27th Fighter Squadron

27th Fighter Squadron
Emblem of the 27th Fighter Squadron
Active	Organized June 15, 1917 as 21st Aero Squadron; Redesignated June 23, 1917 as 27th Aero Squadron Organized August 20, 1917
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Role	Fighter
Part of	Air Combat Command 1st Operations Group 1st Fighter Wing
Garrison/HQ	Langley Air Force Base
Nickname	"Fighting Eagles"
Engagements	World War I World War II Operation Desert Storm Operation Northern Watch Operation Southern Watch
Commanders
Notable commanders	Harold Hartney Hal M. Hornburg

F-22A 03-042, the 1st F-22A Assigned to the 27th Fighter Squadron, 2005

27thFIS (Air Defense Command)

The 27th Fighter Squadron (27 FS) is a United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the 1st Operations Group and stationed at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia.

The 27th Fighter Squadron is the oldest fighter squadron in the United States Air Force.

Originally organized as the 21st Aero Squadron on June 15, 1917, the squadron was redesignated as the 27th Aero Squadron on June 23, 1917, and assigned to the 1st Pursuit Group in early 1918. The 27th entered World War I in the European theater where it served with distinction from March 1918 until the Armistice in November of that year.

Overview

Known as the "Fighting Eagles" or "Black Falcons", the squadron is equipped with the F-22 Raptor, having transitioned from the F-15 in 2005 to become the world's first operational F-22 squadron.

As one of three fighter squadrons of the 1st Fighter Wing, the 27th is tasked to provide air superiority for United States or allied forces by engaging and destroying enemy forces, equipment, defenses or installations for global deployment.

History

World War I

Lt. Frank Luke, Jr. with his SPAD XIII on September 100, 1918.

Boeing P-12E 32-46, 27th Fighter Squadron, about 1933

Seversky P-35s, 1938. 36-354 in foreground

27th Pursuit Squadron P-36Cs at Wright Field, Ohio, en route to the 1939 National Air Races.

P-38F Lightning 41-7582, North Africa, 1943

27th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron two F-102s in formation, about 1958.

North American F-86A-5-NA Sabre 49-1306 1st Fighter Group, Griffiss AFB, New York 1951

27th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron F-106 59-0031 at Griffiss AFB, New York

F-4E Phantoms (66-295 in foreground), 1979

Final F-15 flight of the 27th Fighter Squadron, 2005

During World War I, The squadron was based at Toul (May 5, 1918), Touquin (June 28, 1918), Saints (July 9, 1918) and Rembercourt (September 1, 1918).

Lieutenant Frank Luke, Jr., known as the "Arizona Balloon Buster," for his daring feats against German observation balloons, was the squadron's most colorful ace. His 18 victories cost him his life, and he was awarded the Medal of Honor. Aircraft flown by the 27th during World War I include the Nieuport 28, Spad XIII and Sopwith F-1 Camel.

Between the wars (1920s & 1930s)

In the period between the world wars, the 27th Pursuit Squadron, redesignated Jan. 25, 1923, was stationed primarily at Selfridge Field, Michigan, with the 1st Fighter Group. During these years, the unit flew various aircraft, including the Fokker D.VII, PW-8, P-12, P-26, P-35, P-36 and the YP-43.

World War II

At the beginning of the United States' involvement in World War II, the 27th Fighter Squadron, redesignated May 15, 1942, briefly served in anti-submarine duty at San Diego Naval Air Station and in air defense duty at Reykjavík, Iceland. From October 1942 until May 1945, the 27th participated in the European and Mediterranean theaters of operation, flying Lockheed P-38 Lightnings. The squadron won three Distinguished Unit Citations in Italy August 25, 1943, and August 30, 1943; and at Ploesti, Romania, May 18, 1944. The 27th Fighter Squadron was the top-scoring unit of the 1st Fighter Group in World War II, with 83 of its pilots credited with 176.5 victories.

Cold War

Following World War II, the 27th was stationed at March Field, California, flying P-80 Shooting Stars, the United States' first operational jet aircraft. Upon the unit's redesignation as the 27th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, it moved to Niagara Falls Air Force Station, New York, flying the F-86, F-89 and F-94C aircraft while stationed at Griffis Air Force Base in Rome N.Y. until receiving the F-102 Delta Dagger in 1957. In October 1959, the 27th was transferred to Loring Air Force Base, Maine, where it assumed an air defense role flying F-106 Delta Darts in the Bangor Air Defense Sector.

