24th Pursuit Group
Encyclopedia
The 24th Pursuit Group is an inactive United States Air Force
unit. It was wiped out in the Battle of the Philippines (1941–42). The survivors fought as infantry during Battle of Bataan
and after their surrender, were subjected to the Bataan Death March
, although some did escape to Australia. The unit was never remanned or equipped. It was carried as an active unit until 2 April 1946.
s and Curtiss P-40
s, this group comprised the only pursuit force in the Philippines in December 1941 92 P-40s; 35 P-35s).
After the Attack on Pearl Harbor
, the United States military in the Philippines was given a reprieve of about nine and a half hours due to bad weather over Formosa
. When enemy aircraft were first reported to be approaching Luzon
on the morning of 8 December (local time), the 24th group attempted to intercept but failed because radar and visual sighting facilities were inadequate.
However after fog at their bases delayed their attack by four hours, the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service
struck the American airfields on Luzon
at midday. The group's planes either had landed for refueling or had run so low on fuel that they could not fight and were largely caught on the ground. Iba Field, a gunnery training base on Luzon's west coast, about ninety miles north of Manila, was almost completely obliterated with considerable losses of personnel and aircraft of the 3d Pursuit Squadron, plus the destruction of one of the two operational RADAR units in the country. Almost simultaneously, Clark Field, the main air base on Luzon was devastated, and nearly half of Far East Air Force's aircraft were destroyed on the ground, and a third of the 24th Pursuit Group's aircraft lost in the attack. Clark Field was so heavily damaged it was essentially eliminated as an effective combat airfield. Four pursuit pilots ere killed as they attempted to take off from Clark during the air raid, as were several from Iba who were landing after finishing their patrol and were caught in the Japanese attack. A complete breakdown of communications occurred and little more than a dozen American aircraft met the Japanese attackers, none of which could climb to the altitude of the bombers.
In addition to the catastrophe at Clark and Iba Fields, the planes of the 17th Pursuit Squadron and two of the three flights of the 21st Squadron were patrolling over Manila Bay at the time of the attack, but inexplicably were not ordered into action. The P-35s at Del Carmen Field took to the air after seeing the clouds of smoke over nearby Clark Field, but were no match for the Japanese Zeros
, which were much faster and more maneuverable. Although none were shot down, all were damaged and its use as a pursuit fighter ended.
More bad weather delayed additional attacks until 10 December however the fighting strength of the 24th Group was reduced again, to one-third of its original strength. The second major Japanese air attack were focused on Nichols Field and the Naval facilities at Cavite. With only a few minutes notice of the attack, the remaining 24th pursuit pilots prepared to meet the enemy formations. However, the standing patrols being flown had left those planes in the air low on fuel and others were in northern Luzon engaged in a dogfight with Zeros attempting to attack Del Carmen. The planes on alert took off to attempt interception however before they could reach the altitude of the attacking Japanese bombers, they were swarmed on by Zeros. Combats broke out across the sky and although outnumbered nearly three to one, the 24th pilots did well, downing more Japanese aircraft than they lost. However as they ran out of fuel, they had to break off and land wherever they could find a field. By the end of the day, the strength of the 24th Pursuit Group consisted of twenty-two P-40s and eight P-35s.
In the days that followed, the group's strength declined rapidly, but the 24th flew some patrol and reconnaissance missions, engaging the enemy in the air, and attacked enemy airfields and shipping. Fifth Air Force Headquarters was faced with the fact that their depleted force would be driven to extinction by attrition. The P-40s were able to meet the Zeros on equal terms but it lacked the maneuverability of the lighter Japanese plane. In the ensuing days, the Japanese never appeared with less than 30 Zeros, and the Americans never met them with more than six P-40's. Often, the pilots of the 24th PG attacked with two, sometimes four-plane elements.
With no supplies or replacements available from the United States, ground crews, with little or no spares for repairing aircraft, used parts which were cannibalized from wrecks. Essentials, such as oil, was reused, with used oil being strained though makeshift filters, and tailwheel tires were stuffed with rags to keep them usable. The aircraft which were flying and engaging the Japanese seemed to have more bullethole patches on the fuselage than original skin.
By the time of the main Japanese invasion of Luzon along the east coast of Lingayen Gulf
on 23 December, combat attrition had cut down the 24th's striking power to a total of twelve P-40's and six P-35's, but they proved sufficient to create confusion among enemy personnel in landing barges and around supply dumps ashore. The ground combat situation on Luzon quickly became desperate when a second set of major landings occurred along the shore of Lamon Bay
in southern Luzon. The combat strength of the 24th had become so small that except for the few pilots required to fly these planes and the men necessary for their maintenance the surviving personnel of the group were designated as the 2d Infantry Regiment (Provisional), of the 71st Infantry division and ordered into ground combat. As an infantry unit, the men were engaged in beach defense of the Bataan peninsula.
