three other senior pilots from the 27th would become CO's of the 8th, 13th and 90th Squadrons. The officers and enlisted men were assigned to the four squadrons of the 3rd BG. The remaining A-24 aircraft were added to the 8th Bomb Squadron

8th Special Operations Squadron

The 8th Special Operations Squadron is part of the 1st Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt Field, Florida. It operates CV-22 Osprey in support of special operations.-Mission:...

. Over the next 21 months these men would fly combat missions to the Philippines, New Guinea and Rabaul as well as play a leading role in the Battle of the Bismarck Sea.

On 4 May the unmanned and unequipped 27th Bomb Group was inactivated in place, and transferred administrativeley back to the United States.

North African Campaign

On 4 May 27 Bombardment Group (Light) was reactivated without personnel or equipment at Hunter AAF Georgia. At Hunter, the group was re-manned and re-equipped with the Douglas A-20 Havoc

Douglas DB-7

The Douglas A-20/DB-7 Havoc was a family of American attack, light bomber and night fighter aircraft of World War II, that served with several Allied air forces, principally those of the Soviet Union, United Kingdom, and United States. The DB-7 was also used by the air forces of Australia, South...

light bomber. After additional training in Mississippi

Mississippi

Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...

and Louisiana

Louisiana

, on 26 December the group was transferred to Ste-Barbe-du-Tlelat Airfield, Algeria to enter combat in North Africa with Twelfth Air Force.

Maintenance and support personnel went by sea to North Africa while aircrews and the A-20s flew to South America then across to North Africa, In North Africa, the A-20s were sent to other groups and the 27th Bomb Group was redesignated as the 27th Fighter-Bomber Group and reequipped with the North American A-36 Invader

North American A-36

The North American A-36 Apache was the ground-attack/dive bomber version of the North American Aviation P-51 Mustang, from which it could be distinguished by the presence of rectangular, slatted dive brakes above and below the wings...

dive bomber. Assigned to Korba, Tunisia

Tunisia

Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...

, the 27th FBG flew its first combat missions of the war on 6 June 1943.

The 27th served in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations

Mediterranean Theater of Operations

The Mediterranean Theater of Operations, United States Army was originally called North African Theater of Operations and is an American term for the conflict that took place between the Allies and Axis Powers in North Africa and Italy during World War II...

(MTO) until the end of the war. It was redesignated the 27th Fighter Group in May 1944 when the group converted first to the Curtiss P-40 Warhawk

Curtiss P-40

The Curtiss P-40 Warhawk was an American single-engine, single-seat, all-metal fighter and ground attack aircraft that first flew in 1938. The P-40 design was a modification of the previous Curtiss P-36 Hawk which reduced development time and enabled a rapid entry into production and operational...

, then to the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt aircraft.

Sicilian/Italian Campaigns

During the Sicilian Campaign

Allied invasion of Sicily

The Allied invasion of Sicily, codenamed Operation Husky, was a major World War II campaign, in which the Allies took Sicily from the Axis . It was a large scale amphibious and airborne operation, followed by six weeks of land combat. It launched the Italian Campaign.Husky began on the night of...

, operations included participation in the reduction of Pantelleria

Pantelleria

Pantelleria , the ancient Cossyra, is an Italian island in the Strait of Sicily in the Mediterranean Sea, southwest of Sicily and just east of the Tunisian coast. Administratively Pantelleria is a comune belonging to the Sicilian province of Trapani...

and Lampedusa

Lampedusa

Lampedusa is the largest island of the Italian Pelagie Islands in the Mediterranean Sea. The comune of Lampedusa e Linosa is part of the Sicilian province of Agrigento which also includes the smaller islands of Linosa and Lampione. It is the southernmost part of Italy. Tunisia, which is about ...

Islands and supporting ground forces during the conquest of Sicily

Sicily

Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...

. In the Italian Campaign

Italian Campaign (World War II)

The Italian Campaign of World War II was the name of Allied operations in and around Italy, from 1943 to the end of the war in Europe. Joint Allied Forces Headquarters AFHQ was operationally responsible for all Allied land forces in the Mediterranean theatre, and it planned and commanded the...

the 27th covered the landings at Salerno

Salerno

Salerno is a city and comune in Campania and is the capital of the province of the same name. It is located on the Gulf of Salerno on the Tyrrhenian Sea....

and received a Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC) for preventing three German armored divisions from reaching the Salerno beachhead on 10 September 1943. In addition, the group supported the Fifth Army during the Allied drive toward Rome.

