27th Special Operations Group The 27th Special Operations Group ( 27 SOG ) is the flying component of the 27th Special Operations Wing , assigned to the Air Force Special Operations Command ( AFSOC ) . The group is stationed at Cannon Air Force Base , New Mexico . During World War II , its predecessor unit , the 27th Bombardment ( later Fighter ) Group fought in the Pacific Ocean and Mediterranean , Middle East and African theatres . Its ground personnel fought as infantry in the 1941 – 1942 Battle of Bataan with the survivors being forced to march as prisoners in the Bataan Death March . Its air echelon went on to be awarded five Distinguished Unit Citation s and a Philippine Presidential Unit Citation . The Airmen of the 27th were among the most decorated USAAF units of the war . Overview . The 27th Special Operations Group accomplishes global special operations taskings as an Air Force component member of the United States Special Operations Command . It conducts infiltration / exfiltration , combat support , helicopter and tilt - rotor aerial refueling , psychological warfare , and other special missions . It directs the deployment , employment , training , and planning for four squadrons that operate the MC - 130W Combat Spear , MQ - 1B Predator , U - 28A aircraft , and provide operational support to flying operations . Components . There are several squadrons within the group . History . On 1 February 1940 , the United States Army Air Corps activated the 27th Bombardment Group ( Light ) at Barksdale Field ( AAF ) , Louisiana and equipped it with the Douglas B - 18 Bolo Light bomber aircraft . The group consisted of the 15th , 16th and 17th Bombardment Squadrons . In October of that year the group moved to Hunter Army Airfield , Georgia , less the 15th Bombardment Squadron , which was reassigned to V Air Support Command on 14 October . On 21 October the group was ordered to the Philippine Islands in response to the growing crisis in the Pacific . World War II . South West Pacific Theater . Philippine Campaign ( 1941 – 42 ) . Arriving at Fort William McKinley in the Philippines on 20 November , the 27th BG ( L ) readied itself for delivery of its A - 24 Dauntless aircraft . Concern grew as days turned into weeks and still the planes had not arrived . When the Imperial Japanese Army attacked the Philippines on 9 December 1941 , the situation had not changed . Unknown to the 27th BG ( L ) Airmen , to avoid capture or destruction , the ship carrying the planes was diverted to Australia when the war escalated . On 18 December Major John H . Davies , 27th BG ( L ) commander , and an aircrew of 20 flew from Clark Field on Luzon in two B - 18s and one Douglas C - 39 of Transport Command to Tarakan Island in the Dutch East Indies to Darwin Australia arriving on 22 December . Flying from Darwin , the group arrived in Brisbane on 24 December to pick up their A - 24s off the ship USAT Meigs . However , as a swift Japanese advance prevented his group from returning to the Philippines , the air echelon of the 27th was ordered to operate from Brisbane . The ground echelon of the 27th still in the Philippines was evacuated south from Luzon on 25 December to the Bataan Peninsula , arriving to form the 2nd Battalion ( 27th Bombardment Group ) Provisional Infantry Regiment ( Air Corp ) . For the 99 days following the attack on Pearl Harbor until their surrender to the Japanese after the Battle of Bataan , the men of the 27th BG became the only Air Force unit in history to fight as an infantry regiment , and were the only unit to be taken captive in whole . After surrendering , they were forced to endure the infamous Bataan Death March . Of the 880 or so Airmen who were taken , less than half survived captivity . However , a number of officers and enlisted men of the 27th Bomb Group were evacuated out of the Philippines in five U . S . Navy submarines just before it was overrun by the Japanese during April . The USS Seawolf , USS Seadragon , USS Sargo , USS Swordfish and lastly the USS Spearfish , on the night of the 3 May 1942 managed to sneak into Manila Bay and evacuate American personnel from Corregidor to Java and Fremantle , Western Australia . Dutch East Indies and New Guinea Campaigns ( 1942 ) . In Australia , the escaped airmen and aircraft of the 27th Bomb Group reformed into a combat unit . In early 12 February pilots of the 91st Sqdn flew their A - 24 ' s with gunners from Brisbane to Malang Java in the colonial Dutch East Indies to defend the island . The group participated in an attack on the Japanese invasion fleet landing troops on Bali . The attacks , carried out during the afternoon of 19 February and throughout the morning of 20 February , caused little damage and all air operations that day failed to halt the landings . The group was