Its ground personnel fought as infantry in the Battle of Bataan with the survivors being forced to march as prisoners in the Bataan Death March. The d Fighter Squadron was known as the "Crusaders".
Its primary mission was to maintain a continuous ability to rapidly deploy and support American combatant commanders worldwide with day or night General Dynamics F Fighting Falcon combat operations. They were committed to employing the FC throughout the entire spectrum of offensive and defensive missions, including air interdiction , close air support , forward air control , strategic attack and counter-air, through employing a wide variety of conventional , precision-guided and nuclear weapons.
Re-equipped with Douglas A Dauntless dive bombers, then in late , ordered to Philippine Air Force in response to the growing crisis in the Pacific. Portions of air echelon flew to Australia to pick up aircraft, however Japanese advance in the Philippines prevented their return. Personnel in the Philippines reassigned as ground infantry unit and engaged the enemy on Luzon during the ground Battle of Bataan.
Some personnel were evacuated to Australia by submarine. After collapse of large-scale United States forces in May , the survivors endured the Bataan Death March or continued as unorganized resistance forces in the Japan-occupied Philippines. Moved without personnel or equipment to Hunter Field , Georgia.
Re-equipped with Curtiss P Warhawks , then Republic P Thunderbolts and engaged enemy forces as a tactical fighter squadron during the Italian Campaign. Supported ground forces in Operation Dragoon , the invasion of Southern France and drive northwards though Lyon until linking with Allied ground forces in eastern France. Squadron demobilized in Germany summer , being inactivated as a paper unit in November Remained in combat until armistice in Escorted Strategic Air Command Convair B Peacemaker strategic bombers throughout the s until SAC inactivated fighter-escort squadrons in with final phaseout of propeller-driven strategic bomber force.