Southern France

The group took part in the invasion of Southern France

Operation Dragoon

Operation Dragoon was the Allied invasion of southern France on August 15, 1944, during World War II. The invasion was initiated via a parachute drop by the 1st Airborne Task Force, followed by an amphibious assault by elements of the U.S. Seventh Army, followed a day later by a force made up...

and assisted Seventh Army's advance up the Rhône Valley, receiving a second DUC for helping to disrupt the German retreat, 4 September 1944.

The 27th took part in the interdiction of the enemy's communications in northern Italy, and assisted in the Allied drive from France into Germany during the last months of the war, eventually being stationed at Biblis

Biblis

Biblis is a community in the Bergstraße district in southern Hesse, Germany.- Location :The community lies in the Rhine rift west of the Odenwald between Darmstadt to the north and Mannheim to the south; it also lies north of Bürstadt...

, Germany on V-E Day

Victory in Europe Day

Victory in Europe Day commemorates 8 May 1945 , the date when the World War II Allies formally accepted the unconditional surrender of the armed forces of Nazi Germany and the end of Adolf Hitler's Third Reich. The formal surrender of the occupying German forces in the Channel Islands was not...

.

With five Distinguished Unit Citations and a Philippine Presidential Unit Citation

Presidential Unit Citation (Philippines)

, the Airmen of the 27th were among the most decorated USAAF units of World War II.

Postwar era

In the immediate postwar drawdown of the USAAF, the 27th Fighter Group was returned to the United States in October 1945, then inactivated on 7 November at Camp Shanks

Camp Shanks

Camp Shanks, named after Major General David Carey Shanks was a United States Army installation in and around Orangeburg in the Town of Orangetown, New York. Situated near the juncture of the Erie Railroad and the Hudson River, it served as a point of embarkation for troops departing overseas...

, New York. Within a year, the group was reactivated in Germany on 20 August 1946, being assigned to Fritzlar

Fritzlar

Fritzlar is a small German town in the Schwalm-Eder district in northern Hesse, north of Frankfurt, with a storied history. It can reasonably be argued that the town is the site where the Christianization of northern Germany began and the birthplace of the German empire as a political entity.The...

Air Base, flying P-47 Thunderbolts.

The group stayed in Germany for a year performing occupation duty until being transferred, without personnel or equipment, to Andrews AAF, Maryland

Maryland

Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...

, in June 1947. The 27th was assigned to Strategic Air Command

Strategic Air Command

The Strategic Air Command was both a Major Command of the United States Air Force and a "specified command" of the United States Department of Defense. SAC was the operational establishment in charge of America's land-based strategic bomber aircraft and land-based intercontinental ballistic...

and reactivated at Kearney AAF

Kearney 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 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....

. Fighter Squadrons of the 27th were the 522d, 523d 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.

On 1 August 1948 the 27th Fighter Wing was activated. Although established over a year earlier in July 1947. Under the Hobson Base-Wing Plan the 27th FW commanded the functions of both the support groups as well as the flying combat 27th Fighter Group and the squadrons assigned to it.

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 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. It was redesignated the 27th Fighter-Escort Group, to better represent the mission of the group on 1 February. By the end of summer, the transition fo the Tunderjets was complete and the Twin Mustangs were mostly sent to reclamation, with a few being sent to Far East Air Forces or Alaska

Alaska

Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...

as replacement aircraft or for air defense duties.

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, 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, delievering the Thunderjets to the 36th Fighter-Bomber Group. 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.

After the pilots and support ground personnel were flown back to Bergstrom on MATS transports, a new production batch of F-84Es were picked up, and on 15 October the group headed for Neubiberg Air Base

Neubiberg Air Base

Neubiberg Air Base is a former German and United States Air Force airfield which was closed in 1991. It is located 9 km south of the city of 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....

, this time with ninety-two aircraft.

