Cannon unit to become 27th Special Operations Wing

  • Published
  • By Denise Boyd
  • Air Force Special Operations Command Public Affairs
HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. (AFPN) --  Air Force officials here announced Aug. 30 the designation of a new Air Force Special Operations Command wing at Cannon Air Force Base, N.M., as the 27th Special Operations Wing.

The 27th designation, currently used as the 27th Fighter Wing at Cannon AFB, will change from fighter to special operations when the wing changes its mission Oct. 1. 

The unit designation was selected through a process that started in the AFSOC historian's office.

"After coordinating with Air Combat Command and determining they were not planning to use the 27th Fighter Wing designation, we decided to formally request it," said Herb Mason, the AFSOC command historian. 

The 27th's impressive lineage, and its history while at Cannon AFB, made it an obvious choice for a new special operations wing, Mr. Mason said.

"It's a well-known number and it's held a variety of missions since 1940. Now we will add our own unique mission and aircraft to its heritage," he said. 

"This is an historical time for Air Force special operations," said Lt. Gen. Michael W. Wooley, the AFSOC commander. "We're experiencing an unprecedented growth in the history of this command, increasing in numbers of Airmen and aircraft," said General Wooley. "We need a second wing. People are recognizing the importance of the special operations mission and our impact on the war on terror."

The 27th SOW will join its sister wing, the 1st Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt Field, Fla. 

"Special operations units and our air commandos have had wartime assignments since 1944, but nothing like what we are seeing today," he said. "We've been running at full steam since Desert Storm, and that's not likely to change anytime soon."

AFSOC leadership briefly considered designating the Cannon AFB wing the 16th SOW after the Hurlburt Field wing was redesignated the 1st SOW, but quickly realized the heritage, lineage and honors wouldn't transfer with the 16th, but would remain with the 1st SOW.

The 27th has a long and distinguished history since it's inception as the 27th Bombardment Group (Light) at Barksdale Field, La., Feb. 1, 1940. Elements of the 27th BG were in the Philippines when the Japanese invaded the island in December 1941, and aided in the fight against the invading force. The Japanese eventually overran the country, and as a result, many members of the 27th BG were taken prisoners of war and forced to participate in the Bataan Death March in 1942.

Throughout the last 67 years, the 27th designation has been assigned to several groups and wings at a myriad of locations. The 27th was organized as a fighter wing in August 1947, at Kearney Airfield, Neb. Later, in February 1958, in a move to preserve the heritage of the 27th, Air Force leadership transferred the designation to Cannon AFB replacing the 312th Wing, a unit without a significant lineage.

Since 1958, the wing has supported F-100s, T/AT-33s, F-111s and most recently, F-16 Fighting Falcons. Soon, the New Mexico base will add to that list AFSOC AC-130 Gunships, MC-130 Combat Talons and MQ-1 Predator unmanned aerial vehicles.

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