14th Bombardment Squadron The 14th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit . The 14th Bomb Squadron fought in the Battle of the Philippines ( 1941 – 42 ) , much of its aircraft being destroyed in combat against the Japanese . The survivors of the ground echelon 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 remainder of the air echelon fought in the Dutch East Indies campaign ( 1942 ) before being reassigned to other units . The squadron was never remanned or equipped . It was carried as an active unit until April 2 , 1946 . History . World War I . Operated as a flying training unit , 1917 – 1918 . Inter - war years . Operated from Bolling Field , DC , 1928 – 1935 . A C - 2A transport of the squadron participated as the receiving aircraft ( " Question Mark " ) in a week - long endurance flight testing the practicability of aerial refueling . World War II . The 19th Bombardment Group had been selected for transfer to the Philippines ; however , the need for B - 17 bombers there was so urgent that a provisional group already in Hawaii was dispatched to Manila by way of Australia in September . Under the command of Maj Emmett O ' Donnell , Jr . , nine B - 17s of the 14th Bombardment Squadron ( Provisional ) , the nine crews made up of the cream of the 5th and 11th Bomb Groups , pioneered an air ferry route from Hawaii to the Philippines , leaving on September 5 , 1941 and arriving on September 12 , 1941 at Clark Field , Philippines . This was the first flight of land - based bombers across the central Pacific . A portion of the flight involved traversing uncharted waters from Wake Island to Port Moresby and Darwin and thence to Fort Stotsenburg . They maintained radio silence over the Japanese mandate islands . Successful completion of this historic flight proved that the Philippines could be reinforced by air . For extraordinary achievement in this flight , the airmen of this squadron were awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross . The squadron became part of the Philippine Department Air Force , which subsequently became the Far East Air Force on November 16 , 1941 , and was attached to the 19th Bombardment Group ( Heavy ) . On December 8 , 1941 , the Japanese bombed and strafed Clark Field at 12 : 00 pm , catching many B - 17 ’ s and P - 40 ’ s on the ground , which were destroyed . Sixteen B - 17s of the 14th Bombardment Squadron aircraft were based at Del Monte Field and San Marcelino Field and were spared being destroyed . Captain Colin P Kelly Jr , of the 14th Bombardment Squadron attacked the Japanese Navy heavy cruiser Ashigara , thought to be a battleship . Captain Kelly was killed when his B - 17 was shot down by Japanese fighters as he was returning to Clark Field , and was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross ( DSC ) . The air echelon of the 14th Bombardment Squadron was evacuated to Batchelor Field , Australia on December 24 , 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 . Orders were soon received from HQ Far East Air Force to move to Java , and the air echelon relocated from Batchelor Field to Singosari Field , Java on December 30 , 1941 . The 19th Bombardment Group flew missions from Singosari Field , attacking enemy aircraft , ground installations , warships and transports during the later stages of the Battle of the Philippines and the Dutch East Indies campaign between January – March 1942 . The group earned a total of four United States Presidential Distinguished Unit Citation s for actions in the Philippine Islands and Dutch East Indies . The air echelon of 14th Bombardment Squadron ceased operating from Singosari , Java on March 1 , 1942 and began moving to Melbourne , Australia . Arriving at Essendon Aerodrome , Melbourne on March 4 , 1942 , the air echelon of 14th Bombardment Squadron began operating from Essendon , Australia . On March 14 , 1942 , the air echelon of 14th Bombardment Squadron was detached from the 19th Bombardment Group and ceased operations , with men and equipment transferred to other units . The 14th Bombardment Squadron continued as an active unit in the United States , but was not manned or equipped , and was inactivated on April 2 , 1946 .