27th Fighter Squadron | 1st Fighter Group | 8th, 12th and 15th AAF

[walika]

27th Fighter Squadron | 1st Fighter Group | 8th, 12th and 15th AAF

LINEAGE. Organized as 2ist Aero Squadron on 15 Jun 1917. Redesignated: 27th Aero Squadron on 23 Jun 1917; 27th Squadron on 14 Mar 1921; 27th Pursuit Squadron on 25 Jan 1923; 27th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) on 6 Dec 1939; 27th Pursuit Squadron (Fighter) on 12 Mar 1941; 27th Fighter Squadron on 15 May 1942. Inactivated on 16 Oct 1945.

STATIONS. San Diego NAS, 11 Dec 1941; Los Angeles, 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.

AIRCRAFT. P-38, 1941-1945.

OPERATIONS. Air defense of Iceland, c. 4 Jul-c. 25 Aug 1942; combat in ETO and MTO, 2 Oct 1942-6 May 1945.

CAMPAIGNS. 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.

EMBLEM. A falcon about to strike, against a red disc. (Approved 4 Mar 1924 from World War I emblem.)

 

 

Embroidered on wool.

 

 

 

 

Theater made. Incised leather; hand-painted.

 

 

 

 

Theater-made. Embroidered. (on a beautiful B-10 jacket.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

The 1st Fighter Suqadron entered combat with P-38 aircraft on 28 Aug and flew a number of missions to France before being assigned to Twelfth AF for duty in the Mediterranean theater. Moved to North Africa, part of the ground echelon landing with the assault forces at Arzeu beach on 8 Nov 1942. The air echelon arrived a few days later and the group soon began operations, attacking enemy shipping, escorting bombers, flying strafing missions, and performing reconnaissance duties during the campaign for Tunisia. Participated in the reduction of Pantelleria.

Escorted bombers to targets in Sicily and later aided ground forces during the conquest of that island by strafing and divebombing roads, motor transports, gun emplacements, troop conce.ntrations, bridges, and railways. Flew missions against the enemy in Italy and received a DUC for its performance on 25 Aug 1943 when the group carried out a strafing attack on Italian airdromes, destroying great numbers of enemy aircraft that presented a serious threat to the Allies’ plans for landing troops at Salerno. Also escorted bombers to Italy, receiving another DUC for a mission on 30 Aug 1943 when the group beat off enemy aircraft and thus enabled bombers to inflict serious damage on marshalling yards at Aversa. Supported the invasion at Salerno in Sep and continued operations with Twelfth AF until Nov 1943. Assigned to Fifteenth AF with the primary mission of escorting bombers that attacked targets in Italy, France, Germany, Czechoslovakia, Austria, Hungary, Bulgaria, Rumania, Yugoslavia, and Greece. Received third DUC for covering the withdrawal of B-17’s after an attack on Ploesti on 18 May 1944. Also flew strafing and dive-bombing missions in an area from France to the Balkans. Supported the landings at Anzio in Jan 1944 and the invasion of Southern France in Aug 1944. Continued operations until May 1945.

 

Maurer. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force World War II.

Maurer. Air Force Combat Units of World War II.

 

 

 

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27fs1fg15aaf

 

 

 

 

[5thwingmarty]

Here is their insignia on a WWI SPAD.

 

[JDK]

Love the B-10 Rick! That patch is a beauty!

 

JD

[guerrap]

A pair of very early 27th Pursuit Squadron patches