Korean War

Upon their return to Bergstrom in November 1950, the 27th anticipated another delivery trip to Europe and a permanent change of station to USAFE. However, this was changed to a deployment to Japan and duty in 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 departed Bergstrom on 11 November with the 522d FES refueling enroute at Biggs AFB, Texas; the 523d FES at Kirtland AFB, New Mexico

New Mexico

, and the 524th FES at Williams AFB, Arizona

Arizona

Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...

on the way to San Diego, California. The overseas transport of the 27th was via the USS Bairoko

USS Bairoko (CVE-115)

USS Bairoko was a United States Navy . She was named after the Battle of Bairoko, a battle over Bairoko Harbor -- a small inlet on the north coast of New Georgia, Solomon Islands -- which took place on 20 July 1943 between American and Japanese forces...

on 14 November and the USS Bataan

USS Bataan (CVL-29)

USS Bataan , originally planned as USS Buffalo and also classified as CV-29, was an 11,000 ton Independence class light aircraft carrier which was commissioned in the United States Navy during World War II....

on 16 November. The USS Cape Esperance

USS Cape Esperance (CVE-88)

USS Cape Esperance was an Casablanca class escort carrier of the United States Navy.She was launched on 3 March 1944 by Kaiser Co., Inc., Vancouver, Washington, under a Maritime Commission contract; sponsored by Mrs. W. M...

, with the remainder of the wing was scheduled to depart from San Francisco on 27 November, but this was delayed for two days while fifty F-86A Sabres and their equipment for the 4th Fighter-Interceptor Wing were loaded for their transfer to Japan.

By 30 November the ground echelon had arrived at Kimpo Air Base (K-14), South Korea

South Korea

The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...

, preparing for the arrival of the air echelon which had been unloaded in Japan. Once unloaded from the transport carriers, the aircraft were barged to Kisarazu Air Base where they were preflighted for a short flight to Yokota Air Base

Yokota Air Base

, is a United States Air Force base in the city of Fussa, one of 26 cities in the Tama Area, or Western Tokyo.The base houses 14,000 personnel. The base occupies a total area of and has a runway...

. However the aircraft were damaged during their trans-Pacific open-air deck shipment and had salt air induced corrosion; corroded electrical equipment and landing gear damage. Some of the aircraft also had flat tires. On 1 December Far East Air Forces decided they would station their short-ranged 4th FIG at Kimpo (K-14) and the 27th was ordered split into forward and rear echelons. Advanced headquarters would be at Taegu Air Base (K-2), South Korea; while the rear echelon would locate at Itazuke Air Base, Japan. The advanced echelon would be attached to the F-80 Shooting Star equipped 49th Fighter-Bomber Wing at Tageu for logistical support, while the rear portion would be attached to the provisional 6160th Air Base Wing at Itazuke for the same kind of support.

The first six of rapidly-repaired F-84Es arrived at K-2 on 5 December. All of these aircraft were equipped with special gun camera that were depressed to record bomb strikes. They were also JATO-Equipped with a special electronic system for their operation. The 27th flew their first combat mission on 6 December 1950; the mission being an "armed reconnaissance" over the Chinnampo River area. Over the next two days, thirty-two rockets and 7,200 rounds of .50 caliber ammunition were expended. Several locomotives were claimed as damaged and a North Korean village was strafed.

On 13 December two 27th FEG Thunderjets were lost on a strafing mission two miles west of Krin-ni when the aircraft did not return and crashed to the ground. One aircraft crashed on the ground; the cause not known; another was given a go-around at K-2 because of other traffic. The aircraft suddenly lost power and made a belly landing in a dry creek bed; the Thunderjet written-off as a result. By January, the remainder of the 27th's aircraft were made operational.

For the next six months, 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.

In 27 June was given the responsibility for acclimating the newly-arrived 136th Fighter-Bomber Wing to combat, as the 136th was their replacement. They were also given the responsibility of assisting the 49th Fighter-Bomber Wing in transition from F-80Cs to F-84Es. In eight months of combat, the 27th had participated in three major campaigns and earned the Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation

Presidential Unit Citation

The Presidential Unit Citation is a senior unit award granted to military units which have performed an extremely meritorious or heroic act, usually in the face of an armed enemy...

. They had flown 12,000 combat missions and had lost seven of their pilots in combat, and fifteen F-84 aircraft to all causes.

The 27th was relieved from assignment to FEAF in July 1951 and returned to Bergstrom AFB. On 3 August 27 FEG was declared non-operational when its squadrons were attached for operational control to the 27th FEW as part of the Air Force tri-deputate reorganization. Inactivated on 16 June 1952 when the group was considered redundant.