The redesignated 27th Tactical Fighter Squadron was assigned to MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, July 2, 1971, as part of the reorganized 1st Tactical Fighter Wing. While at MacDill, the 27th trained aircrews in the F-4E Phantom II. In June 1975, the 27th Tactical Fighter Squadron was moved to Langley Air Force Base, Virginia, becoming the first operational squadron to fly the F-15 Eagle air superiority fighter in 1976. The unit was redesignated the 27th Fighter Squadron Sept.1, 1991. The 27th TFS deployed in support of Operation Desert Storm as part of the first U.S. Air Force contingent in Saudi Arabia. The squadron was integral in establishing allied air superiority during the operation.

Modern era

The 27th FS has deployed worldwide to support the 1st FW. The 27th Fighter Squadron deployed to Turkey in support of Operation Northern Watch, and to Saudi Arabia in support of Operation Southern Watch, flying F-15Cs in both operations enforcing UN sanctions against Iraq until 2003.

In 2003, the 27th Fighter Squadron was announced as the first operational squadron to fly the Raptor—a continuation of the squadron's historical legacy. The first F-22A arrived in late 2004 the squadron continues to grow as more Raptors arrive each month. The 27th Fighter Squadron today stands as a cohesive combat experienced team ready for any call to support the United States' security requirements.

Lineage

• Organized as: 21st Aero Squadron on 15 June 1917

Redesignated: 27th Aero Squadron on 23 June 1917

Redesignated: 27th Squadron (Pursuit) on 14 March 1921

Redesignated: 27th Pursuit Squadron on 25 January 1923

Redesignated: 27th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) on 6 December 1939

Redesignated: 27th Pursuit Squadron (Fighter) on 12 March 1941

Redesignated: 27th Fighter Squadron (Twin Engine) on 15 May 1942

Redesignated: 27th Fighter Squadron, Two Engine, on 28 February 1944

Inactivated on 16 October 1945

• Redesignated: 27th Fighter Squadron, Single Engine, on 5 April 1946

Redesignated: 27th Fighter Squadron, Jet Propelled, on 20 June 1946

Activated on 3 July 1946

Redesignated: 27th Fighter Squadron, Jet, on 15 June 1948

Redesignated: 27th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron on 16 April 1950

Inactivated on 1 July 1971. Personnel and equipment redesignated 83d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron

Redesignated: 27th Tactical Fighter Squadron and reactivated on 1 July 1971

Redesignated: 27th Fighter Squadron on 1 November 1991.

Assignments

• Unknown, 15 June 1917-May 1918
• 1 Pursuit Group, May-December 1918
• Unknown, December 1918-22 August 1919
• 1st Pursuit (later, 1 Fighter) Group, 22 August 1919-16 October 1945
• 1st Fighter Group, 3 July 1946

Attached to: Eastern Air Defense Force, 15 August 1950-3 June 1951

Attached to: 103d Fighter Interceptor Group, 4 June 1951-6 February 1952

• 4711 Defense (later, 4711 Air Defense) Wing, 6 February 1952
• 32d Air Division, 1 March 1956

Attached to 14th Fighter Group, 1 March 1956-17 February 1957

• 4727 Air Defense Group, 8 February 1957
• Bangor Air Defense Sector, 1 October 1959
• 36th Air Division, 1 April 1966
• 35th Air Division, 15 September 1969
• 21st Air Division, 19 November 1969
• 1st Tactical Fighter Wing, 1 July 1971

Attached to 1 Tactical Fighter Wing Provisional, 8 August 1990-8 March 1991

• 1 Operations Group, 1 October 1991–present

Stations

World War I and interwar years

• Camp Kelly, Texas, 15 June 1917
• Toronto Airport, Ontario, Canada, 18 August 1917

Detachments at various Canadian stations, 5 September-22 October 1917

• Taliaferro Field No. 1, Texas, 29 October 1917
• Garden City, New York, 26 January-25 February 1918
• Tours, France, 20 March 1918
• Issoudun, France, 29 March 1918
• Epiez, France, 24 April 1918
• Toul, France, 1 June 1918
• Touquin, France, 28 June 1918
• Saints, France, 9 July 1918
• Rembercourt, France, 3 September 1918

