27th Special Operations Group

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27th Special Operations Group
Cannon AFB
Active	1939–1945; 1948–1952; 1991–present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Part of	27th Special Operations Wing
Garrison/HQ	Cannon Air Force Base
Motto(s)	Intelligent Strength[1]
Insignia
27th Special Operations Group emblem[a]
27th Fighter-Escort Group emblem[b]
27th Bombardment Group emblem[c][1]

Hellfire missiles

, on display

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 (AFSOC). The group is stationed at Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico.

The Group carries out global special operations tasks as an Air Force component 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 squadrons that operate the AC-130W, MC-130J, CV-22B, U-28A and MQ-9, and provides operational support to flying operations.^[2]

During the

. The airmen of the 27th were among the most decorated USAAF units of the war.

History

On 1 February 1940, the

in response to the growing crisis in the Pacific.

World War II

Philippine Campaign 1941–1942

Andersonville NHS

Arriving at

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

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

.

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 Java in the colonial Dutch East Indies to defend the island. The group participated in an attack on the Japanese invasion fleet landing troops on Bali. 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. The remaining pilots and 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. 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, Davies and the surviving 27th Bomb Group personnel, consisting of 42 officers, 62 enlisted men and 24 A-24s, were reassigned on mass to the four squadrons of the

. On 4 May, the 27th Bomb Group was officially inactivated.

(Davies was appointed CO of the 3rd BG, and senior pilots from the 27th BG became commanders of the 8th, 13th and 90th Squadrons respectively. Over the next 21 months they flew combat missions over the Philippines, New Guinea and Rabaul. Among many other operations, the 3rd BG played a leading role at the Battle of the Bismarck Sea.)

European-African-Middle Eastern Theater

North African Campaign

On 4 May the 27th 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

.

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 dive bomber. The 27th FBG flew its first combat missions of the war from Korba, Tunisia, on 6 June 1943.

The 27th served in the

aircraft.

Sicilian/Italian Campaigns

During the

during the Allied drive toward Rome.

Southern France

The group took part in the invasion of Southern France 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, Germany on V-E Day.

With five Distinguished Unit Citations and a

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

Cold War

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

. Fighter Squadrons of the 27th were the 522d, 523d and 524th.

The 27th was initially equipped with the

units.

The first production F-82Es reached the 27th in early 1948, and almost immediately the group was deployed to

On 1 August 1948 the 27th Fighter Wing was activated. Although established over a year earlier in July 1947. Under the Hobson 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.^[3]

In January 1949, Eighth Air Force planned a large celebration at

In early 1949, the 27th began carrying out long-range escort profile missions. Flights to

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

as replacement aircraft or for air defense duties.

The wing won the Mackay Trophy for successful deployment of 180 F-84s from Bergstrom AFB, to

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, West Germany, 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

.

The 27th departed Bergstrom on 11 November with the 522d FES refueling en route at

4th Fighter-Interceptor Wing

were loaded for their transfer to Japan.

By 30 November the ground echelon had arrived at

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

fighters.

In June the 27th was given the responsibility for acclimating the newly arrived

. 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 the 27th 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.

The 1990s

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 27 Tactical Fighter Group. The 27th Operations Group took control of the wing's fighter squadrons upon activation.

From September 1992 to July 1993, the group's F-111 aircrews and support personnel rotated to Incirlik Air Base, Turkey, in support of Operation Provide Comfort in northern Iraq.

In 1995 the face of the flightline changed when the wing began its transition to

in Arizona. The 428th Fighter Squadron was inactivated in September 1995, and the ECW EF-111A-equipped 429 ECS was inactivated 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 inactivated.

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

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

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 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 was reactivated on 12 November 1998 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, 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 by the RSAF.

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

In July 1999, the 522d Fighter Squadron deployed to Naval Air Station Keflavik, 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

in the former Yugoslavia 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.

Twenty-first century

On 11 September 2001 when terrorists attacked the

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 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).^[5]

Today there are twelve squadrons within the group:^[6]

27th Special Operations Support Squadron (27 SOSS) – provides operational support to flight operations

3d Special Operations Squadron

(3 SOS) – MQ-9 Reaper

6th Special Operations Squadron - MC-130J

9th Special Operations Squadron (9 SOS) – MC-130J Commando II

12th Special Operations Squadron, provides remotely piloted aircraft launch and recovery operations

16th Special Operations Squadron (16 SOS) – AC-130J

17th Special Operations Squadron - AC-130J

20th Special Operations Squadron (20 SOS) – CV-22 Osprey

33d Special Operations Squadron

(33 SOS) – MQ-9 Reaper

56th Special Operations Intelligence Squadron

310th Special Operations Squadron - U-28A

318th Special Operations Squadron (318 SOS) – U-28A

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^[2]

The 27th Special Operations Group, located at Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico, conducts infiltration/exfiltration, combat support, tilt-rotor operations, helicopter aerial refueling, close air support, unmanned aerial vehicle operations, non-standard aviation, and other special missions. It directs the deployment, employment, training, and planning for squadrons that operate the AC-130W, MC-130J, CV-22B, C-146A, U-28A, MQ-1, MQ-9 and provides operational support to flying operations.^[2]

Throughout the last 68 years, the 27th designation has been assigned to several groups and wings at a myriad of locations. The 27th was organized as a fighter wing in August 1947, at Kearney Airfield, Nebraska. Later, in February 1958, in a move to preserve the heritage of the 27th, Air Force leadership transferred the designation to Cannon, replacing the 312th Wing.^[2] Since 1958, the wing had supported F-100s, T/AT-33s, F-111s and F-16s.

Assignments

Components

• 11th Reconnaissance (later, 91st Bombardment; 524th Fighter-Bomber; 524th Fighter; 524th Fighter-Escort; 524th Fighter, 524th Special Operations) Squadron
  : 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
  : 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: 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: 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
  : 13 July-21 November 1942.

Stations

Aircraft assigned

References

Notes

Explanatory notes

Citations

1. ^ ^{a b} Maurer, Combat Units, pp. 78-79
2. ^ ^{a b c d} "27th Special Operations Group". United States Air Force. Retrieved 28 May 2017. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
3. ^ ^{a b c d} Pape 1977, pp. 48–63.
4. ^ "Mackay 1950–1959 Recipients". National Aeronautic Association. Retrieved 6 October 2016.
5. ^ Schanz, Marc V. (March 2008). "Special Operators Head West". Air Force Magazine. Vol. 91, no. 3. pp. 30–33. Retrieved 6 October 2016.
6. ^ 27th Special Operations Group at Cannon AFB

Bibliography

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

• Bartsch, William H. 8 December 1941: MacArthur's Pearl Harbor (Texas A&M University Military History Series 87., 2003)
• Edmonds, Walter D. They Fought With What They Had: The Story of the Army Air Forces in the Southwest Pacific, 1941–1942 (1951, 1982)
• Martin, Adrian R. and Larry W. Stephenson, Operation Plum: The Ill-Fated 27th Bombardment Group and the Fight for the Western Pacific (Texas A & M University Military History – 2008)
• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History.
  LCCN 61060979
  .
• May, Mary Cathrin, The Steadfast Line: The Story of the 27th Bombardment Group (Light) in World War II (Privately Published 2003, 2006)
• 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
  .

External links

• Air Force Historical Research Agency,
  27th Operations Group
• ArmyAirForces.Com 27th Fighter Group
• The 27th Bombardment Group (L) in Australia during the Second World War
• History of the 27th Bomb Group