The 27th Ferrying Squadron was first activated in July 1942 at Presque Isle Army Air Field, Maine, but moved within a week to New Castle Army Air Base, Delaware, where it was assigned to the 2d Ferrying Group. It served primarily to deliver aircraft from manufacturers to operational or training units. However, by 1944 the Army Air Forces was finding that organizations using rigid tables of organization were proving inefficient in performing logistic support and training missions. Accordingly, it adopted a more functional organization in which each base was grouped into a single organization.[2] At the end of March 1944, the 2d Ferrying Group, its squadrons (including the 27th) and all support organizations at New Castle were combined into the 552d Army Air Forces Base Unit, which absorbed their personnel and equipment and continued the ferrying mission.[citation needed]
The 27th Tactical Air Support Squadron was activated at Davis–Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona in July 1977, but inactivated three years later when the 23rd Tactical Air Support Squadron moved from Bergstrom to Davis-Monthan along with the 602d Tactical Air Control Wing and assumed the 27th's mission, personnel and equipment.[3]
It was activated again in May 1984 at George Air Force Base, California. In September 1985, the 27th Air Refueling Squadron and 27th Ferrying Squadron were consolidated with 27th Tactical Air Support Squadron.[4]
Lineage
27th Ferrying Squadron
Constituted as the 27th Ferrying Squadron on 29 June 1942
Activated on 13 July 1942
Disbanded on 31 March 1944
Reconstituted and consolidated with the 27th Air Refueling Squadron and the 27th Tactical Air Support Squadron as the 27th Tactical Air Support Squadron on 19 September 1985[4]
27th Air Refueling Squadron
Constituted as the 27th Air Refueling Squadron, Strategic Fighter on 14 September 1953
Activated on 25 October 1953
Inactivated 1 November 1957
Consolidated with the 27th Ferrying Squadron and the 27th Tactical Air Support Squadron as the 27th Tactical Air Support Squadron on 19 September 1985[4]
27th Tactical Air Support Squadron
Constituted as the 27th Tactical Air Support Squadron on 7 February 1977
Activated on 1 July 1977
Inactivated 1 July 1980
Activated 15 May 1984
Consolidated with the 27th Ferrying Squadron and the 27th Air Refueling Squadron on 19 September 1985[4]
^ abcdDepartment of the Air Force/MPM Letter 662q, 19 September 85, Subject: Reconstitution, Redesignation, and Consolidation of Selected Air Force Tactical Squadrons
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. LCCN48003657. OCLC704158.