427th Reconnaissance Squadron

The 427th Reconnaissance Squadron is an active United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the 9th Operations Group, Air Combat Command, based at Beale AFB, California.

Mission
Re-activated on 1 May 2012, the 427th Reconnaissance Squadron organizes, trains, equips and deploys MC-12W aircraft and aircrew in support of combatant commander-directed operational requirements.

History
Formed at Kelly Field, Texas as the 38th Aero Squadron after the United States' entry into World War I. Not deployed to Europe, remained in the United States, being assigned to Chanute Field, Illinois, duties undetermined. Demobilized and inactivated in December 1918.

Reactivated in 1933 as the 38th Pursuit Squadron, at Selfridge Field in 1933; reassigned to March Field, California in 1936, re-designated as a reconnaissance squadron and was equipped with a mixture of B-18 Bolo medium bombers; observation aircraft and Northrup A-17A attack dive bombers, all used for reconnaissance. Performed reconnaissance and photographic missions in support of flood-relief operations in Southern California, 2–5 March 1938. Ordered to Fifth Air Force in the Philippines in November 1941 to reinforce air defenses of the Commonwealth due to rising tensions between the Japanese Empire and the United States. Air echelon departed on 6 November 1941 en route to Philippine Islands, arrived Hickam Field, THawaii Territory, during Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941; ground echelon departed San Francisco aboard ship, 6 December 1941, turned around and returned to March Field on 9 December 1941. In Hawaii, the remains of the air echelon flew patrol and search missions in mid-Pacific under direction of the Hawaiian (later Seventh) Air Force, later departing for Australia where the pilots were organized into other squadrons, the B-18s being used for non-combat duties. Ground personnel reassigned to other squadrons at March; the 38th Reconnaissance Squadron becoming a paper unit.

Assigned administratively to the 19th Bombardment Group at Gowen Field, Idaho in late February 1942. Reequipped and re-manned on 13 March 1942, absorbing the personnel and B-17 Flying Fortresses of the 31st Reconnaissance Squadron, which was inactivated. Received new designation as 427th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) and deployed to Southern California flying antisubmarine patrols over the Pacific coast. Completed training in southwest June–August 1942; deploying to European Theater of Operations (ETO) as one of the initial heavy bomber squadrons assigned to VIII Bomber Command in England, September 1942.

Engaged in long-ranger strategic bombardment operations over Occupied Europe and Nazi Germany, September 1942-May 1945. The 427th was one of the most highly decorated squadrons in the Eighth Air Force, attacking enemy military and industrial targets as part of the United States' air offensive against Nazi Germany. After the German Capitulation in May, 1945 was reassigned to Air Transport Command. Reassigned to Casablanca, French Morocco, the squadron used its B-17 bombers as transports, ferrying military personnel from locations in France to Morocco, then south to Dakar in French West Africa or to the Azores for further transportation by other units. Inactivated in place in Morocco in late July 1945.

The squadron was activated in 1959 as a result of Strategic Air Command phasing out the B-47 Stratojet, and additional squadrons were activated as part of the consolation of Stratojet wings, and the replacement of the B-47 by B-52 Stratofortresses. In March 1961, President John F. Kennedy directed that the phaseout of the B-47 be accelerated. and the squadron was inactivated on 1 January 1962 as part of the drawdown of the USAF B-47 force, with the aircraft were sent to AMARC storage at Davis-Monthan.

Lineage

 * Organized as 38th Aero Squadron on 12 June 1917
 * Re-designated Squadron A, Chanute Field, Illinois, on 13 July 1918
 * Demobilized on 1 December 1918


 * Reconstituted and consolidated (1933) with 38th Pursuit Squadron which was constituted on 24 March 1923
 * Activated on 1 August 1933
 * Re-designated: 38th Observation Squadron (Long Range, Light Bombardment), and inactivated, on 1 March 1935


 * Re-designated: 38th Reconnaissance Squadron, and activated, on September 1936
 * Re-designated: 38th Reconnaissance Squadron (Long Range) on 6 December 1939
 * Re-designated: 38th Reconnaissance Squadron (Heavy) on 20 November 1940
 * Re-designated: 427th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 22 April 1942
 * Inactivated on 25 July 1945


 * Re-designated 427th Bombardment Squadron (Medium) on 20 August 1958
 * Activated on 1 December 1958.
 * Discontinued, and inactivated, on 1 January 1962.


 * Re-designated 427th Reconnaissance Squadron on 2012
 * Activated on 1 May 2012.

Assignments

 * Post Headquarters, Kelly Field, 12 June 1917
 * Post Headquarters, Chanute Field, 25 August 1917 – 1 December 1918
 * 18th Pursuit Group
 * Attached to 1st Pursuit Group, 1 August 1933 – 1 March 1935


 * 1st (later 1st Bombardment) Wing
 * Attached to 19th Bombardment Group, 1 September 1936


 * IV Bomber Command
 * Associated with: 1st Photographic Group, 10 Jun 1941-22 Apr 1942 (training)
 * Attached to 19th Bombardment Group, 19 September 1941


 * Sierra Bombardment Group, 16 December 1941
 * Fourth Air Force, 17 January 1942
 * Attached to IV Bomber Command, 26 January 1942 (Unmanned and unequipped)


 * 19th Bombardment Group, 25 February 1942
 * Assumed personnel and equipment of 31st Reconnaissance Squadron (Inactivated), 13 March 1942
 * Attached to 303d Bombardment Group for training, 13 March 1942


 * 303d Bombardment Group, 31 March 1942-25 July 1945
 * 303d Bombardment Wing, 1 December 1958-1 January 1962.
 * 9th Operations Group, 1 May 2012 – present

Stations

 * Camp Kelly, Texas, 12 June 1917
 * Chanute Field, Illinois, 25 August 1917 – 1 December 1918
 * Selfridge Field, Michigan, 1 August 1933 – 1 March 1935
 * March Field, California, 1 September 1936
 * Albuquerque Airport, New Mexico, 5 June – 22 November 1941
 * Air echelon departed Hamilton Field, California, 6 December 1941 arrived Hickam Field, Hawaii (Territory), 7 December 1941 en route to Clark Field, Philippines.  Most of the squadron's aircraft were destroyed or seriously damaged in the Pearl Harbor Attack.  The air echelon was subsequently dissolved and personnel assigned to other units
 * Ground echelon departed San Francisco aboard ship, 6 December 1941; returned 9 December 1941.


 * Bakersfield Airport, California, 17 December 1941
 * Gowen Field, Idaho, 13 March 1942
 * Operated from Muroc AAF, California, (28 May – c. 14 June 1942)


 * Alamogordo AAF, New Mexico, 18 June 1942
 * Biggs Field, Texas, 7 August–22, 1942
 * RAF Molesworth, England, 12 September 1942
 * Casablanca Airfield, French Morocco, c. 31 May – 25 July 1945
 * Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona, 1 December 1958 – 1 January 1962.
 * Beale AFB, California, 1 May 2012 – present

Aircraft

 * Curtiss JN-4, 1917-1918
 * Dayton-Wright DH-4, 1917-1918
 * Boeing P-26 Peashooter, 1933-1935
 * Martin B-10B, 1936-1939
 * Boeing B-17B/C Flying Fortress, 1937-1941
 * B-18A Bolo, 1937-1941


 * Douglas OA-4, 1936-1941
 * Northrup A-17A, 1936-1941
 * Y10A-8, 1937-1941
 * B-17 Flying Fortress, 1942–1945
 * B-47 Stratojet, 1958–1961.
 * MC-12W Liberty, 2012–Present