Modern era

The group was reactivated in on 1 November 1991 as the 27th Operations Group and assigned to the 27th Fighter Wing as part of the "Objective Wing" concept adapted by the Air Force. The 27th OG 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.

From September 1992 to July 1993, 27 OG F-111 aircrews and support personnel rotated to Incirlik Air Base

Incirlik Air Base

The Incirlik Air Base is located in İncirlik, five miles east of Adana, Turkey's fifth largest city, and from the Mediterranean Sea.The U.S...

, Turkey, in support of Operation PROVIDE COMFORT.

In 1995 the face of the flightline changed when the wing began its transition to General Dynamics F-16C/D aircraft. The first F-16s to arrive in May were assigned to the 522d Fighter Squadron. Also transitioning were the 523d and 524th Fighter Squadrons.

With the arrival of the F-16s, the F-111s were sent to AMARC. The 428th Fighter Squadron was inactivated in September 1995, and the ECW EF-111A-equipped 429 ECS was deactivated in May, 1998 with the 27th Operations Group officially holding a retirement ceremony in memorial park. The F-111 in various forms had been at Cannon AFB for 29 years. With their retirement, the 430 ECS was deactivated.

On 15 January 1998, the 524th Fighter Squadron ventured to the desert for their first overseas deployment since transitioning to the F-16. The 522d Fighter Squadron deployed to Prince Sultan Air Base

Prince Sultan Air Base

Prince Sultan Air Base is an air base located at Al Kharj, Saudi Arabia.There was formerly a large United States presence there during Operations Southern Watch, Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. The U.S. presence was predominantly that of multiple U.S. Air Force flying units, augmented by a...

, Saudi Arabia in direct support of Operation SOUTHERN WATCH. They flew missions enforcing UN resolutions of no-fly zone over Southern Iraq

Iraq

Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....

. In March, the 523d Fighter Squadron also deployed to Southwest Asia in support of Operation SOUTHERN WATCH.

These two 27 FW squadrons were the first F-16 unit to replace Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II

A-10 Thunderbolt II

The Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II is an American single-seat, twin-engine, straight-wing jet aircraft developed by Fairchild-Republic in the early 1970s. The A-10 was designed for a United States Air Force requirement to provide close air support for ground forces by attacking tanks,...

units performing close air support. In addition, they were the first F-16 unit to maintain the demanding combat search and rescue alert in Southwest Asia. While deployed to the Gulf region in December 1998, the F-16s from the 522d Fighter Squadron provided close air support alert, defensive counter air alert and interdiction in Iraq.

In August, 1998, the 524th Fighter Squadron deployed to Hill AFB, Utah

Utah

Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...

for exercise Combat Hammer. During the exercise, they dropped inert GBU-24 Paveway III

GBU-24 Paveway III

Raytheon GBU-24 Family The GBU-24 is a family of laser-guided bombs, a sub-group of the larger Raytheon Paveway III family of weapons. The Paveway guidance package consists of a seeker package attached to the nose of the weapon, and a wing kit attached to the rear to provide stability and greater...

laser guided bombs and fired live maverick antitank missiles on Utah test range. The hit rate was one of the highest ever seen in the Air Force, showcasing the lethality of the Block 40 F-16.

In 1998, the governments of the United States and Singapore

Singapore

Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...

signed an agreement laying the foundation of the Peace Carvin III program. As a Foreign Military Sales training program for the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF), Peace Carvin III was designed for the continued training of RSAF in rapid deployment and tactical employment of the block 52 F-16C/D throughout a wide spectrum of missions including air-to-air, joint maritime and precision air-to-ground weapons delivery.

In support of Peace Carvin III, the 428th Fighter Squadron
428th Fighter Squadron
The 428th Fighter Squadron is part of the 366th Fighter Wing at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho. Currently, it operates F-15SG Strike Eagle aircraft conducting formal training missions to qualify Republic of Singapore Air Force crew in the F-15SG under the auspices of Peace Carvin...

was reactivated on 12 November 1988 and tasked to take the lead in Peace Carvin III. The squadron was a hybrid of USAF and RSAF F-16C/D manned by USAF instructor pilots, Singaporean pilots and combined RSAF and USAF teams of maintenance and support personnel.

