327th Airlift Squadron
Encyclopedia
The 327th Airlift Squadron (327 AS) was part of the 913th Airlift Wing
at Naval Air Station Willow Grove
, Pennsylvania
. It operated C-130 Hercules
aircraft supporting the United States Air Force
global reach mission world wide.
from, 28 August 1944 – c. 20 October 1945. It performed troop carrier training from, 1947 – 1951. It has supported airborne forces
and performed worldwide airlift since 1952. The squadron deployed to Southwest Asia
and performed airlift missions in support of the Gulf War
, January – April 1991. It was controversially deactivated on 30 September 2007 after a lengthy and controversial closure process.
913th Airlift Wing
The 913th Airlift Wing was a wing of the United States Air Force, assigned to the Air Force Reserve Command and operationally-gained by the Air Mobility Command. It was based out of the Willow Grove Air Reserve Station at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Willow Grove, Pennsylvania...
at Naval Air Station Willow Grove
Naval Air Station Willow Grove
Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Willow Grove or NASJRB Willow Grove was a Naval Air Station owned by the U.S. Navy and located in Horsham Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States four miles northwest of the central business district of Willow Grove, which is north of...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. It operated C-130 Hercules
C-130 Hercules
The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is a four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built originally by Lockheed, now Lockheed Martin. Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 was originally designed as a troop, medical evacuation, and cargo transport...
aircraft supporting the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
global reach mission world wide.
History
The 327th conducted aerial transportation in the China – Burma – India theaterChina Burma India Theater of World War II
China Burma India Theater was the name used by the United States Army for its forces operating in conjunction with British and Chinese Allied air and land forces in China, Burma, and India during World War II...
from, 28 August 1944 – c. 20 October 1945. It performed troop carrier training from, 1947 – 1951. It has supported airborne forces
Airborne forces
Airborne forces are military units, usually light infantry, set up to be moved by aircraft and 'dropped' into battle. Thus they can be placed behind enemy lines, and have an ability to deploy almost anywhere with little warning...
and performed worldwide airlift since 1952. The squadron deployed to Southwest Asia
Southwest Asia
Western Asia, West Asia, Southwest Asia or Southwestern Asia are terms that describe the westernmost portion of Asia. The terms are partly coterminous with the Middle East, which describes a geographical position in relation to Western Europe rather than its location within Asia...
and performed airlift missions in support of the Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
, January – April 1991. It was controversially deactivated on 30 September 2007 after a lengthy and controversial closure process.
Lineage
- Constituted 2 Combat Cargo Squadron on 11 Apr 1944
- Activated on 15 Apr 1944
- Redesignated 327 Troop Carrier Squadron on 31 Oct 1945
- Inactivated on 26 Dec 1945
- Activated in the Reserve on 29 May 1947
- Redesignated 327 Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium on 2 Sep 1949
- Ordered to Active Service on 15 Mar 1951
- Inactivated on 1 Apr 1951
- Activated in the Reserve on 14 Jun 1952
- Ordered to Active Service on 28 Oct 1962
- Relieved from Active Duty on 28 Nov 1962
- Redesignated: 327 Tactical Airlift Squadron on 1 Jul 1967
- Redesignated: 327 Airlift Squadron on 1 Feb 1992
- Inactivated on 30 Sep 2007
Assignments
- 1st Combat Cargo Group, 15 Apr 1944
- Under operational control of Air Transport CommandAir Transport CommandAir Transport Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its mission was to meet the urgent demand for the speedy reinforcement of the United States' military bases worldwide during World War II, using an air supply system to supplement surface transport...
, 1 Jul – 9 Sep 1945- Fourteenth Air ForceFourteenth Air ForceThe Fourteenth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Space Command . It is headquartered at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California....
