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327th Aircraft Sustainment Wing
327 ASW
Active 1942–1944, 1955-1966, 2005-2010
Country Flag of the United States United States
Branch Flag of the United States Air Force United States Air Force
Type Aircraft Maintenance
Part of Air Force Material Command
Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center
Motto(s) Ne Defecit Animus
(Courage Does Not Fail Me) (1942-1958)
Intercipere Recognoscere Destuere
(Intercept, Identify, Destroy) (1958-1966)

The 327th Aircraft Sustainment Wing (327 ASW) 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 Material Command's Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center (OC-ALC).

History[]

327thfg-airdefense

Cold War Emblem of the 327th Fighter Group, 1958-1966

World War II[]

The 327th Fighter Group was activated at Mitchel Field, NY and assigned to I Fighter Command in mid-1942 with the 323d,[1] 324th,[2] and 325th Fighter Squadrons[3] assigned.[4] It became part of the air defense force in the upper Mid-Atlantic region, and also served as an operational training unit, using P-40 Warhawks until February 1943 when they were replaced by P-47 Thunderbolts.[4] In 1944 the group began training replacement pilots for combat duty.[4] In February 1944, a fourth squadron, the 443d Fighter Squadron[5] was activated and assigned to the group, as the group began a split operation, with The group and two squadrons remaining at Richmond Army Air Base while the other two squadrons moved to Norfolk Army Air Field, VA.[3][5] The group was disbanded on 10 April 1944[4] and replaced by Army Air Forces AAF Base Units at Richmond and Norfolk as part of a major reorganization of the AAF in the United States in which combat units not programmed to be shipped overseas were replaced because standard military units based on relatively inflexible tables of organization proved less well adopted to the training mission[6] and to free up manpower for overseas assignment.

Cold War[]

The group was reconstituted, redesignated as the 327th Fighter Group (Air Defense), and activated in 1955 to replace the 520th Air Defense Group[7] as part of as part of Air Defense Command'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.[8] It assumed the personnel and equipment of the 520th, while the 520th's operational squadrons, the 432d[9] and 456th Fighter-Interceptor Squadrons[10] (FIS) tansferred their personnel and rocket armed and radar equipped F-86 Sabres[11] to the 323d and 325th FIS, which moved on paper to Truax from Larson AFB[1] and Hamilton AFB,[3] respectively. These moves were made because another purpose of Project Arrow was to reunite fighter squadrons with their traditional groups.[8] The group was assigned air defense of Great Lakes area and also was the host organization for USAF units at Truax. It was assigned a number of support organizations to fulfill its host responsibilities.[12][13][14]

The group's 323d FIS converted to F-102A Delta Daggers in November 1956,[11] while the 325th FIS followed in February 1957.[11] In October 1957, the 61st FIS was assigned to the group and moved to Truax Field from Ernest Harmon AFB, Canada, where it had been part of the 4731st Air Defense Group,[15] in a swap with the 323d FIS, which replaced it at Ernest Harmon.[1] The group was reduced to a single operational squadron in 1960, when the 61st FIS inactivated.[15] The 327th was inactivated in June 1966.

Modern Era[]

The 327th Aircraft Sustainment Wing organized, directed and controlled total life-cycle management of 94 B-52 Stratofortress, 585 C/KC-135, 69 B-1 Lancer and 416 contractor logistics (including tanker, trainer, telemetry, airlift, command & control and US Presidential aircraft) aircraft.[16] Other supported systems included the B-2 Spirit, E-3 AWACS aircraft, Air Traffic Control and Landing Systems (TRACALS), and the worldwide High Frequency Global Communications System.[16] The wing was also responsible for modification and systems upgrade to these systems.[16] It was inactivated in 2010 and replaced by the Aerospace Sustainment Directorate of OC-ALC.[17]

327th Aircraft Sustainment Wing personnel 2007-03-28

B-1 Sustainment Squadron Personnel March 2007

Lineage[]