In May 1999, the 428th Fighter Squadron participated in its first official major exercise after its reactivation. The squadron deployed to Tyndall Air Force Base

Tyndall Air Force Base

Tyndall Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base located east of Panama City, Florida. The base was named in honor of World War I pilot 1st Lt Frank Benjamin Tyndall...

, Florida, for exercise Combat Archer. The exercise was designed to test weapons capabilities, tactics and employment. This included the first live firing of radar-guided air-to-air AIM-7 Sparrow

AIM-7 Sparrow

The AIM-7 Sparrow is an American, medium-range semi-active radar homing air-to-air missile operated by the United States Air Force, United States Navy and United States Marine Corps, as well as various allied air forces and navies. Sparrow and its derivatives were the West's principal beyond visual...

by the RSAF.

With the completion of Peace Carvin III, the 428 FS was deactivated on 6 July 2005.

In July 1999, the 522d Fighter Squadron deployed to Keflavik Naval Air Station, Iceland, to support NATO exercise Coronet Norsemen. They served primarily as the combat air arm of the Iceland Defense Force. In August 1999, the 523d Fighter Squadron relieved the 522d Fighter Squadron from Coronet Norsemen.

During Operation ALLIED FORCE in 1999, the 524th Fighter Squadron was notified for "on-call" duty to augment forces. Quick termination of hostilities precluded the 524th Fighter Squadron from seeing action.

Global War on Terror

On 11 September 2001 when terrorists attacked the World Trade Center

World Trade Center

The original World Trade Center was a complex with seven buildings featuring landmark twin towers in Lower Manhattan, New York City, United States. The complex opened on April 4, 1973, and was destroyed in 2001 during the September 11 attacks. The site is currently being rebuilt with five new...

in New York City and The Pentagon

The Pentagon

The Pentagon is the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense, located in Arlington County, Virginia. As a symbol of the U.S. military, "the Pentagon" is often used metonymically to refer to the Department of Defense rather than the building itself.Designed by the American architect...

in Washington, D.C., aircraft from the 27 FW went on air defense alert.

Two weeks following the 9/11 attacks members of the 27th Civil Engineer Squadron Prime BEEF team had deployed to a forward location in the AOR and built a tent city at a (then) Classified location. They would not return till March 2002.

In December 2002, the 524 FS deployed to Kuwait

Kuwait

The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...

and participated in Operation IRAQI FREEDOM, dropping nearly a million pounds of precision guided munitions, more than any other F-16 Block 40 squadron in history.

In September 2007, the 522d Expeditionary Fighter Squadron wrapped up the final deployment for their squadron and, ultimately, the 27th Operations Group.

The 522d Fighter Squadron, known as the Fireballs, were inactivated upon their return to Cannon AFB and the 27 FW became the 27th Special Operations Group on 1 October 2007. Among the units that joined the group were the 3d SOS (MQ-1), 73d SOS (MC-130W) and 318th SOS (light transport aircraft) as well as the 20th SOS (CV-22s).

Lineage

Established as 27th Bombardment Group (Light) on 22 December 1939

Activated on 1 February 1940

Redesignated: 27th Fighter Bomber Group on 23 August 1943

Redesignated: 27th Fighter Group on 30 May 1944

Inactivated on 7 November 1945

Activated on 20 August 1946 by redesignation of 366th Fighter Group

Redesignated 27th Fighter-Escort Group on 1 February 1950

Inactivated on 16 June 1952

Redesignated: 27th Tactical Fighter Group on 31 July 1985 (Remained inactive)
Redesignated: 27th Operations Group on 28 October 1991

Activated on 1 November 1991

Redesignated 27th Special Operations Group on 1 October 2007

Assignments

Southeast Air District (later, 3 Air Force), 1 February 1940
3d Air Support Command, 1 September 1941
V Bomber Command
V Bomber Command
The V Bomber Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to Fifth Air Force, based at Irumagawa AB, Japan. It was inactivated on 31 May 1946....

, c. 20 November 1941

Ground echelon attached to: V Interceptor Command, 24 December 1941 – 8 May 1942

Air echelon under operational control of American-British-Dutch-Australian Command

American-British-Dutch-Australian Command

The American-British-Dutch-Australian Command, or ABDACOM, was a short-lived, supreme command for all Allied forces in South East Asia, in early 1942, during the Pacific War in World War II...

