27th Air Depot Group | 5th AAF

[walika]

27th Air Depot Group | 5th AAF

 

STATIONS. 1942-1944, Port Moresby, Australia; 1944-1945, Elsavador, Philippines.

EMBLEM. Azure, on a mound in base a peacock amidst wheat, in the beak an ear of wheat.

 

 

American multi-piece wool with chainstitched embroidery.

 

 

 

EMBLEM SIGNIFICANCE. The shield is in the colors of the Air Corps. The peacock was anciently identified with Indra, the Hindu mythological god of the thousand eyes, of heaven, of thunder and lightning, also of Durga, "Giver of Victory in Battle." It was believed by the ancient races that the peacock was a destroyer of serpents. These attributed traits are symbolic of the characteristics of our Organization. The wheat is symbolic of Plenty, being the basis of the "Staff of Life" and its plentitude the representation of our maintenance. On July 5, 1942, the Distinctive Insignia for the 27th Air Depot Group was approved by the Secretary of War.

MOTTO. GLORIA SUMUS SERVIRE. The motto is an urge to the Group for prideful service rendered.

 

 

The 27th Air Depot Group was activated at Mobile Air Depot, Brookley Field, Alabama, in January of 1942. The actual assignment of personnel did not take place until the 5th of February, 1942, when a cadre of enlisted men was transferred from the Mobile Air Depot. These men were few, but their trades were highly specialized. Among them were machinists, airplane mechanics, engine specialists, instrument specialists, sheet metal workers and technicians in the other allied specialties necessary to fulfill the function of an Air Depot Group. On the morning of December 13, 1942, the Group arrived at Port Moresby after a six day journey from Brisbane, Australia. Australian-manned lorries took the personnel from the ship to their new home, a valley located between Ward Drome and Jackson Strip, which they appropriately named "Death Valley" From the top of the hills to the rain-swept muddy floor of the valley every inch of ground was covered with mosquito-laden, waste high Kunai grass, and a multitude of trees. The men immediately set up their pup tents and dispersed them throughout the immediate area. At this time Japanese troops were less than twenty miles away in the foot hills of the Owen Stanley Mountains." It would be necessary for the 27th Air Depot Group to build its own warehouses, hangars and campsites at Port Moresby.

"There was no rest that day or for many days thereafter. Supplies and equipment had to be brought from the Port Moresby docks. A water supply had to be found. The extreme heat enervated even the strongest men. That evening the Group experienced its first in a series of enemy air raids, which continued in varying intensity during the ensuing eight months. Morale hit a new low, and the start of the combat phase of the organization's history commenced. Within one week after their arrival the men set up temporary shops made of native timber and canvas. Two weeks later they sent the first P-39 they repaired into the sky against the Nips over Port Moresby. Production in the United States had not reached the point where aircraft could be spared for this theatre of war. Because of that, the men rebuilt airplanes so badly shot up they would ordinarily be
considered only fit for salvage. They cannibalized the ones they could not rebuild, and used the pieces to make one or two planes that could be made to fly. Protecting the planes undergoing repair was a gigantic task.

The Group's Engineering Office personnel were responsible for modification and repair of all aircraft received by the Depot, assignment of engineering personnel, and daily reports on the status of all aircraft being overhauled, modified and repaired by the Depot. In addition, it is their responsibility to iron out the bugs in new aircraft, and to design special tools used in the maintenance of aircraft. Notable contributions by this department have been the method they devised to transport aircraft from ships to airstrips, modification of fuel systems and designing of belly tanks for fighter aircraft. In the latter much credit is due 1st Lt. Archie M. Catrost, assistant engineering officer. He designed a belly tank for P-47 which lengthened their range at a time when every extra minute in the air was priceless. For his role in that project he was awarded the Legion of Merit. Everything around an air base is important, but there is nothing more important than the Engineering Section of a Depot Group operating in a combat area. With the Japanese and the Allies battling for air supremacy in the skies above Port Moresby every plane was worth more than its weight in gold. The first A-20's and P-47's to be built in New Guinea were handled by the Depot at Port Moresby.

The 27th Air Depot Group played an important part in the triumph of the Battle of the Bismarck Sea, in which a Japanese convoy of 22 ships, carrying an entire division with supplies, was virtually destroyed by land-based aircraft. The battle took place March 1 thru 4, 1943. During those four days the men worked around the clock repairing badly-shot-up planes, and kept sending them back over the Bismarck Sea to drop many more tons of bombs on the enemy's ships.

The Group Headquarters at Port Moresby was officially closed on 20 August 1944 and moved forward as the Japanese were driven back.

 

 

 

[jshrops]

Masterful description of the work of the 27th Air Depot Group, thank you. Their yearbook is online for free as a PDF but lacks any illustrations. Is there any remedy for that? It details ADG activities in excellent fashion.

 

81st ADG, also in Port Moresby (HQ Brisbane) has two yearbooks downloadable from Aussie National Archives complete. It details social life and functional assignments, listing the men but with no technical descriptions. My Dad served with 81st ADG as a C-47 pilot, likely HQ Squadron, but he is undocumented in the yearbooks.

 

One of the Air Depot Groups in CBI has a good memorial with some good technical photos (forgot the unit, 12th?)

[Bluehawk]

Has anyone seen or collected this patch (DUI?) for the 27th ADG?

 

I've been working on composing a remembrance of this airman:

https://airforce.togetherweserved.com/usaf/servlet/tws.webapp.WebApp?cmd=Profile&type=Person&ID=321661

 

[Johnny Signor]

Did you ever find a color copy of the DUI you posted ?????

[Bluehawk]

7 minutes ago, Johnny Signor said:

Did you ever find a color copy of the DUI you posted ?????

Not yet, Johnny...

 

That b/w illustration doesn't even look like a finished pencil drawing as it is. But, something is better than nothing, sometimes.

[Johnny Signor]

O.K. thanks for the reply , and hope you find it :)

All the best and Happy New Year :)

Johnny