Lineage. Established as 27 Bombardment Group (Light) on 22 Dec 1939. Activated on 1 Feb 1940. Redesignated as: 27 Fighter Bomber Group on 23 Aug 1943; 27 Fighter Group on 30 May 1944. Inactivated on 7 Nov 1945. Activated on 20 Aug 1946. Redesignated as 27 Fighter-Escort Group on 1 Feb 1950. Inactivated on 16 Jun 1952. Redesignated as: 27 Tactical Fighter Group on 31 Jul 1985; 27 Operations Group on 28 Oct 1991. Activated on 1 Nov 1991. Redesignated as 27 Special Operations Group on 1 Oct 2007.
Assignments. Southeast Air District (later, 3 Air Force), 1 Feb 1940; 3 Air Support Command, 1 Sep 1941; V Bomber Command, c. 20 Nov 1941 (under operational control of American-British-Dutch-Australian Command, c. Mar-4 May 1942); 3 Air Force, 4 May 1942; 3 Bomber Command, 7 Jul 1942; III Ground Air (later, III Air) Support Command, 10 Aug 1942; Twelfth Air Force, c. 25 Dec 1942; XII Air Support (later, XII Tactical Air) Command, Jul 1943; XII Fighter (later, XXII Tactical Air) Command, 20 Sep 1944 (attached to XII Tactical Command, 20 Sep-2 Oct 1944); 63 Fighter Wing (attached to First Tactical Air Force [Provisional]), 21 Feb 1945; XII Tactical Air Command, 30 Mar 1945; 64 Fighter Wing, 7 Jul-Oct 1945. 64 Fighter Wing, 20 Aug 1946; Strategic Air Command, 25 Jun 1947; Eighth Air Force, 16 Jul 1947; 27 Fighter (later, 27 Fighter-Escort) Wing, 15 Aug 1947-16 Jun 1952. 27 Fighter (later, 27 Special Operations) Wing, 1 Nov 1991-.
Operational Components. Squadrons. 3 Special Operations: 1 Oct 2007-. 9 Special Operations: 5 Dec 2014-. 11 Reconnaissance (later, 91 Bombardment; 524 Fighter-Bomber; 524 Fighter; 524 Fighter-Escort; 524 Fighter; 524 Special Operations): attached, 15 Jan 1941; assigned 14 Jan 1941-7 Nov 1945; 20 Aug 1946-16 Jun 1952 (detached, 25 Aug 1951-16 Jun 1952); 1 Nov 1991-24 Sep 2007; 1 Oct 2009-. 12 Special Operations, 12 Feb 2015-. 15 Bombardment: 1 Feb 1940-14 Oct 1941. 16 Bombardment (later, 522 Fighter-Bomber, 522 Fighter; 522 Fighter-Escort; 522 Fighter; 522 Special Operations): 1 Feb 1940-7 Nov 1945; 20 Aug 1946-16 Jun 1952 (detached, 6 Aug 1951-16 Jun 1952); 1 Nov 1991-1 Oct 2007; 7 Apr 2011-. 16 Special Operations: 1 Jun 2009-. 17 Bombardment (later, 523 Fighter-Bomber; 523 Fighter; 523 Fighter-Escort; 523 Fighter): 1 Feb 1940-7 Nov 1945; 20 Aug 1946-16 Jun 1952 (detached, 6 Aug 1951-16 Jun 1952); 1 Nov 1991-23 May 2007. 20 Special Operations: 1 Dec 2009-. 33 Special Operations: 29 May 2009-. 73 Special Operations: 1 Oct 2007-. 318 Special Operations: 2 May 2008-. 428 Fighter: 1 Nov 1991-12 Oct 1995; 15 Sep 1998-5 Jul 2005. 429 Electronic Combat: 22 Jun 1993-19 Jun 1998. 430 Electronic Combat: 1 Aug 1992-29 Jun 1993. 465 Bombardment: 13 Jul-21 Nov 1942. 522 Special Operations: 7 Apr 2011-.