credited with the sinking of a Japanese cruiser and a destroyer . From 27 February through 1 March , three A - 24 ' s of the 91st Sqdn participated in Battle of the Java Sea . The remaining pilots & gunners of the 27th Bomb Group were flown out to Australia in early March , consolidating with the 16th and 17th Squadrons which had moved from Brisbane to Batchelor airfield in the Northern Territory . For their heroic efforts in the Philippines and the Southwest Pacific during late 1941 and early 1942 , the 27th Bombardment Group ( Light ) received three Distinguished Unit Citations ( DUC ) . On 25 March , Major Davies , and the surviving 27th Bomb Group personnel consisting of 42 officers , 62 enlisted men and 24 A - 24s were assigned to the 3rd Bombardment Group at Charters Towers airfield in Queensland , Australia . Davies would take over as CO of the 3rd BG while three other senior pilots from the 27th would become CO ' s of the 8th , 13th and 90th Squadrons . The officers and enlisted men were assigned to the four squadrons of the 3rd BG . The remaining A - 24 aircraft were added to the 8th Bomb Squadron . Over the next 21 months these men would fly combat missions to the Philippines , New Guinea and Rabaul as well as play a leading role in the Battle of the Bismarck Sea . On 4 May the unmanned and unequipped 27th Bomb Group was inactivated in place , and transferred administrativeley back to the United States . European - African - Middle Eastern Theater . North African Campaign . On 4 May 27 Bombardment Group ( Light ) was reactivated without personnel or equipment at Hunter AAF Georgia . At Hunter , the group was re - manned and re - equipped with the Douglas A - 20 Havoc light bomber . After additional training in Mississippi and Louisiana , on 26 December the group was transferred to Ste - Barbe - du - Tlelat Airfield , Algeria to enter combat in North Africa with Twelfth Air Force . Maintenance and support personnel went by sea to North Africa while aircrews and the A - 20s flew to South America then across to North Africa , In North Africa , the A - 20s were sent to other groups and the 27th Bomb Group was redesignated as the 27th Fighter - Bomber Group and reequipped with the North American A - 36 Invader dive bomber . Assigned to Korba , Tunisia , the 27th FBG flew its first combat missions of the war on 6 June 1943 . The 27th served in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations ( MTO ) until the end of the war . It was redesignated the 27th Fighter Group in May 1944 when the group converted first to the Curtiss P - 40 Warhawk , then to the Republic P - 47 Thunderbolt aircraft . Sicilian / Italian Campaigns . During the Sicilian Campaign , operations included participation in the reduction of Pantelleria and Lampedusa Islands and supporting ground forces during the conquest of Sicily . In the Italian Campaign the 27th covered the landings at Salerno and received a Distinguished Unit Citation ( DUC ) for preventing three German armored divisions from reaching the Salerno beachhead on 10 September 1943 . In addition , the group supported the Fifth Army during the Allied drive toward Rome . Southern France . The group took part in the invasion of Southern France and assisted Seventh Army ' s advance up the Rhône Valley , receiving a second DUC for helping to disrupt the German retreat , 4 September 1944 . The 27th took part in the interdiction of the enemy ' s communications in northern Italy , and assisted in the Allied drive from France into Germany during the last months of the war , eventually being stationed at Biblis , Germany on V - E Day . With five Distinguished Unit Citations and a Philippine Presidential Unit Citation , the Airmen of the 27th were among the most decorated USAAF units of World War II . Cold War . Postwar era . In the immediate postwar drawdown of the USAAF , the 27th Fighter Group was returned to the United States in October 1945 , then inactivated on 7 November at Camp Shanks , New York . Within a year , the group was reactivated in Germany on 20 August 1946 , being assigned to Fritzlar Air Base , flying P - 47 Thunderbolts . The group stayed in Germany for a year performing occupation duty until being transferred , without personnel or equipment , to Andrews AAF , Maryland , in June 1947 . The 27th was assigned to Strategic Air Command and reactivated at Kearney AAF Nebraska . Fighter Squadrons of the 27th were the 522d , 523d and 524th . The 27th was initially equipped with the North American P - 51D Mustang , and in 1948 was upgraded to the new North American F - 82E Twin Mustang . In June 1948 the designation " P " for pursuit was changed to " F " for fighter . Subsequently , all P - 51s were redesignated F - 51s . The mission of the 27th Fighter Wing was to fly long - range escort missions