page_title: 427th Special Operations Squadron
section_title: Lineage
hierarchical_section_title: 427th Special Operations Squadron / Lineage
caption_attribution_description: English: Emblem of the 427th Night Figher Squadron, World War II
context_page_description: The 427th Special Operations Squadron is a specialized, covert unit of the United States Air Force. After reporter Andreas Parsch filed a Freedom of Information Act request, the Air Force told him the unit "support[s] training requirements … for infiltration and exfiltration." That is, it prepares troops for secretly slipping into and out of dangerous territory. The squadron is not listed by the Air Force Historical Research Agency. It is reported by the press to be stationed at Pope Field, North Carolina.
  The squadron was originally formed during World War II as the 427th Night Fighter Squadron. Its planned mission to defend United States Army Air Forces bases in the Soviet Union was cancelled when the Soviets did not allow the unit to be based in Ukraine SSR during the Operation Frantic shuttle bombing missions that took place in 1944. It later served in Italy, India, Southern China and Burma as a P-61 Black Widow night fighter interceptor squadron.
  The squadron was re-activated during the Vietnam War to train Republic of Vietnam Air Force pilots in using the Cessna A-37 Dragonfly in counter-insurgency operations.
context_section_description: Constituted as the 427th Night Fighter Squadron on 19 January 1944
  Activated on 1 February 1944
  Inactivated on 29 October 1945
  Redesignated as the 427th Special Operations Training Squadron and activated on 1 July 1970
  Inactivated 15 July 1972
  Redesignated 427th Special Operations Squadron and activated, undetermined
caption: Emblem of the 427th Night Fighter Squadron, World War II
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