Stations. Barksdale Field, LA, 1 Feb 1940; Hunter Field, GA, 7 Oct 1940-21 Oct 1941; Philippine Islands, 20 Nov 1941; Batchelor, Australia, Mar-4 May 1942; Hunter Field, GA, 4 May 1942; Key Field, MS, c. 14 Jul 1942; Hattiesburg, MS, 15 Aug 1942; Harding Field, LA, 25 Oct-21 Nov 1942; Ste-Barbe-du-Tlelat, Algeria, 26 Dec 1942; Nouvion, Algeria, Jan 1943; Ras el Ma, French Morocco, c. 4 Apr 1943; Korba, Tunisia, Jun 1943; Gela, Sicily, Jul 1943; Capaccio, Italy, Sep 1943; Guado AB, Italy, 4 Nov 1943; Pomigliano, Italy, 19 Jan 1944; Castel Volturno, Italy, 10 Apr 1944; Santa Maria Afld, Italy, 8 May 1944; La Banca, Italy, 7 Jun 1944; Ciampino, Italy, 12 Jun 1944; Serragia Airdrome, Corsica, Jul 1944; Le Luc AB, France, Aug 1944; Salon Afld, France, 30 Apr 1944; Loyettes Airdrome, France, c. 11 Sep 1944; Tarquinia Airdrome, Italy, Oct 1944; Pontedera Airdrome, Italy, 3 Dec 1944; St Dizier, France, c. 22 Feb 1945; Toul-Ochey, France, c. 19 Mar 1945; Biblis, Germany, Apr 1945; Sandhofen, Germany, 24 Jun 1945; Echterdingen, Germany, 15 Sep-20 Oct 1945; Camp Shanks, NY, 6-7 Nov 1945. Fritzlar, Germany, 20 Aug 1946-25 Jun 1947; Andrews Field, MD, 25 Jun 1947; Kearney AAFld (later, AFB), NE, 16 Jul 1947; Bergstrom AFB, TX, 16 Mar 1949-11 Nov 1950; Taegu AB, South Korea, 5 Dec 1950; Itazuke AB, Japan, 31 Jan-2 Jul 1951; Bergstrom AFB, TX, 6 Jul 1951-16 Jun 1952. Cannon AFB, NM, 1 Nov 1991-.
Commanders. Col Clarence L. Tinker, 1 Feb 1940-unkn; Lt Col W. Wright, unkn; Col Guy McNeil, Jul 1941-unkn; Col John H. Davies, Autumn of 1941; Maj Alexander R. Sewall, 18 Dec 1941-unkn; Lt Col Harry F. Van Leuven, 14 Jul 1942; Lt Col John D. Stevenson, 11 Apr 1943; Col Dorr E. Newton, 6 Aug 1943; Col Stephen B. Mack, 22 Apr 1944; Col William R. Nevitt, 11 Sep 1944-7 Nov 1945. Col C. T. Edwinson, 20 Aug 1946; Col Robert P. Montgomery, 18 Nov 1946; Col C. T. Edwinson, 24 Feb 1947; Col Edwin A. Doss, 15 Aug 1947; Col Cy Wilson, 21 Jan 1948; Col Donald J. M. Blakeslee, 7 Dec 1950; Lt Col William E. Bertram, 2 Mar 1951; Col. Raymond F. Rudell, 1 May 1951; none (not manned) 6 Aug 1951-16 Jun 1952. Col Donald A. Lamontagne, 1 Nov 1991; Col Thomas G. Runge, 20 May 1992; Col Gale W. Larson, 21 Oct 1994; Col Loyd S. Utterback, 14 Oct 1995; Col Phillip M. Breedlove, 25 Jul 1997; Col Jay H. Lindell, 28 May 1999; Col Bennett M. Bitler, 18 Jun 2001; Col Lee T. Wight, 18 May 2003; Col Jeffrey R. McDaniels, Aug 2005; Col Michael T. Plehn, Jun 2007; Col James L. Cardoso, 1 Jul 2008; Col James C. Slife, 8 Mar 2010; Col Charles H. Myers, 24 Jun 2011; Col William P. West, 9 Sep 2011-.
Aircraft. A-24, 1941; A-20, 1941, 1942-1943; A-36, 1943-1944; P-40, 1944; P-47, 1944; unkn, 1945. P-47, 1946-1947; P (later, F)-51, 1947-1949; F-82, 1948-1950; F-84, 1950-1951. F-111, 1991-1996; EF-111, 1992-1998; F-16, 1995-2007; MC-130, 2007-; PC-12, 2008-; Q-200, 2008-2011; MQ-1, 2008-; AC-130, 2009-; M-28 (C-145), 2009-; CV-22, 2010-; MQ-9, 2010-; Dornier 328 (C-146), 2011-.