for SAC Boeing B - 29 Superfortress bombers . With the arrival of the F - 82s , the older F - 51s were sent to Air National Guard units . The first production F - 82Es reached the 27th in early 1948 , and almost immediately the group was deployed to McChord AFB , Washington , in June where its squadrons stood on alert on a secondary air defense mission due to heightened tensions over the Berlin Airlift . It was also believed that the 27th would launch an escort mission , presumably to the Soviet Union , if conflict broke out in Europe . From McChord , the group flew its Twin Mustangs on weather reconnaissance missions over the northwest Pacific , but problems were encountered with their fuel tanks . Decommissioned F - 61 Black Widow external tanks were found at Hamilton AFB , California that could be modified for the F - 82 which were fitted on the pylons of the Twin Mustang that solved the problem . With a reduction in tensions , the 27th returned to its home base in Nebraska during September where the unit settled down to transition flying with their aircraft . On 1 August 1948 the 27th Fighter Wing was activated . Although established over a year earlier in July 1947 . Under the Hobson Plan the 27th FW commanded the functions of both the support groups as well as the flying combat 27th Fighter Group and the squadrons assigned to it . Four F - 82s were deployed to Alaska from McChord where the pilots provided transition training to the 449th Fighter ( All Weather ) Squadron which used Twin Mustangs in the air defense mission . They remained in Alaska for about 45 days , returning to rejoin the rest of the group at the beginning of November 1948 . In January 1949 , Eighth Air Force planned a large celebration at Carswell AFB . All of its assigned units were to participate in a coordinated flyover . Most of SAC ' s bombers were to participate , along with SAC ' s only " Long Range " fighter group , the 27th . The weather in Nebraska in January that year was especially horrible , with most airports in the Midwest weathered in the day of the display . At Kearney AFB , the base was socked - in with a blizzard . Nevertheless , the crews had an early morning mission briefing , the aircraft in the hangars were preflighted and prepared for the flyover mission . Paths were cut though the snow for the aircraft to taxi and somehow the F - 82s got airborne , with the 27th ' s Twin Mustangs joining up with SAC bombers over Oklahoma on schedule . The flyover by the Twin Mustangs was a tremendous success , with SAC leadership being amazed that the F - 82 was truly an " all weather " aircraft and the 27th being able to carry out their mission despite the weather . In early 1949 , the 27th began carrying out long - range escort profile missions . Flights to Puerto Rico , Mexico , the Bahamas and nonstop to Washington D . C were carried out . For President Truman ' s 1949 inauguration , the 27th FEW launched 48 aircraft to fly in review , along with several other fighter units , in formation down Pennsylvania Avenue . Another flyover over the newly - dedicated Idlewild Airport in New York City soon followed , with the aircraft flying non - stop from Kearney AFB . With the tight defense budgets in the late 1940s , the decision was made by Strategic Air Command decided to close Kearney AFB in 1949 . The 27th was transferred to Bergstrom AFB Texas on 16 March . At Bergstrom , the 27th transitioned to jet aircraft with Republic Aviation F - 84E Thunderjet in 1950 . It was redesignated the 27th Fighter - Escort Group , to better represent the mission of the group on 1 February . By the end of summer , the transition to the Tunderjets was complete and the Twin Mustangs were mostly sent to reclamation , with a few being sent to Far East Air Forces or Alaska as replacement aircraft or for air defense duties . The wing won the Mackay Trophy for successful deployment of 180 F - 84s from Bergstrom AFB , to Furstenfeldbruck Air Base West Germany , in September 1950 , via Labrador , Greenland , Iceland , and England , delivering the Thunderjets to the 36th Fighter - Bomber Group . This was the Second ( the first being the 20th FG flying 64 F - 84Ds on 20 July 1950 during Operation " READY " from Shaw AB , SC to RAF Manston , UK ) long - range mass flight of jet aircraft in aviation history . After the pilots and support ground personnel were flown back to Bergstrom on MATS transports , a new production batch of F - 84Es were picked up , and on 15 October the group headed for Neubiberg Air Base , West Germany , this time with ninety - two aircraft . Korean War . Upon their return to Bergstrom in November 1950 , the 27th anticipated another delivery trip to Europe and a permanent change of station to USAFE . However , this was changed to a deployment to Japan and duty in