With the withdrawal from Clark Field on 20 December, the 24th used dispersed landing fields on Luzon
, some little more than grass to carry on the fight. Japanese forces were rapidly advancing from both the north and south. MacArthur ordered all American and Philippine forces to withdraw to the Bataan Peninsula
and all FEAF aircraft to withdraw from Clark and Nichols Fields. What was left of the group were based at temporary fields at Orani and Pilar in northern Bataan, and later withdrawn on 8 January to "Bataan Field," located several miles from the southern tip of the peninsula. Bataan field consisted of a dirt runway, hacked out of the jungle by Army engineers in early 1941 and lengthened after the FEAF was ordered into Bataan. However, it was well camouflaged. It was attacked and strafed daily by the Japanese, however no aircraft were lost on the ground as a result of the attacks. Bataan Field, along with airfields at Cabcaben and Mariveles were kept in operation for several months during the Battle of Bataan
.
The remaining pilots continued operations with the few planes that were left, cannibalizing aircraft wreckage to keep a few planes airborne in the early months of 1942. 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. With the collapse of organized United States resistance in the Philippines on 8 May 1942, a few surviving members of the squadron managed to escape from Mindanao to Australia where they were integrated into existing units.
The 24th Pursuit Group and its squadrons were never remanned after the battle. They were simply left on the active list of Fifth Air Force organizations throughout the war. The unit and its subordinate squadrons were inactivated on 2 April 1946.
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
unit. It was wiped out in the Battle of the Philippines (1941–42). The survivors fought as infantry during Battle of Bataan
Battle of Bataan
The Battle of Bataan represented the most intense phase of Imperial Japan's invasion of the Philippines during World War II. The capture of the Philippine Islands was crucial to Japan's effort to control the Southwest Pacific, seize the resource-rich Dutch East Indies, and protect its Southeast...
and after their surrender, were subjected to the Bataan Death March
Bataan Death March
The Bataan Death March was the forcible transfer, by the Imperial Japanese Army, of 75,000 American and Filipino prisoners of war after the three-month Battle of Bataan in the Philippines during World War II, which resulted in the deaths of thousands of prisoners.The march was characterized by...
, although some did escape to Australia. The unit was never remanned or equipped. It was carried as an active unit until 2 April 1946.
History
The Group was activated in the Philippine Islands on 1 October 1941. Augmented by two attached squadrons (21st and 34th) and equipped with Seversky P-35Seversky P-35
The Seversky P-35 was a fighter aircraft built in the United States by the Seversky Aircraft Company in the late 1930s. A contemporary of the Hawker Hurricane and Messerschmitt Bf 109, the P-35 was the first single-seat fighter in U.S...
s and Curtiss P-40
Curtiss P-40
The Curtiss P-40 Warhawk was an American single-engine, single-seat, all-metal fighter and ground attack aircraft that first flew in 1938. The P-40 design was a modification of the previous Curtiss P-36 Hawk which reduced development time and enabled a rapid entry into production and operational...
s, this group comprised the only pursuit force in the Philippines in December 1941 92 P-40s; 35 P-35s).
After the Attack on Pearl Harbor
Attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on the morning of December 7, 1941...
, the United States military in the Philippines was given a reprieve of about nine and a half hours due to bad weather over Formosa
Formosa
Formosa or Ilha Formosa is a Portuguese historical name for Taiwan , literally meaning, "Beautiful Island". The term may also refer to:-Places:* Formosa Strait, another name for the Taiwan Strait...
. When enemy aircraft were first reported to be approaching Luzon
Luzon
Luzon is the largest island in the Philippines. It is located in the northernmost region of the archipelago, and is also the name for one of the three primary island groups in the country centered on the Island of Luzon...
on the morning of 8 December (local time), the 24th group attempted to intercept but failed because radar and visual sighting facilities were inadequate.