, c. March-4 May 1942

3d Air Force, 4 May 1942
3d Bomber Command, 7 July 1942
III Ground Air (later, III Air) Support Command
III Air Support Command
The III Air Support Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Third Air Force stationed at Drew Field, Florida. It was inactivated on 16 March 1942.-Lineage:...

, 10 August 1942
Twelfth Air Force, c. 25 December 1942
XII Air Support (later, XII Tactical Air) Command
XII Tactical Air Command
The XII Tactical Air Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the United States Air Forces in Europe, based at Bad Kissingen, Germany...

, July 1943

XII Fighter (later, XXII Tactical Air) Command
XII Tactical Air Command
The XII Tactical Air Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the United States Air Forces in Europe, based at Bad Kissingen, Germany...

, 20 September 1944

Attached to XII Tactical Command, 20 September-2 October 1944

63d Fighter Wing
63d Fighter Wing (World War II)
The 63d Fighter Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the Texas Air National Guard, based at Ellington Field, Texas...

Attached to First Tactical Air Force [Provisional], 21 February 1945

XII Tactical Air Command
XII Tactical Air Command
The XII Tactical Air Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the United States Air Forces in Europe, based at Bad Kissingen, Germany...

, 30 March 1945
64th Fighter Wing, 7 July–October 1945; 20 August 1946
Strategic Air Command
Strategic Air Command
The Strategic Air Command was both a Major Command of the United States Air Force and a "specified command" of the United States Department of Defense. SAC was the operational establishment in charge of America's land-based strategic bomber aircraft and land-based intercontinental ballistic...

, 25 June 1947
Eighth Air Force
Eighth Air Force
The 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....

, 16 July 1947
27 Fighter (later, 27 Fighter-Escort) Wing
27th Fighter Wing
The 27th Special Operations Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force stationed at Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico. It is assigned to the Air Force Special Operations Command...

, 15 August 1947 – 16 June 1952
27th Fighter Wing
27th Fighter Wing
The 27th Special Operations Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force stationed at Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico. It is assigned to the Air Force Special Operations Command...

, 1 November 1991
27th Special Operations Wing, 1 October 2007–present

Components

11th Reconnaissance (later, 91st Bombardment; 524th Fighter-Bomber; 524th Fighter; 524th Fighter-Escort; 524th Fighter, 524th Special Operations) Squadron
524th Fighter Squadron
The 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, 15 January 1941; assigned 14 January 1941 – 7 November 1945; 20 August 1946-16 June 1952 (detached, 25 August 1951 – 16 June 1952); 1 November 1991-30 September 2007
15th Bombardment Squadron
15th Bombardment Squadron
The 15th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the Twelfth Air Force, based at Nouvion Airfield, Algeria...

: 1 February 1940 – 14 October 1941
16th Bombardment (later, 522d Fighter-Bomber, 522d Fighter; 522d Fighter-Escort; 522d Fighter) Squadron: 1 February 1940 – 7 November 1945; 20 August 1946-16 June 1952 (detached, 6 August 1951 – 16 June 1952); 1 November 1991-30 September 2007
17th Bombardment (later, 523d Fighter-Bomber; 523d Fighter; 523d Fighter-Escort; 523d Fighter) Squadron
523d Fighter Squadron
The 523d Fighter Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the 27th Operations Group stationed at Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico....

: 1 February 1940 – 7 November 1945; 20 August 1946-16 June 1952 (detached, 6 August 1951 – 16 June 1952); 1 November 1991-30 September 2007
428th Fighter Squadron
428th Fighter Squadron
The 428th Fighter Squadron is part of the 366th Fighter Wing at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho. Currently, it operates F-15SG Strike Eagle aircraft conducting formal training missions to qualify Republic of Singapore Air Force crew in the F-15SG under the auspices of Peace Carvin...

: 1 November 1991 – 12 October 1995; 15 September 1998-30 September 2007
429th Electronic Combat: 22 June 1993 – 19 June 1998
430th Electronic Combat: 1 August 1992 – 29 June 1993
465th Bombardment Squadron
465th Bombardment Squadron
The 465th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last was assigned to the 415th Bombardment Group, stationed at Dalhart Army Airfield, Texas. It was inactivated on 5 April 1944.-History:...