the Korean War . The 27th departed Bergstrom on 11 November with the 522d FES refueling en route at Biggs AFB , Texas ; the 523d FES at Kirtland AFB , New Mexico , and the 524th FES at Williams AFB , Arizona on the way to San Diego , California . The overseas transport of the 27th was via the USS Bairoko on 14 November and the USS Bataan on 16 November . The USS Cape Esperance , with the remainder of the wing was scheduled to depart from San Francisco on 27 November , but this was delayed for two days while fifty F - 86A Sabre s and their equipment for the 4th Fighter - Interceptor Wing were loaded for their transfer to Japan . By 30 November the ground echelon had arrived at Kimpo Air Base ( K - 14 ) , South Korea , preparing for the arrival of the air echelon which had been unloaded in Japan . Once unloaded from the transport carriers , the aircraft were barged to Kisarazu Air Base where they were preflighted for a short flight to Yokota Air Base . However the aircraft were damaged during their trans - Pacific open - air deck shipment and had salt air induced corrosion ; corroded electrical equipment and landing gear damage . Some of the aircraft also had flat tires . On 1 December Far East Air Forces decided they would station their short - ranged 4th FIG at Kimpo ( K - 14 ) and the 27th was ordered split into forward and rear echelons . Advanced headquarters would be at Taegu Air Base ( K - 2 ) , South Korea ; while the rear echelon would locate at Itazuke Air Base , Japan . The advanced echelon would be attached to the F - 80 Shooting Star equipped 49th Fighter - Bomber Wing at Tageu for logistical support , while the rear portion would be attached to the provisional 6160th Air Base Wing at Itazuke for the same kind of support . The first six of rapidly repaired F - 84Es arrived at K - 2 on 5 December . All of these aircraft were equipped with special gun camera that were depressed to record bomb strikes . They were also JATO - Equipped with a special electronic system for their operation . The 27th flew their first combat mission on 6 December 1950 ; the mission being an " armed reconnaissance " over the Chinnampo River area . Over the next two days , thirty - two rockets and 7 , 200 rounds of . 50 caliber ammunition were expended . Several locomotives were claimed as damaged and a North Korean village was strafed . On 13 December two 27th FEG Thunderjets were lost on a strafing mission two miles west of Krin - ni when the aircraft did not return and crashed to the ground . One aircraft crashed on the ground ; the cause not known ; another was given a go - around at K - 2 because of other traffic . The aircraft suddenly lost power and made a belly landing in a dry creek bed ; the Thunderjet written - off as a result . By January , the remainder of the 27th ' s aircraft were made operational . For the next six months , the 27th flew missions in support of ground forces , earning another DUC for missions between 26 January and 21 April 1951 . Among these missions was close support of the largest paratroop landing in the Korean War and escort for B - 29 Superfortress bombers on raids over North Korea , including air - to - air combat with enemy MiG - 15 fighters . In 27 June was given the responsibility for acclimating the newly arrived 136th Fighter - Bomber Wing to combat , as the 136th was their replacement . They were also given the responsibility of assisting the 49th Fighter - Bomber Wing in transition from F - 80Cs to F - 84Es . In eight months of combat , the 27th had participated in three major campaigns and earned the Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation . They had flown 12 , 000 combat missions and had lost seven of their pilots in combat , and fifteen F - 84 aircraft to all causes . The 27th was relieved from assignment to FEAF in July 1951 and returned to Bergstrom AFB . On 3 August 27 FEG was declared non - operational when its squadrons were attached for operational control to the 27th FEW as part of the Air Force tri - deputate reorganization . Inactivated on 16 June 1952 when the group was considered redundant . Modern era . The group was reactivated in on 1 November 1991 as the 27th Operations Group and assigned to the 27th Fighter Wing as part of the " Objective Wing " concept adapted by the Air Force . The 27th OG was bestowed the lineage , honors and history of its predecessor history and honors of the 27 Tactical Fighter Group and its predecessor units . The 27 OG took control of the wings fighter squadrons upon activation . From September 1992 to July 1993 , 27 OG F - 111 aircrews and support personnel rotated to Incirlik Air Base , Turkey , in support of Operation PROVIDE COMFORT . In 1995 the face of the flightline changed when the wing began its transition to General Dynamics F - 16C / D