However after fog at their bases delayed their attack by four hours, the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service
Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service
The Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service was the air arm of the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II, the organization was responsible for the operation of naval aircraft and the conduct of aerial warfare in the Pacific War.It was controlled by the Navy Staff of the Imperial Japanese Navy and...
struck the American airfields on Luzon
Luzon
Luzon is the largest island in the Philippines. It is located in the northernmost region of the archipelago, and is also the name for one of the three primary island groups in the country centered on the Island of Luzon...
at midday. The group's planes either had landed for refueling or had run so low on fuel that they could not fight and were largely caught on the ground. Iba Field, a gunnery training base on Luzon's west coast, about ninety miles north of Manila, was almost completely obliterated with considerable losses of personnel and aircraft of the 3d Pursuit Squadron, plus the destruction of one of the two operational RADAR units in the country. Almost simultaneously, Clark Field, the main air base on Luzon was devastated, and nearly half of Far East Air Force's aircraft were destroyed on the ground, and a third of the 24th Pursuit Group's aircraft lost in the attack. Clark Field was so heavily damaged it was essentially eliminated as an effective combat airfield. Four pursuit pilots ere killed as they attempted to take off from Clark during the air raid, as were several from Iba who were landing after finishing their patrol and were caught in the Japanese attack. A complete breakdown of communications occurred and little more than a dozen American aircraft met the Japanese attackers, none of which could climb to the altitude of the bombers.
In addition to the catastrophe at Clark and Iba Fields, the planes of the 17th Pursuit Squadron and two of the three flights of the 21st Squadron were patrolling over Manila Bay at the time of the attack, but inexplicably were not ordered into action. The P-35s at Del Carmen Field took to the air after seeing the clouds of smoke over nearby Clark Field, but were no match for the Japanese Zeros
A6M Zero
The Mitsubishi A6M Zero was a long-range fighter aircraft operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service from 1940 to 1945. The A6M was designated as the , and also designated as the Mitsubishi A6M Rei-sen and Mitsubishi Navy 12-shi Carrier Fighter. The A6M was usually referred to by the...
, which were much faster and more maneuverable. Although none were shot down, all were damaged and its use as a pursuit fighter ended.
More bad weather delayed additional attacks until 10 December however the fighting strength of the 24th Group was reduced again, to one-third of its original strength. The second major Japanese air attack were focused on Nichols Field and the Naval facilities at Cavite. With only a few minutes notice of the attack, the remaining 24th pursuit pilots prepared to meet the enemy formations. However, the standing patrols being flown had left those planes in the air low on fuel and others were in northern Luzon engaged in a dogfight with Zeros attempting to attack Del Carmen. The planes on alert took off to attempt interception however before they could reach the altitude of the attacking Japanese bombers, they were swarmed on by Zeros. Combats broke out across the sky and although outnumbered nearly three to one, the 24th pilots did well, downing more Japanese aircraft than they lost. However as they ran out of fuel, they had to break off and land wherever they could find a field. By the end of the day, the strength of the 24th Pursuit Group consisted of twenty-two P-40s and eight P-35s.
In the days that followed, the group's strength declined rapidly, but the 24th flew some patrol and reconnaissance missions, engaging the enemy in the air, and attacked enemy airfields and shipping. Fifth Air Force Headquarters was faced with the fact that their depleted force would be driven to extinction by attrition. The P-40s were able to meet the Zeros on equal terms but it lacked the maneuverability of the lighter Japanese plane. In the ensuing days, the Japanese never appeared with less than 30 Zeros, and the Americans never met them with more than six P-40's. Often, the pilots of the 24th PG attacked with two, sometimes four-plane elements.
With no supplies or replacements available from the United States, ground crews, with little or no spares for repairing aircraft, used parts which were cannibalized from wrecks. Essentials, such as oil, was reused, with used oil being strained though makeshift filters, and tailwheel tires were stuffed with rags to keep them usable. The aircraft which were flying and engaging the Japanese seemed to have more bullethole patches on the fuselage than original skin.
By the time of the main Japanese invasion of Luzon along the east coast of Lingayen Gulf
Lingayen Gulf
The Lingayen Gulf is an extension of the South China Sea on Luzon in the Philippines stretching . It is framed by the provinces of Pangasinan and La Union and sits between the Zambales Mountains and the Cordillera Central...
on 23 December, combat attrition had cut down the 24th's striking power to a total of twelve P-40's and six P-35's, but they proved sufficient to create confusion among enemy personnel in landing barges and around supply dumps ashore. The ground combat situation on Luzon quickly became desperate when a second set of major landings occurred along the shore of Lamon Bay
Lamon Bay
Lamon Bay is a large bay in the southern part of Luzon island, Philippines, at .-Lamon Bay:It is a body of water connecting the southern part of Quezon province to the Pacific Ocean, and bounds the coastal towns of Atimonan, Gumaca, Plaridel, Lopez, Calauag, and the islands of Alabat. It is a rich...
in southern Luzon. The combat strength of the 24th had become so small that except for the few pilots required to fly these planes and the men necessary for their maintenance the surviving personnel of the group were designated as the 2d Infantry Regiment (Provisional), of the 71st Infantry division and ordered into ground combat. As an infantry unit, the men were engaged in beach defense of the Bataan peninsula.