  • Constituted as the 327th Fighter Group (Single Engine) on 24 June 1942
Activated on 19 August 1942
Disbanded on 10 April 1944
  • Reconstituted and redesignated 327th Fighter Group (Air Defense), on 20 June 1955
Activated on 18 August 1955[18]
Discontinued and inactivated on 25 June 1966[19]
  • Redesignated 327th Tactical Fighter Group on 31 July 1985[20]
  • Redesignated 327th Aircraft Sustainment Wing on 31 January 2005[21]
Activated on 18 February 2005[21]
Inactivated on 30 June 2010[22]

Assignments[]

Attached to Philadelphia Air Defense Wing, 27 August 1942 – 22 September 1942

Stations[]

  • Mitchel Field, New York, 25 August 1942
  • Philadelphia Airport, Pennsylvania, 27 August 1942
  • Richmond Army Air Base, Virginia, ca. 22 September 1942 – 10 April 1944[24]
  • Truax Field, Wisconsin, 18 August 1955 – 25 June 1966[19]
  • Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, 18 February 2005 -30 June 2010[21][22]

Components[]

Operational Squadrons[]

  • 61st Fighter Squadron, 10 October 1957 – 25 July 1960[15][25]
  • 323d Fighter Squadron (later Fighter-Interceptor Squadron), 25 August 1942 – 10 April 1944; 18 August 1955 – 15 October 1957[1]
  • 324th Fighter Squadron, 25 August 1942 – 10 April 1944[2]
  • 325th Fighter Squadron (later Fighter-Interceptor Squadron), 25 August 1942 – 10 April 1944; 18 August 1955 – 25 June 1966[3]
detached to Philadelphia Fighter Wing, 15 September 1943 – 28 January 1944
  • 443d Fighter Squadron, 24 February 1943 – 10 April 1944[5]

Support Units[]

  • 327th USAF Infirmary (later 327th USAF Dispensary), 18 August 1955 - 25 June 1966[12][26]
  • 327th Air Base Squadron (later 327th Combat Support Squadron), 18 August 1955 - 25 June 1966[13][27]
  • 327th Armament & Electronics Maintenance Squadron, 1 December 1958 - 1 August 1960[28]
  • 327th Consolidated Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, 8 July 1957 – 1 December 1958, 1 August 1960 - 25 June 1966[28]
  • 327th Field Maintenance Squadron, 1 December 1958 - 1 August 1960[28]
  • 327th Materiel Squadron, 18 August 1955 - 1 August 1964[14]
  • 327th Organizational Maintenance Squadron, 1 December 1958 - 1 August 1960[28]
  • 327th Supply Squadron, 1 August 1964 - 25 June 1966[29]

Sustainment Units[]

  • 327th Bomber and Cruise Missile Sustainment Group (later 327th Aircraft Sustainment Group), 18 February 2005 - 30 June 2010[21][22]
540th Aircraft Sustainment Squadron[17]
  • 427th Aircraft Sustainment Group, 11 January 2008 - 30 June 2010[22]
553d Aircraft Sustainment Squadron[17]
554th Aircraft Sustainment Squadron[17]
555th Aircraft Sustainment Squadron[17]
  • 639th Aircraft Sustainment Group, 1 April 2008 - 30 June 2010[22][30]
536th Aircraft Sustainment Squadron[17]
537th Aircraft Sustainment Squadron[17]
538th Aircraft Sustainment Squadron[17]
539th Aircraft Sustainment Squadron[17]
  • 727th Aircraft Sustainment Group, 14 April 2006 - 30 June 2010[22][31]
544th Aircraft Sustainment Squadron[17]
545th Aircraft Sustainment Squadron[17]
546th Aircraft Sustainment Squadron[17]
547th Aircraft Sustainment Squadron[17]
  • 747th Aircraft Sustainment Group, 14 April 2006 - 30 June 2010[22][31]
557th Aircraft Sustainment Squadron[17]
558th Aircraft Sustainment Squadron[17]
  • 827th Aircraft Sustainment Group, 14 April 2006 - 30 June 2010[22][31]
550th Aircraft Sustainment Squadron[17]
551st Aircraft Sustainment Squadron[17]
552nd Aircraft Sustainment Squadron[17]

Aircraft Flown[]