, 10 Sep – 26 Dec 1945 - 514th Troop Carrier Group, 29 May 1947
- 512th Troop Carrier Group, 2 Sep 1949 – 1 Apr 1951
- 512th Troop Carrier Group, 14 Jun 1952; 14 Apr 1959
- 913th Troop Carrier (later, 913 Tactical Airlift; 913 Airlift) Group, 11 Feb 1963
- 913th Operations Group, 1 Aug 1992 – 30 Sep 2007
- Fourteenth Air Force
Stations
- Bowman Field, KentuckyKentuckyThe Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, 15 Apr – 3 Aug 1944 - Sylet Airfield, India, 27 Aug 1944
- Detachment operated from Yunnani Airfield, China, 11 – 18 Sep 1944
- Tulihal Airfield, India, 22 Nov 1944
- Tsuyung AirfieldTsuyung AirfieldTsuyung Airfield is a former World War II United States Army Air Forces airfield in China, located east of Chuxiong City in the People’s Republic of China.-History:...
, China, 12 Dec 1944 - Dohazari AirfieldDohazari AirfieldDohazari Airfield is a former wartime United States Army Air Forces airfield in Bangladesh used during the Burma Campaign 1944-1945. It is now abandoned.-History:...
, India, 1 Feb 1945 - Hathazari AirfieldHathazari AirfieldHathazari Airfield is a former wartime United States Army Air Forces airfield in Bangladesh used during the Burma Campaign 1944-1945. It is now abandoned.-History:The airfield was located near the Railhead on the main railroad line to Chittagong...
, India, 16 May 1945
- Bhamo AirfieldBhamo AirportBhamo Airport is an airport serving Bhamo , a city in the Kachin State in northern Burma. It is also known as Banmaw Airport.-History:...
, Burma, 1 Jun 1945 - Peishiyi Airfield, China, 10 Sep – 26 Dec 1945
- Marietta Army Airfield, GeorgiaGeorgia (U.S. state)Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, 29 May 1947 - Reading Municipal Airport, PennsylvaniaPennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, 2 Sep 1949 - New Castle County Airport, DelawareDelawareDelaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...
, 1 May 1950 – 1 Apr 1951; 14 Jun 1952 - Willow Grove Air Reserve Facility (later, Station), PennsylvaniaPennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, 20 Jul 1958 – 30 Sep 2007
Aircraft operated
- C-47 SkytrainC-47 SkytrainThe Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota is a military transport aircraft that was developed from the Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II and remained in front line operations through the 1950s with a few remaining in operation to this day.-Design and...
(1944 – 1945) - C-46 CommandoC-46 CommandoThe Curtiss-Wright C-46 Commando was a transport aircraft originally derived from a commercial high-altitude airliner design. It was instead used as a military transport during World War II by the United States Army Air Forces as well as the U.S. Navy/Marine Corps under the designation R5C...
(1949 – 1951, 1952 – 1957) - AT-7 NavigatorBeechcraft Model 18The Beechcraft Model 18, or "Twin Beech", as it is better known, is a 6-11 seat, twin-engine, low-wing, conventional-gear aircraft that was manufactured by the Beech Aircraft Corporation of Wichita, Kansas...
(1949 – 1951) - AT-11 KansanBeechcraft Model 18The Beechcraft Model 18, or "Twin Beech", as it is better known, is a 6-11 seat, twin-engine, low-wing, conventional-gear aircraft that was manufactured by the Beech Aircraft Corporation of Wichita, Kansas...
(1949 – 1951) - C-119 Flying BoxcarC-119 Flying BoxcarThe Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar was an American military transport aircraft developed from the World War II-era Fairchild C-82 Packet, designed to carry cargo, personnel, litter patients, and mechanized equipment, and to drop cargo and troops by parachute...
(1957 – 1969, 1970 – 1971) - C-130 HerculesC-130 HerculesThe Lockheed C-130 Hercules is a four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built originally by Lockheed, now Lockheed Martin. Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 was originally designed as a troop, medical evacuation, and cargo transport...
(1970 – 2007)