: 13 July-21 November 1942.

Stations

Barksdale Field, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...

, 1 February 1940
Hunter Field, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...

, 7 October 1940 – 21 October 1941
Philippines Commonwealth, 20 November 1941

Ground echelon at: Fort William McKinley

Fort William McKinley

, Luzon

Luzon

, Philippines Commonwealth,

Assigned as ground forces as 27th Bombardment Group Provisional Infantry Regiment (Air Corp), Bataan

Bataan

, on 24 December 1941 – 8 May 1942

Air echelon diverted to: Archerfield Airport

Archerfield Airport

Archerfield Airport is a small airport located 7 1/2 miles at Archerfield in the south west of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. For some time it was the primary airport in Brisbane. During World War II it was used as a Royal Australian Air Force station. Airport traffic peaked in the 1980s...

, Australia, 24 December 1941– March 1942

Batchelor Airfield
Batchelor Airfield
Batchelor Airfield, is an airport located south of Batchelor, Northern Territory, Australia. Currently, it has no commercial air service and is utilised by the Northern Australian Gliding Club.-History:...

, Australia, March-4 May 1942
Hunter Field, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...

, 4 May 1942
Key Field
Key field
A key field is a field or set of fields of a database table which together form a unique identifier for a database record . The aggregate of these fields is usually referred to simply as "the key". Key fields also define searches...

, Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...

, c. 14 July 1942
Hattiesburg Army Airfield, Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...

, 15 August 1942
Harding Army Airfield, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...

, 25 October-21 November 1942
Ste-Barbe-du-Tlelat Airfield, Algeria, 26 December 1942
Nouvion Airfield
Nouvion Airfield
Nouvion Airfield was a pre-war airport and World War II military airfield in Algeria, located about 5 km west of Camp Militaire d' El Ghomri in Mascara province; about 76 km east of Oran.-History:...

, Algeria, January 1943
Ras el Ma Airfield
Ras el Ma Airfield
Ras el Ma Airfield is an abandoned World War II military airfield in Morocco, located in the southeast suburbs of Ras Kebdana. The airfield served as a support facility for the port, allowing Allied aircraft to be assembled and parepared for combat duty, then flown from the airstrip as...

, French Morocco
French Morocco
French Protectorate of Morocco was a French protectorate in Morocco, established by the Treaty of Fez. French Morocco did not include the north of the country, which was a Spanish protectorate...

, c. 4 April 1943
Korba Airfield
Korba Airfield
Korba Airfield is an abandoned military airfield in Tunisia, located about 3 km west of Hamadet Bir Messaouda in Nabul provience; 13 km north of Korbra, and 60 km east-southeast of Tunis....

, Tunisia, June 1943
Ponte Olivo Airfield
Ponte Olivo Airfield
Ponte Olivo Airfield is an abandoned pre-World War II airport and later wartime military airfield in Sicily, 3 km north of Gela. Its last known use was by the United States Army Air Force Twelfth Air Force in 1944 during the Italian Campaign.-History:...

, Sicily, July 1943
Capaccio Airfield
Capaccio Airfield
Capaccio Airfield is an abandoned military airfield in Italy, located about 7 km west of Capaccio in southern Italy. It's precise location is undetermined...

, Italy, September 1943
Guado Airfield, Italy, 4 November 1943
Pomigliano Airfield
Pomigliano Airfield
Pomigliano Airfield was a military airfield and base in Pomigliano d'Arco, southern Italy. It was attacked on several occasions by the United States Army Air Force...

, Italy, 19 January 1944
Castel Volturno Airfield
Castel Volturno Airfield
Castel Volturno Airfield is an abandoned military airfield in Italy, located approximately 3 km east of Castel Volturno, in the Province of Caserta in the Italian region Campania, located about 35 km northwest of Naples and about 35 km west of Caserta on the Volturno river.It was an...

, Italy, 10 April 1944
Santa Maria Airfield
Santa Maria Airfield
Santa Maria Airfield is an abandoned World War II military airfield in Italy, located in the Cappella Santa Maria Del Carmine area of Naples, about 23 km southeast from the main Naples Airport....

