27th Fighter Squadron (United States)

27th Fighter Squadron
F-22A 03-042, the 1st F-22A Assigned to the 27th Fighter Squadron, 2005
Active	1917-present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Squadron
Role	Fighter
Part of	Air Combat Command
Garrison/HQ	Joint Base Langley–Eustis, Virginia
Nickname(s)	"Fighting Eagles"
Tail Code	"FF"
Engagements	World War I World War II - Antisubmarine World War II - EAME Theater 1991 Gulf War (Defense of Saudi Arabia; Liberation of Kuwait) Operation Northern Watch Operation Southern Watch
Decorations	Distinguished Unit Citation (3x) Air Force Outstanding Unit Award (10x)
Insignia
27th Fighter Squadron emblem

The 27th Fighter Squadron (27 FS) is a unit of the United States Air Force 1st Operations Group located at Joint Base Langley–Eustis, Virginia. The 27th is equipped with the F-22 Raptor.

The 27th Fighter Squadron is the oldest active fighter squadron in the United States Air Force, with over 95 years of service to the nation. It was organized as the 21st (later 27th) Aero Squadron on 15 June 1917 at Kelly Field, Texas. The squadron deployed to France and fought on the Western Front during World War I as a pursuit squadron. It took part in the Champagne-Marne defensive; Aisne-Marne offensive; St. Mihiel offensive, and Meuse-Argonne offensive.

During World War II the unit served in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations (MTO) as part of Twelfth Air Force as a P-38 Lightning fighter squadron, participating in the North African and Italian campaigns. During the Cold War it was both an Air Defense Command fighter-interceptor squadron as later as part of Tactical Air Command. It was the first USAF operational squadron equipped with the F-15A Eagle in January 1976.