327th Airlift Squadron

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.

History
The 327th conducted aerial transportation in the China – Burma – India theater 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 inactivated on 30 September 2007 after a lengthy and controversial closure process.

Lineage

 * Constituted 2d Combat Cargo Squadron on 11 April 1944
 * Activated on 15 April 1944
 * Redesignated 327th Troop Carrier Squadron on 31 October 1945
 * Inactivated on 26 December 1945


 * Activated in the reserve on 29 May 1947
 * Redesignated 327th Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium on 2 September 1949
 * Ordered to Active Service on 15 March 1951
 * Inactivated on 1 April 1951


 * Activated in the reserve on 14 June 1952
 * Ordered to Active Service on 28 October 1962
 * Relieved from Active Duty on 28 November 1962
 * Redesignated: 327th Tactical Airlift Squadron on 1 July 1967
 * Redesignated: 327th Airlift Squadron on 1 February 1992
 * Inactivated on 30 September 2007

Assignments

 * 1st Combat Cargo Group, 15 April 1944
 * Under operational control of Air Transport Command, 1 July – 9 September 1945


 * Fourteenth Air Force, 10 September – 26 December 1945
 * 514th Troop Carrier Group, 29 May 1947
 * 512th Troop Carrier Group, 2 September 1949 – 1 April 1951
 * 512th Troop Carrier Group, 14 June 1952; 14 April 1959
 * 913th Troop Carrier (later, 913th Tactical Airlift; 913th Airlift) Group, 11 February 1963
 * 913th Operations Group, 1 August 1992 – 30 September 2007

Stations

 * Bowman Field, Kentucky, 15 April – 3 August 1944
 * Sylet Airfield, India, 27 August 1944
 * Detachment operated from Yunnani Airfield, China, 11 – 18 September 1944


 * Tulihal Airfield, India, 22 November 1944
 * Tsuyung Airfield, China, 12 December 1944
 * Dohazari Airfield, India, 1 February 1945
 * Hathazari Airfield, India, 16 May 1945


 * Bhamo Airfield, Burma, 1 June 1945
 * Peishiyi Airfield, China, 10 September – 26 December 1945
 * Marietta Army Airfield, Georgia, 29 May 1947
 * Reading Municipal Airport, Pennsylvania, 2 September 1949
 * New Castle County Airport, Delaware, 1 May 1950 – 1 April 1951; 14 June 1952
 * Willow Grove Air Reserve Facility (later, Station), Pennsylvania, 20 July 1958 – 30 September 2007

Aircraft operated

 * C-47 Skytrain (1944 – 1945)
 * C-46 Commando (1949 – 1951, 1952 – 1957)
 * AT-7 Navigator (1949 – 1951)
 * AT-11 Kansan (1949 – 1951)
 * C-119 Flying Boxcar (1957 – 1969, 1970 – 1971)
 * C-130 Hercules (1970 – 2007)