With the withdrawal from Clark Field on 20 December, the 24th used dispersed landing fields on Luzon
Luzon
Luzon is the largest island in the Philippines. It is located in the northernmost region of the archipelago, and is also the name for one of the three primary island groups in the country centered on the Island of Luzon...
, some little more than grass to carry on the fight. Japanese forces were rapidly advancing from both the north and south. MacArthur ordered all American and Philippine forces to withdraw to the Bataan Peninsula
Bataan Peninsula
The Bataan Peninsula is a rocky extension of the Zambales Mountains, on Luzon in the Philippines. It separates the Manila Bay from the South China Sea...
and all FEAF aircraft to withdraw from Clark and Nichols Fields. What was left of the group were based at temporary fields at Orani and Pilar in northern Bataan, and later withdrawn on 8 January to "Bataan Field," located several miles from the southern tip of the peninsula. Bataan field consisted of a dirt runway, hacked out of the jungle by Army engineers in early 1941 and lengthened after the FEAF was ordered into Bataan. However, it was well camouflaged. It was attacked and strafed daily by the Japanese, however no aircraft were lost on the ground as a result of the attacks. Bataan Field, along with airfields at Cabcaben and Mariveles were kept in operation for several months during the Battle of Bataan
Battle of Bataan
The Battle of Bataan represented the most intense phase of Imperial Japan's invasion of the Philippines during World War II. The capture of the Philippine Islands was crucial to Japan's effort to control the Southwest Pacific, seize the resource-rich Dutch East Indies, and protect its Southeast...
.
The remaining pilots continued operations with the few planes that were left, cannibalizing aircraft wreckage to keep a few planes airborne in the early months of 1942. With the surrender of the United States Army on Bataan
Bataan
Bataan is a province of the Philippines occupying the whole of the Bataan Peninsula on Luzon. The province is part of the Central Luzon region. The capital of Bataan is Balanga City and it is bordered by the provinces of Zambales and Pampanga to the north...
, 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. With the collapse of organized United States resistance in the Philippines on 8 May 1942, a few surviving members of the squadron managed to escape from Mindanao to Australia where they were integrated into existing units.
The 24th Pursuit Group and its squadrons were never remanned after the battle. They were simply left on the active list of Fifth Air Force organizations throughout the war. The unit and its subordinate squadrons were inactivated on 2 April 1946.
Lineage
- Constituted as 24th Pursuit Group (Interceptor) on 16 August 1941
- Activated on 1 October 1941
- Inactivated on 2 April 1946
Assignments
- Philippine Department Air Force 16 August 1941
- Redesignated: Far East Air Force on 28 October 1941
- Resesignated: 5th Air Force on 5 February 1942
- Redesignated: Fifth Air ForceFifth Air ForceThe Fifth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Pacific Air Forces . It is headquartered at Yokota Air Base, Japan....
on 18 September 1942 – 2 April 1946
Stations and components
- Headquarters and Ground Echelon:
- Clark Field, LuzonLuzonLuzon is the largest island in the Philippines. It is located in the northernmost region of the archipelago, and is also the name for one of the three primary island groups in the country centered on the Island of Luzon...
, 1 October 1941 - Mariveles, BataanMariveles, BataanMariveles is a 1st class municipality in the province of Bataan, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 102,844 people in 19,460 households...
, Luzon, c. 1 January – May 1942 - Attached to Fifth Air ForceFifth Air ForceThe Fifth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Pacific Air Forces . It is headquartered at Yokota Air Base, Japan....
Headquarters after 1 May 1942 until inactivation
- 3d Pursuit Squadron3d Flying Training SquadronThe 3d Fighter Training Squadron is part of the 71st Operations Group under the 71st Flying Training Wing. It operates the T-38 Talon aircraft conducting flight training.-Mission:...
: 1 October 1941 – 2 April 1946
- Squadron operated from: Iba AirfieldIba AirfieldIba Airfield is a former United States Army Air Forces airfield on Luzon in the Philippines. It was overrun by the Imperial Japanese Army during the Battle of the Philippines .-History:...
, Luzon, 1 September 1941 - Squadron operated from: Nichols FieldNichols FieldNichols Field was a U.S. military airfield located south of Manila in Pasay City and Parañaque City, Metro Manila, Luzon, the Philippines. During the World War II era, it was the location of the Far East Air Force's U.S. 20th Air Base Group. Also, based here was Troop F of the U.S. 26th Cavalry...
