327th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron

Last updated

327th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron
327th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron Convair F-102A-75-CO Delta Daggers.jpg
Squadron F-102A Delta Daggers at Thule AB in 1958 [a]
Active1942–1944; 1955–1960
CountryFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States
BranchFlag of the United States Air Force.svg  United States Air Force
Role air defense
Insignia
327th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron emblem [b] 327th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron - Emblem.jpg
327th Fighter Squadron emblem [c] [1] 327 Fighter Sq emblem.png

The 327th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the 64th Air Division at Thule Air Base, Greenland, where it was inactivated on 25 March 1960.

Contents

The squadron was first active during World War II as a training unit. It was disbanded in 1944 when the Army Air Forces reorganized its training and support units in the United States.

The squadron was again activated in August 1955 at George Air Force Base, California. There, it became the first operational squadron to fly the Convair F-102 Delta Dagger. In 1958 it moved to Thule, where it replaced a unit flying older Northrop F-89 Scorpions.

History

World War II

The squadron was first activated at Hamilton Field, California in July 1942 as the 327th Fighter Squadron, one of the original squadrons of the 328th Fighter Group. [1] [2] The squadron initially participated in air defense of the Pacific coast from Hamilton and later from Mills Field. It also served as an Operational Training Unit (OTU). [1] The OTU program involved the use of an oversized parent unit to provide cadres to "satellite groups". [3] On 1 March 1943, the squadron mission changed to operating a Bell P-39 Airacobra Replacement Training Unit (RTU). Replacement Training Units were also oversized units, but they trained aircrews prior to their deployment to combat theaters. [1] [3]

In February 1944, the 327th moved to Marysville Army Air Field, where it continued as a P-39 RTU. [1] However, the Army Air Forces found that standard military units, based on relatively inflexible tables of organization, were proving less well adapted to the training mission. Accordingly, it adopted a more functional system in which each base was organized into a separate numbered unit, while the groups and squadrons acting as RTUs were disbanded or inactivated. [4] [5] This resulted in the 327th, along with other units at Marysville, being disbanded in the spring of 1944 [1] and being replaced by the 433d AAF Base Unit (Fighter Replacement Training Unit, Single Engine), which assumed the squadron's mission, personnel, and equipment. [6]

Cold War air defense

F-102A of the 327 FIS at George AFB F-102-327thfis-george.jpg
F-102A of the 327 FIS at George AFB

The squadron was again activated as the 327th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron at George Air Force Base, California in August 1955. [1] At George, the squadron was initially equipped with radar equipped and Mighty Mouse rocket armed North American F-86D Sabres. [7] These aircraft had been used at George by the 94th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, which moved from George to Selfridge Air Force Base as part of Air Defense Command (ADC)'s Project Arrow, which was designed to bring back on the active list the fighter units which had compiled memorable records in the two world wars and unite them with their traditional groups. [8]

In April 1956, the 327th was the first ADC squadron to fly the Convair F-102A Delta Dagger in operational service, and became the first supersonic unit in Air Defense Command. These aircraft were also equipped with data link, which enabled them to interface directly with the Semi Automatic Ground Environment computers in ground direction centers, removing the need for voice communications by air to ground radios. [7]

The squadron moved to Thule Air Base, Greenland in July 1958, assuming the air defense role there from the Northrop F-89 Scorpions of the 74th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron. [1] [9] The squadron was inactivated there on 25 March 1960, but the Thule air defense mission was resumed within six weeks by the 332d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron. [1] [10]

Lineage

Activated on 10 July 1942
Disbanded on 31 March 1944
Activated on 18 August 1955
Discontinued on 25 March 1960 [1]

Assignments

Stations

Aircraft

Service streamers

Service StreamerCampaignDatesNotes
Streamer AC.PNG American Theater without inscription10 July 1942 – 31 March 1944327th Fighter Squadron [1]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">328th Armament Systems Wing</span> Military unit

The 328th Armament Systems Wing is an inactive wing of the United States Air Force (USAF). It was last active in 2007, assigned to the Air Armament Center, part of Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC) at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. It was first activated in 1942 as the 328th Fighter Group and served during World War II as a fighter aircraft training unit until disbanded in 1944 in a major reorganization of the Army Air Forces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">326th Aeronautical Systems Wing</span> Military unit

The 326th Aeronautical Systems Wing is an inactive wing of the United States Air Force. It was last assigned to the Aeronautical Systems Center at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, where it was inactivated in 2008.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">478th Aeronautical Systems Wing</span> Military unit

The 478th Aeronautical Systems Wing is an inactive wing of the United States Air Force which was last based at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, where it was inactivated in 2009. The wing was first organized as the 478th Fighter Group, which briefly served as a Fourth Air Force Replacement Training Unit in 1944. The unit was disbanded when the Army Air Forces reorganized its training units into AAF Base Units to reduce manpower requirements in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">327th Aircraft Sustainment Wing</span> Military unit

The 327th Aircraft Sustainment Wing is an inactive wing of the United States Air Force last based at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma. It was last assigned to Air Force Materiel Command's Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">317th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron</span> Military unit

The 317th Fighter Interceptor Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit, last assigned to Aerospace Defense Command, at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, where it was inactivated on 31 December 1969.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">318th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron</span> Military unit

The 318th Fighter Interceptor Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the 25th Air Division at McChord Air Force Base, Washington, where it was inactivated on 7 December 1989.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">323d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron</span> Military unit

