27th Squadron          Activated 1967

1968

1968          "Thunderbirds"

Description: The central item of the patch is a fierce representation of a thunderbird on a black-bordered triangular field of silver. The triangle is on a blue, white-bordered, circular field. The thunderbird is bright yellow, outlined in royal blue. Three black concentric triangles are superimposed on its chest. The numeral “27” is emblazoned on the bird’s tail feathers, directly below the triangles.

Significance: The thunderbird was a symbol to the early Indians inhabiting Colorado. It ruled the skies and produce thunder, lightning, and rain. On the patch, the thunderbird represents the Air Force’s dominance of the skies. The silver triangle is a stylized aircraft and the three concentric triangles represent three cubed, or twenty-seven. The patch contains the four Academy class colors representing the unity of the wing.

History: This is the original squadron patch and was designed by Donald Bowers, Jr., Class of 1970.

Nickname: "Thunderbirds"

  1968 –

 

Request for Approval

Dominated by a figure of the Thunderbird, the squadron patch symbolizes the Air force’s global defense posture and mastery of the skies. The squadron has been the spawning ground for leadership as exemplified by the large number of its cadets who have achieved Wing and Group Staff positions since its beginning in 1967. “Professionaism” is the squadron’s key word.  – C3C Dirk Werhane, Class of 1976, Falconews, 29 March 1974

The patch of Twenty-Seventh Squadron is dominated by the figure of the thunderbird, an object of worship of the early North American Indian. The thunderbird with “eyes of fire and glance of lightning” ruled the Indian skies and protected him from unknown peril. Without a doubt, the thunderbird is synonymous with the United States Air Force. Our Air Force, too, watches over us and protects us from danger.  – 1975 Polaris