Lineage. Organized as Company K, 3 Provisional Aero Squadron, on 8 May 1917. Redesignated as: 21 Provisional Aero Squadron on 15 Jun 1917; 27 Aero Squadron on 23 Jun 1917; 27 Squadron (Pursuit) on 14 Mar 1921; 27 Pursuit Squadron on 25 Jan 1923; 27 Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) on 6 Dec 1939; 27 Pursuit Squadron (Fighter) on 12 Mar 1941; 27 Fighter Squadron (Twin Engine) on 15 May 1942; 27 Fighter Squadron, Two Engine, on 28 Feb 1944. Inactivated on 16 Oct 1945. Redesignated as: 27 Fighter Squadron, Single Engine, on 5 Apr 1946; 27 Fighter Squadron, Jet Propelled, on 20 Jun 1946. Activated on 3 Jul 1946. Redesignated as: 27 Fighter Squadron, Jet, on 15 Jun 1948; 27 Fighter-Interceptor Squadron on 16 Apr 1950; 27 Tactical Fighter Squadron on 1 Jul 1971; 27 Fighter Squadron on 1 Nov 1991.
Assignments. Unkn, 8 May 1917–May 1918; 1 Pursuit Group, May–Dec 1918; unkn, Dec 1918–22 Aug 1919; 1 Pursuit (later, 1 Fighter) Group, 22 Aug 1919–16 Oct 1945. 1 Fighter Group, 3 Jul 1946 (attached to Eastern Air Defense Force, 15 Aug 1950–3 Jun 1951; 103 Fighter-Interceptor Group, 4 Jun 1951–6 Feb 1952); 4711 Defense (later, 4711 Air Defense) Wing, 6 Feb 1952; 32 Air Division (Defense), 1 Mar 1956 (attached to 14 Fighter Group [Air Defense], 1 Mar 1956–17 Feb 1957); 4727 Air Defense Group, 8 Feb 1957; Bangor Air Defense Sector, 1 Oct 1959; 36 Air Division, 1 Apr 1966; 35 Air Division, 15 Sep 1969; 21 Air Division, 19 Nov 1969; 1 Tactical Fighter Wing, 1 Jul 1971 (attached to 1 Tactical Fighter Wing Provisional, 8 Aug 1990–8 Mar 1991); 1 Operations Group, 1 Oct 1991–.
Stations. Camp Kelly, TX, 8 May 1917; Toronto, Ontario, Canada, 18 Aug 1917 (detachments at various Canadian stations, 5 Sep–22 Oct 1917); Taliaferro Field No. 1, TX, 29 Oct 1917; Garden City, NY, 26 Jan–25 Feb 1918; Tours, France, 20 Mar 1918; Issoudun, France, 29 Mar 1918; Epiez, France, 24 Apr 1918; Toul, France, 1 Jun 1918; Touquin, France, 28 Jun 1918; Saints, France, 9 Jul 1918; Rembercourt, France, 3 Sep 1918 (flight operated from Verdun, 25 Sep 1918–unkn); Colombey-les-Belles, France, 12 Dec 1918; Brest, France, 5 Feb–8 Mar 1919; Garden City, NY, 19 Mar 1919; Selfridge Field, MI, 28 Apr 1919; Kelly Field, TX, 31 Aug 1919; Ellington Field, TX, 1 Jul 1921; Selfridge Field, MI, 1 Jul 1922; San Diego NAS, CA, c. 11 Dec 1941; Los Angeles, CA, 29 Dec 1941–20 May 1942; Goxhill, England, 9 Jun 1942 (operated from Reykjavik, Iceland, 3 Jul–26 Aug 1942); Atcham, England, 9 Aug 1942; High Ercall, England, 20 Aug 1942; Colerne, England, 12 Sep–23 Oct 1942; St Leu, Algeria, 9 Nov 1942; Tafaraoui, Algeria, 13 Nov 1942; Nouvion, Algeria, 20 Nov 1942 (detachments operated from Maison Blanche, Algeria, 7–21 Dec 1942, and Biskra, Algeria, 21–30 Dec 1942); Biskra, Algeria, 30 Dec 1942; Chateaudun-du-Rhumel, Algeria, 18 Feb 1943; Mateur, Tunisia, 28 Jun 1943 (detachments operated from Dittaino, Sicily, 6–18 Sep 1943, and Gambut, Libya, 5–13 Oct 1943); Djedeida, Tunisia, 1 Nov 1943; Monserrato, Sardinia, 29 Nov 1943; Gioia del Colle, Italy, 9 Dec 1943; Salsola Airfield, Italy, 8 Jan 1944 (detachments operated from Aghione, Corsica, 11–21 Aug 1944, and Vincenzo Airfield, Italy, 10 Jan–21 Feb 1945); Lesina, Italy, 16 Mar 1945; Marcianise, Italy, 26 Sep–16 Oct 1945. March Field (later AFB), CA, 3 Jul 1946; George AFB, CA, 14 Jul 1950; Griffiss AFB, NY, 15 Aug 1950; Loring AFB, ME, 1 Oct 1959; MacDill AFB, FL, 1 Jul 1971; Langley AFB (later, Joint Base Langley-Eustis), VA, 30 Jun 1975–(operated from King Abdul Aziz AB, Saudi Arabia, 8 Aug 1990–8 Mar 1991).
