27th Troop Carrier Squadron

The following history of the 27th Troop Carrier Squadron, 14th Army Air Force, was compiled and written by Harry Blair. Mr. Blair was the president of the 27th TCS Foundation. It is taken from a rememberance compiled by Eugene Trent who served as a pilot with the 27th in the CBI.

27th. TROOP CARRIER SQUADRON

A PROUD SQUADRON WITH GREAT ACHIEVEMENTS

Constituted 19 January 1942 as the Twenty-Seventh Transport Squadron by Order of the United States Army Air Force Command. Activated on 1 February, the squadron began its glorious career at Daniel Field, Georgia. After a short stay at Harding field, Louisiana the unit moved to Kellogg Field, Michigan where it was assigned airliners commandeered from the nations airlines with commercial pilots given commissions and placed on board.

Moving to Bowman Field, Kentucky, the Twenty-Seventh became of age with the addition of Douglas C-47's and C-53's, and the roster brought up to full strength. The unit was redesignated Troop Carrier on 2 July 1942. With the coming of 1943 the squadron was transferred to Dunnellon Field, Florida.

During this short period of time the Twenty-Seventh had established itself as the number one training organization in the first Troop Carrier Command. Twice alerted for overseas duties the orders were, each time, recinded by high command in Washington, D.C. due to its great value as a training body.

In late 1943 Japan had invaded India with the British, Indian, and Chinese forces having a difficult time. Command of the Southeast Command, was given authority by President Roosevelt and General "Hap" Arnold to commandeer any unit, equipment or personnel they felt needed to reverse the situation. Their wishes reached out to Dunnellon, Florida, and on 1 December the Twenty-Seventh was, once again, alerted for overseas sutiy - assigned a new commander on the 6th. - sent on its way across the Atlantic by Christmas, arriving in Sylhet, Assam, India in early January of 1944.

Upon arriving in Sylhet, the unit was flying combat missions withing twenty-four hours in support of British troops surrounded by enemy forces in the Arakan Hills.

In Northwest Burma General Stillwell (with Chinese troops) and General Wingate (with his "chindits") entered Burma with two columns, each driving to the South. General Merrill (with American forces) followed with two columns heading Southeast to Myitkyina. All three operations were supplied by American and British Troop Carriers flying twenty four hours around the clock.

A short time later, General Wingate was given the go ahead for his dream of a long range airborn operation envisioned behind enemy Forces. The entire operation, including supplying and removal of wounded, was to be carried on from the air. The Twenty-Seventh along with the Three-Fifteenth, were assigned to the First Air Command Group to assist in "Operation Thursday" - the invasion of Burma deep behind enemy action.

With allied forces taking the Myitkyina Airstrip and preparing to launch an allied attack on the city itself, the squadron was transferred to the Fourteenth Air Force "Flying Tigers" under command of General Claire Chennault. The organization at once participated in the "Salween Campaign" - the invasion of Burma from China in the East. The Twenty-Seventh was the only troop carrier squadron flying supplies (thru paradrops) and often landing on grass strips to remove personnel.

With the opening of the North Burma territory to allied forces the squadron turned its attention to the Eastern China offensive operations. During this jperiod of time it gave support to the O.S.S. and "Saco" to their guerrilla forces in French Indo-China. The later was a most secret venture. The Twenty-Seventh evacuated General Miles (Commander of "Saco") from a small airstrip in Southeast China and liberated General Johnathon Wainwright from behind enemy lines in Manchuria.

During its glorious career the Tweny-Seventh flew 6,805 missions over the worst terrain in the world in the most vicious weather Mother Nature could dream up. the largest percentage of missions were at or behind enemy lines. On many occassions, personnel of the squadron served as liason with ground forces. The squadron received 25 commendations from theater command, Washington, D.C., and Britain, 1,271 decorations were bestowed upon its personnel.

No other unit gave more of itself.

The squadron was deactivated in China on 27 December 1945.