, Italy, 8 May 1944

La Banca Airfield, Italy, 7 June 1944
Rome Ciampino Airport, Italy, 12 June 1944
Serragia Airfield
Serragia Airfield
Serragia Airfield is an abandoned military airfield in France, located approximately 26 km west-southwest of Porto-Vecchio on Corsica. Its last known use was by the United States Army Air Force Twelfth Air Force in 1944....

, Corsica, July 1944
Le Luc Airfield
Le Luc - Le Cannet Airport
Le Luc-Le Cannet Airport . located approximately east of Le Luc, in the Var département, in Southern France.This airport is used only for military aviation, with no commercial airline service aera....

, France, August 1944
Salon de Provence Airfield
Salon-de-Provence Air Base
Salon-de-Provence Air Base is a base of the French Air Force located south Salon-de-Provence in southern France.It hosts the training facilities for the officers of the air force:* École de l'Air: for young students** pilot commissioned officers...

(ALG Y-16), France, 30 April 1944
Loyettes Airfield (ALG Y-25), France, c. 11 September 1944
Tarquinia Airfield
Tarquinia Airfield
Tarquinia Airfield is an abandoned World War II military airfield in the Lazio region of central Italy, about 6 km South-Southwest of Tarquinia....

, Italy, October 1944
Pontedera Airfield
Pontedera Airfield
Pontedera Airfield is an abandoned military airfield in Italy, located within the town of Pontedera, in Tuscany in the administrative province of Pisa....

, Italy, 3 December 1944
St Dizier Airfield
Saint-Dizier - Robinson Air Base
Saint-Dizier-Robinson Air Base is a front-line French Air Force fighter base located approximately 4 km west of Saint-Dizier in the Haute-Marne department in northeastern France.-Squadrons assigned:...

(ALG A-64), France, c. 22 February 1945
Toul-Ochey Airfield
Nancy - Ochey Air Base
Nancy-Ochey Air Base is a front-line French Air Force ) base located approximately 11 km west-southwest of Neuves-Maisons in the Département de Meurthe-et-Moselle, France.-Units:...

(ALG A-96), France, c. 19 March 1945
Biblis Airfield
Biblis Airfield
Biblis Airfield is an abandoned World War II military airfield located in Germany, approximately 5 miles northeast of Worms ; approximately 300 miles southwest of Berlin....

(Y-78), Germany, April 1945
AAF Station Mannheim/Sandhofen
Coleman Army Airfield
Coleman Barracks/Coleman Army Airfield is a United States Army military installation located in the Sandhofen district of Mannheim, Germany. It is assigned to U.S. Army, Europe and administered by the U.S. Army Installation Management Command-Europe...

, Germany, 24 June 1945
AAF Station Echterdingen, Germany, 15 September-20 October 1945
Camp Shanks
Camp Shanks
Camp Shanks, named after Major General David Carey Shanks was a United States Army installation in and around Orangeburg in the Town of Orangetown, New York. Situated near the juncture of the Erie Railroad and the Hudson River, it served as a point of embarkation for troops departing overseas...

, New York, 6–7 November 1945
AAF Station Fritzlar, Germany, 20 August 1946 – 25 June 1947
Andrews Field, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...

, 25 June 1947
Kearney AAFld (later, AFB), 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....

, 16 July 1947
Bergstrom AFB, Texas, 16 March 1949 – 11 November 1950
Taegu AB (K-2), South Korea, 5 December 1950
Itazuke AB, Japan, 31 January – 2 July 1951
Bergstrom AFB, Texas, 6 July 1951 – 16 June 1952
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...

, 1 November 1991–present

Aircraft assigned

A-24 Dauntless, 1941
A-20 Havoc, 1941, 1942–1943
A-36 Apache, 1943–1944
P-40 Warhawk, 1944; P-47, 1944
P-47 Thunderbolt
P-47 Thunderbolt
Republic Aviation's P-47 Thunderbolt, also known as the "Jug", was the largest, heaviest, and most expensive fighter aircraft in history to be powered by a single reciprocating engine. It was heavily armed with eight .50-caliber machine guns, four per wing. When fully loaded, the P-47 weighed up to...

, 1946–1947
P/F-51 Mustang, 1947–1949

F-82 Twin Mustang
F-82 Twin Mustang
The 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 Thunderstreak, 1950–1951
General Dynamics F-111
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...

, 1991–1996
EF-111 Raven, 1992–1998
F-16 Falcon, 1995–2007

External links

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