Commanders. Maj Michael Davis, by 15 Jun 1917; 1 Lt Fred R. Harvey, 15 Aug 1917; Maj Harold E. Hartney, 22 Oct 1917; Capt Alfred A. Grant, 21 Aug 1918-unkn; Capt Robert J. Bell, Apr 1919; 2 Lt Armor S. Heffley, 16 May 1919; Maj John J. Houghton, 13 Jul 1919; Capt Clayton Bissell, 2 Sep 1919-unkn; 1 Lt Thomas A. McGinnis, May 1921; 1 Lt John H. Wilson, 23 Sep 1921; 1 Lt Frank O. D. Hunter, 1 Oct 1921; 1 Lt Harold A. McGinnis, 13 Dec 1921; Capt Burt E. Skeel, 1922; 1 Lt Alfred J. Lyon, 4 Oct 1924; unkn, 25 Feb 1925-1927; 1 Lt Laclaire D. Schulze, 6 Jul 1927; unkn, 2 Aug-4 Sep 1927; 1 Lt Rex K. Stoner, 5 Sep 1927; unkn, 14 Jan-May 1929; Capt Lotha A. Smith, 21 May 1929; unkn, 11 Jan–Sep 1930; Capt Rowland C. W. Blessley, 30 Sep 1930-unkn; 1 Lt Alfred A. Kessler Jr., 1933-unkn; Capt Rowland C. W. Blessley, 19 Nov 1934; Capt James E. Parker, 27 Feb 1935; Capt Leo H. Dawson, 27 Aug 1935; Maj Warren A. Maxwell, 1 Sep 1935; Capt Dixon M. Allison, 15 Jun 1937; Maj Willis R. Taylor, 5 Aug 1937; unkn, Sep 1939-Aug 1941; Maj William E. Covington Jr., Aug 1941; Maj John W. Weltman, Apr 1942; Capt Joseph A. Glenn Jr., 9 Dec 1942; Maj Joel A. Owens Jr., 3 Jan 1943; Maj Darrel G. Welch, 26 Mar 1943; Capt James E. Pate, 10 May 1943; Maj Edward S. E. Newbury, 3 Sep 1943; Maj Gilbert E. Butler, 27 Sep 1943; Maj Thomas F. Rafael, 11 Apr 1944; Lt Col Francis J. Pope, 20 Jul 1944; Maj Marvin J. Migl, 9 May 1945-unkn. Maj Rex T. Barber, 1946; Lt Col Jack T. Bradley, 22 Aug 1946; Lt Col Loren G. McCallom, c. Aug 1947; Lt Col Hugh D. Dow, c. Jun 1948; Lt Col John R. Murphy, Aug 1948; Lt Col Clayton L. Peterson, 16 Feb 1949; Lt Col Jack W. Hayes Jr., 21 Feb 1949; Lt Col Clayton L. Peterson, 6 Jun 1949; Maj Dwight S. Beckhan, 16 Oct 1951; Lt Col Benjamin H. Emmert Jr., 29 Oct 1951; Lt Col William M. Shelton, 1953; Maj John H. Recher, 1954; Maj Robert R. Wright, c. Apr 1956; Lt Col David E. Latane, by June 1956-unkn; Col Grant R. Smith, by Jan 1958; Lt Col William H. Stewart, 10 Jul 1958; unkn, May 1959-1961; Lt Col Eugene L. Hinkley, by Jul 1961; Lt Col Robert C. Tomlinson, Aug 1963; Lt Col Bernard H. Barton, by Jun 1965; Col William W. Moore, 8 Dec 1967; Lt Col Francis J. Burkhardt, c. Mar 1969 (temporary); Col James M. Thomas, c. Apr 1969; Lt Col Harold C. Compton, by Nov 1970; Lt Col Daniel O. Walsh, 1 Jul 1971; Lt Col Larry D. Armstrong, 24 Aug 1971; Lt Col Alan S. Christner Jr., 28 May 1973; Lt Col Jerry D. Cobb, 11 Sep 1974; Lt Col James C. Woods, 2-29 Jun 1975; none (not manned), 30 Jun-14 Aug 1975; Lt Col Richard L. Craft, 15 Aug 1975; Lt Col John E. Jaquish, 15 Mar 1977; Lt Col George A. Devorshak, 5 Jan 1979; Lt Col Edward J. Hardenbrook, 5 Dec 1980; Lt Col Ronald R. Torgler, 16 Jul 1982; Lt Col Hal M. Hornburg, 31 Jul 1984; Lt Col John W. Rutledge, 15 May 1985; Lt Col Roy E. Parker, 15 May 1987; Lt Col Donald G. Kline, 21 Apr 1989; Lt Col Gerald F. Pease Jr., 19 Apr 1991; Lt Col Mark E. Smith, 12 Jun 1992; Lt Col Mark L. Jefferson, 11 Jun 1993; Lt Col James E. Hartney, 27 Jun 1994; Lt Col Stanley T. Kresge, 16 Feb 1996; Lt Col Charles K. Shugg, 30 Jan 1998; Lt Col James M. Holmes, 27 May 1999; Lt Col Brian Dickerson, 7 Jul 2000; Lt Col Keith P. Feaga, 4 Jan 2002; Lt Col Stuart Nichols, 12 Feb 2003; Lt Col James B. Heckler, 1 Oct 2004; Lt Col Wade G. Tolliver,12 May 2006; Lt Col Lansing M. Pilch, 30 May 2008; Lt Col Peter M. Fesler, 5 Mar 2010-.
