27th Fighter Squadron

see: 27th Aero Squadron for a complete World War I history

Lt. Frank Luke, Jr. with his SPAD XIII on 19 September 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 (5 May 1918), Touquin (28 June 1918), Saints (9 July 1918) and Rembercourt (1 September 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.

In the period between the world wars, the 27th Pursuit Squadron, re-designated 25 January 1923, was stationed primarily at Selfridge Field, Michigan, with the 1st Fighter Group. 27th Pursuit Squadron pilots participated in air races. In 1922, Lt. Donald Stace of the 27th AS won the first Mitchell Trophy Race.

Under extreme and austere conditions in the 1920s they tested the effects of cold weather on their aircraft. At times it was so cold, the engines of their P-1 Hawk aircraft would not start until steam was forced into the engines to thaw them.

While they were stationed at Selfridge Field, Mich., pilots from the 27th AS put on aerial demonstrations all over the country throughout the 1920s. One of those was at Langley Field in March 1925. A large silhouette of a battleship on the grass landing strip served as a target, which was successfully strafed and bombed for several duly impressed congressmen.

The 1930s saw more training, additional cold weather tests and more modern aircraft. They participated in several air shows throughout the country, and even though they were in the military, the 27th Pursuit Squadron delivered the mail for a while. One of the pilots in this failed experiment went onto lead Strategic Air Command, then Lt. Curtis E. LeMay.

At the beginning of the United States' involvement in World War II, the 27th Fighter Squadron, redesignated 15 May 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 25 August 1943, and 30 August 1943; and at Ploesti, Romania, 18 May 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.

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.

On 22 October 1962, before President John F. Kennedy told Americans that missiles were in place in Cuba, the squadron dispersed one third of its force, equipped with nuclear tipped missiles to Olmsted Air Force Base at the start of the Cuban Missile Crisis.[4][5] These planes returned to Loring after the crisis. The squadron continued its air defense mission until 1 July 1971 when it transferred its mission, personnel and equipment to the 83d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron[6]

The squadron moved the same day on paper to MacDill Air Force Base, Florida and was redesignated the 27th Tactical Fighter Squadron as part of the reorganized 1st Tactical Fighter Wing, later the 1st 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 on 1 September 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.

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 2003 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.

Air Combat Command officials announced a stand down and reallocation of flying hours for the rest of the fiscal year 2013 due to mandatory budget cuts. The across-the board spending cuts, called sequestration, took effect 1 March when Congress failed to agree on a deficit-reduction plan.[7]

Squadrons either stood down on a rotating basis or kept combat ready or at a reduced readiness level called "basic mission capable" for part or all of the remaining months in fiscal 2013.[7] This affected the 27th Fighter Squadron with a reduction of its flying hours, placing it into a basic mission capable status from 5 April – 30 September 2013.[7]

• Post Headquarters, Kelly Field, 8 May 1917
• Aviation Section, U.S. Signal Corps

Attached to the Royal Flying Corps for training, 18 August 1917 – 26 January 1918

• Aviation Concentration Center, 26 January – 25 February 1918
• Air Service Headquarters, AEF, 20 March 1918
• Third Aviation Instruction Center, 29 March 1918
• Air Service Headquarters, AEF, 24 April 1918[note 1]
• 1st Pursuit Group, May 1918
• 1st Air Depot, 12 December 1918
• Advanced Section Services of Supply, 5 February – 8 March 1919
• Eastern Department, 19 March 1919
• Central Department, 1 June 1919
• 1st Pursuit Group (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; 103d Fighter Interceptor Group, 4 June 1951 – 6 February 1952)
• 4711th Defense Wing (later 4711 Air Defense Wing), 6 February 1952
• 32d Air Division, 1 March 1956 (attached to 14th Fighter Group)
• 4727 Air Defense Group, 8 February 1957 (attached to 14th Fighter Group until 17 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 1st Tactical Fighter Wing, Provisional 8 August 1990 – 8 March 1991)
• 1st Operations Group, 1 October 1991 – present[1]

World War I and interwar years

World War II

United States Air Force

Explanatory notes

Citations

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.

• Cornett, Lloyd H.; Johnson, Mildred W. (1980). A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization, 1946–1980 (PDF). Peterson AFB, CO: Office of History, Aerospace Defense Center.
• Franks, Norman & Dempsey, Harry . (2001) American Aces of World War I. Osprey Publishing, 2001. ISBN 1-84176-375-6, ISBN 978-1-84176-375-0.
• Gorrell, Col. Edgar S. (1974). History of the American Expeditionary Forces Air Service, 1917–1919. Series E: Squadron Histories. Vol. 6 History of the 25th–27th Aero Squadron. Washington, DC: National Archives and Records Service, General Services Administration. OCLC 215070705.
• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-02-1. LCCN 61060979. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556.
• McMullen, Richard F. (1964) "The Fighter Interceptor Force 1962–1964" ADC Historical Study No. 27, Air Defense Command, Ent Air Force Base, CO (Confidential, declassified 22 March 2000)
• Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947–1977. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
• Rogers, Brian. (2005). United States Air Force Unit Designations Since 1978. Hinkley, UK: Midland Publications. ISBN 1-85780-197-0.
• NORAD/CONAD Participation in the Cuban Missile Crisis, Historical Reference Paper No. 8, Directorate of Command History Continental Air Defense Command, Ent AFB, CO, 1 Feb 63 (Top Secret NOFORN declassified 9 March 1996)
• United States War Department (1920), Battle Participation of Organizations of the American Expeditionary Forces in France, Belgium and Italy, 1917–1919, Washington, Government Printing Office, 1920