Operations. Activated for bombardment operations on 1 Feb 1940. Moved to the Philippines in Nov 1941. The group’s A-24 aircraft, which had not arrived by 7 Dec, were diverted to Australia after the Japanese attack on the Philippines. The group’s commander and 20 pilots who were flown from Luzon to Australia to get the aircraft did not return because of the continued Japanese advance in the Philippines. Some of these pilots saw service in Java, Feb-May 1942, before they were assigned to another group. The men left on Luzon flew missions against the Japanese with available aircraft and served as infantrymen in the battles of Bataan and Corregidor. Although a few managed to escape, most were either killed or taken by the Japanese as prisoners of war. The group received three Distinguished Unit Citations (DUC) for their heroic efforts in the Philippines, late 1941 and early 1942. The group was transferred, without personnel and equipment, from Australia to the United States on 4 May 1942. Trained with attack aircraft until Nov 1942. Moved to North Africa in Nov and Dec 1942. Began combat operations with the Twelfth Air Force in Jun 1943. Took part in the reduction of Panelleria and Lampedusa and supported ground forces in the Allied conquest of Sicily. Covered the landings at Salerno and received a DUC for preventing three German armored divisions from reaching the Salerno beachhead, 10 Sep 1943. Supported Fifth Army during the Allied drive toward Rome. Participated in the invasion of southern France and assisted Seventh Army’s advance up the Rhone Valley, receiving a DUC for helping to disrupt the German retreat, 4 Sep 1944. Took part in the interdiction of enemy communications in northern Italy, and assisted in the Allied drive from France into Germany during the last months of the war. Returned to the United States, Oct-Nov 1945. Trained for fighter operations in Germany, 20 Aug 1946-25 Jun 1947, when it was transferred, without personnel and equipment, to the United States for service with the Strategic Air Command. Moved to the Far East in 1950 for temporary duty with Far East Air Forces during the Korean War. Operating from bases in South Korea and later Japan, flew missions in support of ground forces, earning another DUC for missions between 26 Jan and 21 Apr 1951. Among these missions was close support of the largest paratroop landing in the Korean War and escort for B-29 bombers on raids over North Korea, including combat with enemy MIG-15 fighters. Returned to the United States in Jul 1951. Not operational after Aug 1951, when its squadrons were attached for operational control to the wing. After activation in 1991, added electronic combat mission to its fighter role in Jul 1992. From late 1992 to 1998, served as the only Air Force group with F-111 or EF-111 aircraft. Took part in numerous training exercises and deployed personnel and aircraft periodically to southwestern Asia to enforce no-fly zones over Iraq. In 1998, began training Republic of Singapore F-16 pilots. After terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, D. C. in Sep 2001, deployed personnel and aircraft in operations associated with the Global War on Terror. Converted from fighter to special operations role in Oct 2007, trading its F-16s for special operations-type airplanes, such as MC-130s. Afterwards its squadrons flew a greater variety of special operations aircraft, including AC-130s and remotely piloted aircraft, as seen in the aircraft section. Early in the twenty-first century, resources of the group and its squadrons were detached and deployed to Southwest Asia for Operations such as NEW DAWN and ENDURING FREEDOM, although the group itself did not deploy from Cannon.
Service Streamers. None.
Campaign Streamers. World War II: Philippine Islands; East Indies; Sicily; Naples-Foggia; Anzio; Rome-Arno; Northern France; Southern France; North Apennines; Rhineland; Central Europe; Air Combat, EAME Theater. Korea: CCF Intervention; First UN Counteroffensive; CCF Spring Offensive.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citations: Philippine Islands, 7 Dec 1941-[Apr] 1942; Philippine Islands, 8-22 Dec 1941; Philippine Islands, 6 Jan-8 Mar 1942; Italy, 10 Sep 1943; France, 4 Sep 1944; Korea, 26 Jan-21 Apr 1951. Meritorious Unit Awards: 1 Oct 2008-30 Sep 2009; 1 Oct 2009-30 Sep 2011; 1 Oct 2011-30 Sep 2013; 1 Oct 2013-30 Sep 2015; 1 Oct 2015-30 Sep 2017. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Apr 1992-31 May 1993; 1 Jun 1996-31 May 1998; 1 Jun 2002-31 May 2004; 1 Oct 2007-30 Sep 2008. Philippine Presidential Unit Citation. Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation: 9 Nov 1950-31 May 1951.
Lineage, Assignments, Components, Stations, and Honors through 22 Jul 2019.
Commanders, Aircraft, and Operations through 19 Mar 2013.
Supersedes statement prepared on 19 Mar 2013.
Emblem. Approved on 21 Nov 2018.
Prepared by Daniel Haulman.