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–7, 1921; MB–3, 1922–1925, PW–8, 1924–1926; P–1, 1925–1931; P–6, 1928–1929; P–12, 1930–1934; P–16, 1932; P–26, 1934–1938; PB–2, 1936–1937; P–35, 1938–1941; P–36, 1939; YP–43, 1939–1941; C–40, 1939–1941; P–38, 1941–1945. P–80, 1946–1949; F–86, 1949–1954; F–89, 1952–1953; F–94, 1954–1960; F–102, 1957–1960; F–106, 1960–1971; F–4, 1971–1975; TF/F–15, 1975–2005; F-22, 2005-.
Operations. Flying training unit, Nov 1917–Jan 1918; combat as pursuit unit with French Sixth Army, French Eighth Army, and American First Army, 2 Jun–10 Nov 1918. Antisubmarine, c. 12–29 Dec 1941; air defense of Iceland, c. 4 Jul–c. 25 Aug 1942; combat in European Theater of Operations (ETO) and Mediterranean Theater of Operations) MTO, 2 Oct 1942–6 May 1945. Air defense, Jul 1950–Jun 1971. F–4 replacement training, Jul 1971–Jun 1975. Combat in Southwest Asia, Jan–Feb 1991. During 1993-2005, shared rotation duties with 71 and 94 FS in support of UN peacekeeping efforts in SWA; 1994-2000, rotated to Iceland to monitor the Iceland Military Identification Zone. After 11 Sep 2001, performed homeland security operations in support of war against terrorism.
Service Streamers. Global War on Terrorism-Service (GWOT-S).
Campaign Streamers. World War I: Lorraine; Champagne; Ile-de-France; Champagne-Marne; Aisne-Marne; Oise-Aisne; St Mihiel; Muese-Argonne. World War II: Antisubmarine, American Theater; Egypt-Libya; Air Offensive, Europe; Algeria-French Morocco, with Arrowhead; Tunisia; Sicily; Naples-Foggia; Anzio; Rome-Arno; Normandy; Northern France; Southern France; North Apennines; Rhineland; Central Europe; Po Valley; Air Combat, EAME Theater. Southwest Asia: Defense of Saudi Arabia; Liberation and Defense of Kuwait; Southwest Asia Ceasefire.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citations: Italy, 25 Aug 1943; Italy, 30 Aug 1943; Ploesti, Rumania, 18 May 1944. Meritorious Unit Awards: 1 Jul-4 Oct 2014; 1 Jul-4 Oct 2017. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Jun 1970-1 Jul 1971; 1 Jan–31 Oct 1976; 15 Jun 1982–15 Jun 1984; 16 Jun 1984–15 Jun 1986; 28 Apr 1990– 27 Apr 1992; 1 May 1992–30 Apr 1994; 1 Jun 1995-31 May 1997; 1 Jun 1998-31 May 2000; 1 Jun 2000-31 May 2001; 1 Jun 2004-31 May 2006; 1 Jun 2006-31 May 2008; 1 Jun 2008-31 May 2010; 1 Jun 2014-31 May 2016.
Lineage, Assignments, Stations, Aircraft, Operations and Honors through 26 Aug 2019.
Commanders through Jul 2010.
Supersedes statement prepared on 29 Jul 2016.
Emblem. Approved on 17 Sep 1971; latest rendering, 15 Feb 2018.
Prepared by James Musser.
Reviewed by Daniel L. Haulman.