Military

127th Bomb Squadron

The 184th Bomb Wing at, McConnell AFB, Wichita KS is the Air National Guard's first B-1B bomber unit. Heavy bombers entered the Air Guard's inventory for the first time in 1994 with a total of 14 B-1Bs programmed by the end of fiscal year FY 1997 for two units, the 184th Bomb Wing (BW), Kansas, and the 116th BW, Georgia. The 184th completed its conversion in FY 1996 at McConnell Air Force Base (AFB), Kansas. All the bombers in both units were configured for conventional, not nuclear, missions.

Upon Federal recognition as the 127th Observation Squadron on 4 August 1941, the unit's limited equipment included one BC-1A, one C-47, and four L-1 aircraft. On 6 October 1941, the unit was ordered to extended active duty and remained an integral part of the United States Army Air Corps until 6 October 1945, with duty assignments in Tennessee and Okinawa.

On 7 September 1946, the unit reorganized and was designated as the 127th Fighter Squadron with assignment of F-51 "Mustang" aircraft. The F-51 was flown until December 1949, when the unit received the F-84 "Thunder Jet". Outbreak of the Korean Conflict resulted in mobilization of the 127th Fighter Squadron into Federal service on 10 October 1950. Transferred to Alexandria, Louisiana the unit became part of the Fighter Bomber Wing and deployed with the wing to Chaumont, France.

On 9 July 1952, after 21 months on active duty, the newly designated 127th FBS returned to Wichita. For the following year, the 127th FBS was again assigned F-51 aircraft due to the shortage of jets created by the Korean Conflict. In June 1954, F-80 "Shooting Star" jet fighters were assigned, followed by designation of the unit to the 127th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, and assignment of the F-86 "Sabre Jet" in January 1958.

The unit converted to the F-100 "Super Sabre", and was designated the 127th Tactical Fighter Squadron in April 1961. The unit was reorganized as the 184th Tactical fighter Group on 1 October 1962. In January 1968, following the North Korea seizure of the USS Pueblo, the unit was ordered to extended active duty, and deployed to Kunsan Air Base, South Korea. The unit was assigned as part of the 354th Tactical Fighter Wing until release from active duty and return to state control in June 1969.