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With the surrender of the United States Army on Bataan, Philippines on 8 April 1942, the remaining air echelon of the 24th Pursuit Group withdrew to Mindanao Island and began operating from Del Monte Airfield with whatever aircraft were remaining. The last of the group's aircraft were captured or destroyed by enemy forces on or about 1 May 1942.
During the recapture of the Philippines beginning in January 1945, MAG-32 and MAG-24 would fly a total of 8,842 combat sorties and drop more than 19,000 bombs as part of the Fifth Air Force in support of the Sixth Army. [7] Following the end of World War II, MAG-32 participated in the occupation of Northern China. [4]
The air echelon of the squadron was evacuated to Batchelor Field, Australia on 24 December 1941, while the ground echelon stayed to fight at Clark Field, as infantry in the Philippines as part of the Battle of the Philippines under the command of 5th Interceptor Command.
When the United States entered World War II the squadron was deploying to the Philippines. Its ground echelon fought as infantry , with most members surrendering at Bataan , while the air echelon fought in the Netherlands East Indies, earning the squadron three Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC)s.
Re-equipped with Douglas A-24 Dauntless dive bombers, then in late 1941, ordered to Philippine Air Force in response to the growing crisis in the Pacific. Ground echelon arrived in Philippines in late November 1941, however outbreak of World War II in the Pacific caused A-24 aircraft to be diverted to Australia.
Air echelon flew Group's Douglas C-47 Skytrains to New Guinea, via Hawaii, the Fiji Islands, and Australia, August–September 1943, and began operations with Fifth Air Force. Ground echelon sailed from the West Coast on 25 September 1943, arriving in Australia on 10 October 1943.
Air echelon operated from Lubao Field, Luzon, Philippines, 25–31 December 1941 Air echelon operated from Del Monte Airfield, Mindanao, Philippines, c. 8 April–May 1942. Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand, 1 December 1971 – 15 November 1974; Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, 1 July 1982 – 31 December 1993
Established in November 1941 to provide air defense of Luzon, Philippine Islands.After Japanese invasion on 24 December 1941, mission changed to provide ground defense of island, with ground and air echelon personnel of unequipped Fifth Air Force units on Luzon attached to fight as ground infantry units during the Battle of the Philippines (1941–42) after their aircraft were destroyed or ...