aircraft . The first F - 16s to arrive in May were assigned to the 522d Fighter Squadron . Also transitioning were the 523d and 524th Fighter Squadrons . With the arrival of the F - 16s , the F - 111s were sent to AMARC . The 428th Fighter Squadron was inactivated in September 1995 , and the ECW EF - 111A - equipped 429 ECS was inactivated in May 1998 with the 27th Operations Group officially holding a retirement ceremony in memorial park . The F - 111 in various forms had been at Cannon AFB for 29 years . With their retirement , the 430 ECS was inactivated . On 15 January 1998 , the 524th Fighter Squadron ventured to the desert for their first overseas deployment since transitioning to the F - 16 . The 522d Fighter Squadron deployed to Prince Sultan Air Base , Saudi Arabia in direct support of Operation SOUTHERN WATCH . They flew missions enforcing UN resolutions of no - fly zone over Southern Iraq . In March , the 523d Fighter Squadron also deployed to Southwest Asia in support of Operation SOUTHERN WATCH . These two 27 FW squadrons were the first F - 16 unit to replace Republic A - 10 Thunderbolt II units performing close air support . In addition , they were the first F - 16 unit to maintain the demanding combat search and rescue alert in Southwest Asia . While deployed to the Gulf region in December 1998 , the F - 16s from the 522d Fighter Squadron provided close air support alert , defensive counter air alert and interdiction in Iraq . In August 1998 , the 524th Fighter Squadron deployed to Hill AFB , Utah for exercise Combat Hammer . During the exercise , they dropped inert GBU - 24 Paveway III laser - guided bombs and fired live AGM - 65 Maverick antitank missiles on Utah test range . The hit rate was one of the highest ever seen in the Air Force , showcasing the lethality of the Block 40 F - 16 . In 1998 , the governments of the United States and Singapore signed an agreement laying the foundation of the Peace Carvin III program . As a Foreign Military Sales training program for the Republic of Singapore Air Force ( RSAF ) , Peace Carvin III was designed for the continued training of RSAF in rapid deployment and tactical employment of the block 52 F - 16C / D throughout a wide spectrum of missions including air - to - air , joint maritime and precision air - to - ground weapons delivery . In support of Peace Carvin III , the 428th Fighter Squadron was reactivated on 12 November 1988 and tasked to take the lead in Peace Carvin III . The squadron was a hybrid of USAF and RSAF F - 16C / D manned by USAF instructor pilots , Singaporean pilots and combined RSAF and USAF teams of maintenance and support personnel . In May 1999 , the 428th Fighter Squadron participated in its first official major exercise after its reactivation . The squadron deployed to Tyndall Air Force Base , Florida , for exercise Combat Archer . The exercise was designed to test weapons capabilities , tactics and employment . This included the first live firing of radar - guided air - to - air AIM - 7 Sparrow by the RSAF . With the completion of Peace Carvin III , the 428 FS was inactivated on 6 July 2005 . In July 1999 , the 522d Fighter Squadron deployed to Keflavik Naval Air Station , Iceland , to support NATO exercise Coronet Norsemen . They served primarily as the combat air arm of the Iceland Defense Force . In August 1999 , the 523d Fighter Squadron relieved the 522d Fighter Squadron from Coronet Norsemen . During Operation ALLIED FORCE in 1999 , the 524th Fighter Squadron was notified for " on - call " duty to augment forces . Quick termination of hostilities precluded the 524th Fighter Squadron from seeing action . Global War on Terror . On 11 September 2001 when terrorists attacked the World Trade Center in New York City and The Pentagon in Washington , D . C . , aircraft from the 27 FW went on air defense alert . Two weeks following the 9 / 11 attacks members of the 27th Civil Engineer Squadron Prime BEEF team had deployed to a forward location in the AOR and built a tent city at a ( then ) Classified location . They would not return till March 2002 . In December 2002 , the 524 FS deployed to Kuwait and participated in Operation IRAQI FREEDOM , dropping nearly a million pounds of precision guided munitions , more than any other F - 16 Block 40 squadron in history . In September 2007 , the 522d Expeditionary Fighter Squadron wrapped up the final deployment for their squadron and , ultimately , the 27th Operations Group . The 522d Fighter Squadron , known as the Fireballs , were inactivated upon their return to Cannon AFB and the 27 FW became the 27th Special Operations Group on 1 October 2007 . Among the units that joined the group were the 3d SOS ( MQ - 1 ) , 73d SOS ( MC - 130W ) and 318th SOS ( light transport aircraft ) as well as the 20th SOS ( CV - 22s ) .