, Luzon, 9 December 1941 - Squadron operated from: Ternate Field, Luzon, 12 December 1941
- Squadron operated from: Del Carmen Field, Luzon, 25 December 1941
- 17th Pursuit Squadron17th Weapons SquadronThe 17th Weapons Squadron is a United States Air Force unit, assigned to the USAF Weapons School at Nellis AFB, Nevada.The squadron traces its lineage to the United States Army Air Service 17th Aero Squadron. The 17th Aero Squadron was activated in August 1917 and earned 13 Campaign Streamers in...
: 1 October 1941 – 2 April 1946
- Squadron operated from: Nichols Field, Luzon, 5 December 1941
- Squadron operated from: Clark Field, Luzon, 9–25 December 1941
- Squadron operated from: Pilar AirfieldPilar, BataanPilar is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Bataan, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 43,213 people in 6,514 households. The living standards are healthier than its neighboring city of Balanga which is always congested and heavily polluted. The historic...
, Luzon, 26 December 1941 – 8 January 1942
- 20th Pursuit Squadron20th Fighter SquadronThe 20th Fighter Squadron was most recently part of the 49th Fighter Wing at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico. It operated the F-4 Phantom II aircraft conducting air superiority missions...
: 1 October 1941 – 2 April 1946
- Squadron operated from: Clark Field, Luzon, 1 October 1941
- 21st Pursuit Squadron21st Pursuit SquadronThe 21st Pursuit Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was wiped out in the Battle of the Philippines . The survivors fought as infantry during Battle of Bataan and after their surrender, were subjected to the Bataan Death March, although some did escape to Australia...
: 1 October 1941 – 2 April 1946 (Attached. Deployed from 35th Pursuit Group35th Fighter WingThe 35th Fighter Wing is an air combat unit of the United States Air Force and the host unit at Misawa Air Base, Japan. The 35 FW is part of Pacific Air Forces Fifth Air Force.-Mission:...
, Hamilton AAF, California)
- Squadron operated from: Nichols Field, Luzon, 1 November 1941
- Squadron operated from: LubaoLubao, PampangaLubao is a 1st class municipality in the province of Pampanga, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 143,058 people in 23,446 households...
, LuzonLuzonLuzon is the largest island in the Philippines. It is located in the northernmost region of the archipelago, and is also the name for one of the three primary island groups in the country centered on the Island of Luzon...
, 26 December 1941 – 2 January 1942
- 34th Pursuit Squadron34th Pursuit SquadronThe 34th Pursuit Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was wiped out in the Battle of the Philippines . The survivors fought as infantry during Battle of Bataan and after their surrender, were subjected to the Bataan Death March, although some did escape to Australia. The unit...
: 1 October 1941 – 2 April 1946 (Attached. Deployed from 35th Pursuit Group35th Fighter WingThe 35th Fighter Wing is an air combat unit of the United States Air Force and the host unit at Misawa Air Base, Japan. The 35 FW is part of Pacific Air Forces Fifth Air Force.-Mission:...
, Hamilton AAF, California)
- Squadron operated from: Del Carmen Field, Luzon, 1 November – 25 December 1941
- Squadron operated from: Orani AirfieldOrani, BataanOrani is a 1st class municipality in the province of Bataan, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 59,530 people in 10,810 households.-Barangays:Orani is politically subdivided into 33 barangays.-External links:*****...
, Luzon, 26 December 1941 – 4 January 1942
- Air echelon of group operated from Bataan AirfieldBataan AirfieldBataan Airfield was a former wartime United States Army Air Forces airfield on Luzon in the Philippines. It was overrun by the Imperial Japanese Army during the Battle of the Philippines...
, along with airfields at Cabcaben and Mariveles 8 January 1942 – c. 8 April 1942 - Ground echelon fought as infantry unit on BataanBataanBataan is a province of the Philippines occupying the whole of the Bataan Peninsula on Luzon. The province is part of the Central Luzon region. The capital of Bataan is Balanga City and it is bordered by the provinces of Zambales and Pampanga to the north...
18 January – 8 April 1942 - Air echelon of group operated from: Del Monte Airfield, MindanaoMindanaoMindanao is the second largest and easternmost island in the Philippines. It is also the name of one of the three island groups in the country, which consists of the island of Mindanao and smaller surrounding islands. The other two are Luzon and the Visayas. The island of Mindanao is called The...
, c. 8 April – c. 1 May 1942
See also
- United States Army Air Forces in AustraliaUnited States Army Air Forces in AustraliaDuring World War II, the United States Army Air Forces established a series of airfields in Australia for the collective defense of the country, as well as for conducting offensive operations against the Imperial Japanese Army and Navy...