| 270th Engineering Installation Squadron | |
|---|---|
 Emblem | |
| Active | 1949 – present |
| Country |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Air Force |
| Garrison/HQ | Biddle Air National Guard Base,Pennsylvania,United States of America. |
| Motto | "Semper Supremi" |
| Mascot | Squirrel |
The270th Engineering Installation Squadron (270th EIS) is a cyberspace engineering & installation unit located atBiddle Air National Guard Base,Pennsylvania,United States of America.
The 270th Engineering Installation Squadron was originally activated atPhiladelphia International Airport, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania as the 603rd Signal Light Construction Company on 12 April 1949. Federal recognition of the unit was extended on 17 May 1949 when the unit's manpower consisted of 2 officers and 11 Airmen. By 1 Jan. 1951, the unit reached strength of 5 officers and 86 Airmen. When the111th Bombardment Group, the unit'sPennsylvania Air National Guard host, was mobilized on 10 April 1951 for theKorean War, the 603rd was left as the only Air Guard unit in Philadelphia. Due to the large amount of military air traffic in the area, one officer and six Airmen were placed on permanent duty with a mission to refuel and service military aircraft; maintain operational service and logging record on a 24-hour, 7-day per week basis. The wire construction mission continued with the unit winning several awards for military professionalism.
On 1 Oct. 1952 the unit was reorganized and designated as the 270th Communications Squadron, Operations. The mission was changed from installation to operation of base communications equipment facilities to include telephone and teletype equipment. During annual training periods, unit members were integrated with active-duty Air Force communications units. When the111th Bombardment Group returned toPhiladelphia International Airport from Spokane, Washington, the 270th was relocated to the First Regiment Armory of the National Guard at 335 – 347 North Broad and Callowhill Streets inPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania.[1]
The unit then returned to thePhiladelphia International Airport and occupied temporary hangars whereAtlantic Aviation, nowMacquarie Infrastructure Company operates aFixed-Base Operator Facility.[2] In October 1960 the unit was reorganized and designated the 270th Ground Electronics Engineering Installation Agency (GEEIA) Squadron,[3] and returned to the fixed communications installation mission. The gaining command at the time was theAir Materiel Command.[4]
They were then relocated toFort Mifflin, Philadelphia until 1963 when the111th Air Transport Group was reestablished toWillow Grove Naval Air Station, in Horsham, Pennsylvania. At that time, the 270th returned to thePhiladelphia International Airport to become the sole military occupant and only Air National Guard unit in Philadelphia.
In May 1970, GEEIA was absorbed into theAir Force Communications Service, which later became theAir Force Communications Command (AFCC).[4] The 270th was designated the 270th Electronics Installation Squadron at that time.
The unit was then rebranded in December 1982, to the designation of the 270th Engineering Installation Squadron with no change in mission or command. The 270th was relocated fromPhiladelphia International Airport to its current modern facilities atWillow Grove Air Reserve Station 15 Oct. 1985.
Finally in July 2005, the 270th EIS, along with the other 19 Air National Guard and active duty Engineering Installations Squadrons, transferred fromAir Force Materiel Command (AFMC) toAir Combat Command (ACC).
At present, the 270th EIS now falls under the24th Air Force andAir Force Space Command. When fully mobilized as a wartime asset, the unit is gained by the253rd Combat Communications Group located atOtis Air National Guard Base, Mass.The 270th Engineering Installation Squadron typically performs thousands of hours of real world engineering and installation of command, control, communications, and computer systems annually for the US Air Force as an adjunct to training.