The 323d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Air Defense Command at Ernest Harmon Air Force Base, Newfoundland, where it was inactivated on 1 July 1960.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">498th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron</span> Military unit

The 498th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Air Defense Command stationed at Hamilton Air Force Base, California. It was inactivated on 30 September 1968.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">331st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron</span> Military unit

The 331st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Air Defense Command at Webb Air Force Base, Texas, where it was inactivated on 1 March 1967.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">332d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron</span> Military unit

The 332d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the 4683rd Air Defense Wing at Thule Air Base, Greenland, where it was inactivated on 31 May 1965.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">456th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron</span> Military unit

The 456th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the Air Defense Command San Francisco Air Defense Sector stationed at Oxnard Air Force Base, California. It was inactivated on 18 July 1968.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">329th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron</span> Military unit

The 329th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Los Angeles Air Defense Sector at George Air Force Base, California, where it was inactivated on 1 July 1967.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">496th Tactical Fighter Squadron</span> Military unit

The 496th Tactical Fighter Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit, last assigned to the United States Air Forces in Europe, 50th Tactical Fighter Wing, being stationed at Hahn Air Base, Germany. The squadron was inactivated on 15 May 1991.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">325th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron</span> Military unit

The 325th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit, last assigned to Air Defense Command at Truax Field, Wisconsin, where it was inactivated on 25 June 1966.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">326th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron</span> Former US Air Force unit

The 326th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the 328th Fighter Wing at Richards-Gebaur Air Force Base, Missouri, where it was inactivated on 2 January 1967.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">84th Combat Sustainment Group</span> Military unit

The 84th Combat Sustainment Group is an inactive United States Air Force (USAF) group last assigned to the 84th Combat Sustainment Wing at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, where it was inactivated in 2010. The group was formed in 1942 as the 84th Bombardment Group, one of the first dive bomber units in the United States Army Air Corps and tested the Vultee Vengeance, proving that aircraft unsuitable as a dive bomber. As an Operational Training Unit, it was the parent for several other bombardment groups, but from 1943 until it was disbanded in 1944, trained replacement aircrews as a Replacement Training Unit designated the 84th Fighter-Bomber Group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">482nd Fighter-Interceptor Squadron</span> Military unit

The 482d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Montgomery Air Defense Sector at Homestead Air Force Base, Florida in 1969. During World War II the squadron was a Replacement Training Unit until disbanded in 1944 when the Army Air Forces converted training units to Army Air Force Base Units. It was reconstituted in 1955 and served as a fighter interceptor squadron until 1969.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">438th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron</span> Military unit

The 438th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the 35th Air Division at Griffiss Air Force Base, New York, where it was inactivated on 30 September 1968. The squadron was first activated as the 438th Fighter Squadron during World War II. It served as a Replacement Training Unit until the spring of 1944, when it was disbanded in a general reorganization of Army Air Forces training units. It was reactivated in 1953 as an air defense unit and served in that role until inactivated.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">4722d Air Defense Group</span> Military unit

The 4722d Air Defense Group is a discontinued United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the 27th Air Division at George Air Force Base, California, where it was discontinued in 1958.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">337th Aeronautical Systems Group</span> United States Air Force unit

The 337th Aeronautical Systems Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the Aeronautical Systems Center of Air Force Materiel Command at Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, where it was inactivated in 2008.

References

Notes

Explanatory notes
  1. Aircraft are Convair F-102A-75-CO models: serial 56-1429 (retired to Military Aircraft Storage and Disposition Center (MASDC) on 2 April 1970), 56-1361 (retired to MASDC on 2 June 1971 then to Nellis AFB on 21 May 1985 as a range target), 56-1368 (put on static display at Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum in McMinnville, Oregon). Dirkx, Marco (8 July 2024). "1956 USAF Serial Numbers". Joe Baugher’s Serial Number List. Retrieved 3 December 2024.
  2. The squadron apparently never received approval for this variation of its World War II emblem. See Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 403–404 (1942 emblem is approved emblem)
  3. Approved 14 October 1942. Description: Over and through a white disc, a medieval iron mask red, riveted white, with stylized wings yellow, shaded orange.
  4. Aircraft is Convair F-102A-30-CO Delta Dagger, serial 54-1396. Note the short vertical stabilizer of early model F-102s. This aircraft crashed on 14 March 1960 near Itazuke AB, Japan. Dirkx, Marco (6 May 2024). "1954 USAF Serial Numbers". Joe Baugher’s Serial Number List. Retrieved 3 December 2024.
Footnotes
  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 403–404
  2. Maurer, Combat Units, pp. 209–210
  3. 1 2 Craven, & Cate, Vol. VI, Men & Planes, Introduction, p. xxxvi
  4. Maurer, Combat Units, p. 7
  5. Goss, p. 75
  6. "Abstract, History Marysville Army Air Field, CA April 1944". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 30 September 2014.
  7. 1 2 Cornett & Johnson, p. 136
  8. Buss, Sturm, Volan, & McMullen, p. 6
  9. Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 271–272
  10. Cornett & Johnson, p. 127

Bibliography

PD-icon.svg This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

Goss, William A (1955). "The Organization and its Responsibilities, Chapter 2 The AAF". In Craven, Wesley F; Cate, James L (eds.). The Army Air Forces in World War II. Vol. VI, Men & Planes. Chicago, Illinois: University of Chicago Press. LCCN   48003657. OCLC   704158.

Further reading