Flight operated from Verdun, 25 September 1918-unkn

• Colombey-les-Belles, France, 12 December 1918
• Brest, France, 5 February-8 March 1919
• Garden City, New York, 19 March 1919
• Selfridge Field, Michigan, 28 April 1919
• Kelly Field, Texas, 31 August 1919
• Ellington Field, Texas, 1 July 1921
• Selfridge Field, Michigan, 1 July 1922

World War II to present

• NAS San Diego, California, c. 11 December 1941
• Los Angeles Airport, California, 29 December 1941-20 May 1942
• RAF Goxhill, England, 9 June 1942

Operated from Reykjavík, Iceland, 3 July-26 August 1942

• RAF Atcham, England, 9 August 1942
• RAF High Ercall, England, 20 August 1942
• RAF Colerne, England, 12 September-23 October 1942
• Saint-Leu Airfield, Algeria, 9 November 1942
• Tafaraoui Airfield, Algeria, 13 November 1942
• Nouvion Airfield, Algeria, 20 November 1942

Detachment operated from: Maison Blanche Airport, Oran, Algeria, 7–21 December 1942

Detachment operated from: Biskra Airfield, Algeria, 21–30 December 1942

• Biskra Airfield, Algeria, 30 December 1942
• Chateau-dun-du-Rhumel Airfield, Algeria, 18 February 1943
• Mateur Airfield, Tunisia, 28 June 1943

Detachment operated from: Dittaino, Sicily, 6–18 September 1943

Detachment operated from: Gambut, Libya, 5–13 October 1943

• Djedeida Airfield, Tunisia, 1 November 1943
• Monserrato, Sardinia, 29 November 1943
• Gioia del Colle Airfield, Italy, 9 December 1943
• Salsola Airfield, Italy, 8 January 1944

Detachment operated from: Aghione, Corsica, 11–21 August 1944

Detachment operated from: Vincenzo Airfield, Italy, 10 January-21 February 1945

• Lesina Airfield, Italy, 16 March 1945
• Marcianise, Italy, 26 September-16 October 1945
• March Field (later AFB), California, 3 July 1946
• George AFB, California, 14 July 1950
• Griffiss AFB, New York, 15 August 1950
• Loring AFB, Maine, 1 October 1959-1 July 1971
• MacDill AFB, Florida, 1 July 1971
• Langley AFB, Virginia, 30 June 1975–present

Operated from King Abdul Aziz Air Base, Saudi Arabia

(Operation Desert Storm/Desert Shield), 8 August 1990-8 March 1991

Aircraft

• Apparently JN-4, 1917–1918
• Nieuport 28, 1918
• Sopwith F-1 Camel, 1918
• Spad XIII, 1918–1922
• SE-5, 1919–1922
• DH-4, 1919–1925
• Fokker D.VII, 1921
• MB-3, 1922–1925
• PW-8, 1924–1926
• P-1 Hawk, 1925–1931
• P-6 Hawk, 1928–1929
• Boeing P-12, 1930–1934
• Berliner-Joyce P-16, 1932
• P-26 Peashooter, 1934–1938
• PB-2, 1936–1937

• Seversky P-35, 1938–1941
• P-36, 1939
• YP-43 Lancer, 1939–1941
• C-40 Electra, 1939–1941
• P-38, 1941–1945
• P-80, 1946–1949
• F-86A Sabre, 1949–1954
• F-94C Starfire, 1954-1957
• F-102 Delta Dagger, 1957–1959
• F-106 Delta Dart, 1959–1971
• F-4 Phantom II, 1971–1975
• TF/F-15 Eagle, 1975–2005
• F-22 Raptor, 2005–present

See also

• Joseph Frank Wehner
• Norman Ralph Ross
• Frank Luke
• Jerry Vasconcells
• Donald Hudson
• John MacArthur
• List of American Aero Squadrons

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.

• A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization 1946 - 1980, by Lloyd H. Cornett and Mildred W. Johnson, Office of History, Aerospace Defense Center, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado
• Maurer, Maurer. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force: World War II. Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama: Office of Air Force History, 1982.
• American Aces of World War I. Norman Franks, Harry Dempsey. Osprey Publishing, 2001. ISBN 1-84176-375-6, 9781841763750.
• Organizational Record, 27 FS (ACC), 1917-2006, AFHRA
• 27th Fighter Squadron fact sheet
• July 14, 2008 - 90th anniversary Commemoration of 27th, 94th, 95th, 147th aero squadrons in France

External links

• July 14, 2008 - 90th anniversary Commemoration of 27th, 94th, 95th, 147th aero squadrons in France