  • P-40 Warhawk, 1942-1943
  • P-47 Thunderbolt, 1943-1944
  • F-86D Sabre, 1955-1957
  • F-102A, 1956-1966

Campaigns[]

  • Streamer AC
  • American Theater

Notes and References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Maurer, Maurer, ed (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. p. 398. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. http://www.airforcehistory.hq.af.mil/Publications/fulltext/combat_sq_of_the_af_wwii.pdf. 
  2. 2.0 2.1 Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 399
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 400-401
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Maurer, Maurer, ed (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. pp. 208–209. ISBN 0-912799-02-1. http://www.airforcehistory.hq.af.mil/Publications/fulltext/af_combat_units_wwii.pdf. 
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 548-549
  6. Goss, William A (1955). "The Organization & its Responsibilities, Chapter 2 The AAF". In Craven, Wesley F & Cate, James L. The Army Air Forces in World War II. VI, Men & Planes. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press. p. 75. LCCN 48-3657. 
  7. Cornett, Lloyd H; Johnson, Mildred W (1980). A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization, 1946-1980. Peterson AFB, CO: Office of History, Aerospace Defense Center. p. 82. http://www.usafpatches.com/pubs/handbookofadcorg.pdf. 
  8. 8.0 8.1 Buss, Lydus H.(ed), Sturm, Thomas A., Volan, Denys, and McMullen, Richard F., History of Continental Air Defense Command and Air Defense Command July to December 1955, Directorate of Historical Services, Air Defense Command, Ent AFB, CO, 1956., p.6
  9. Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 534
  10. Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 562
  11. 11.0 11.1 11.2 Cornett & Johnson, p. 125
  12. 12.0 12.1 Abstract, History of 327th USAF Infirmary, Jul-Dec 1955. Retrieved 26 May 2012
  13. 13.0 13.1 Abstract, History of 327th Air Base Squadron, CY 1958-1959. Retrieved 26 May 2012
  14. 14.0 14.1 Cornett & Johnson, p. 145
  15. 15.0 15.1 15.2 Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 237
  16. 16.0 16.1 16.2 Tinker AFB Factsheet, Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center. Retrieved 14 June 2012
  17. 17.00 17.01 17.02 17.03 17.04 17.05 17.06 17.07 17.08 17.09 17.10 17.11 17.12 17.13 17.14 17.15 17.16 17.17 Tinker AFB News Story: Previous 327th ASW unit to new OC-ALC/GK names and symbols. Retrieved 14 June 2012
  18. Lineage to this entry at Maurer, Combat Units, p. 209
  19. 19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 19.4 19.5 19.6 Cornett & Johnson, p. 79
  20. DAF/MPM Letter 648q, 31 July 1985, Subject: Reconstitution, Redesignation, and Consolidation of Selected Air Force Organizations
  21. 21.0 21.1 21.2 21.3 21.4 Air Force Organizational Status Change Report, Feb 2005, Research Division, Air Force Historical Research Agency
  22. 22.0 22.1 22.2 22.3 22.4 22.5 22.6 22.7 22.8 Air Force Organizational Status Change Report, Jun 2010, Research Division, Air Force Historical Research Agency
  23. Maurer, Combat Units, p. 428
  24. Stations to this entry at Maurer, Combat Units, p. 209
  25. AFHRA Factsheet, 61st Fighter Squadron. Retrieved May 25, 2012
  26. Abstract, History of 327th USAF Dispensary, Jan-Mar 1966. Retrieved 26 May 2012
  27. Abstract, History of 327th Combat Support Squadron, Jan-Mar 1965. Retrieved 26 May 2012
  28. 28.0 28.1 28.2 28.3 Cornett & Johnson, p. 139
  29. Abstract, History of 327th Supply Squadron, Jan-Mar 1965. Retrieved 26 May 2012
  30. Air Force Organizational Status Change Report, Apr 2008, Research Division, Air Force Historical Research Agency
  31. 31.0 31.1 31.2 Air Force Organizational Status Change Report, Apr 2006, Research Division, Air Force Historical Research Agency

PD-icon This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.

External links[]



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