34th Pursuit Squadron

34th Pursuit Squadron
Lt. Lloyd Stinson {1918–2001}, 34th Pursuit Squadron Seversky P-35A in combat over the Philippines, 1941.
Active	1940–1946 (Not manned or equipped after May 1942
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Role	Pursuit
Part of	Far East Air Force
Engagements	Philippine Islands (1941–1942)
Decorations	Distinguished Unit Citations:    Philippines, 7 December 1941 – 10 May 1942    Philippines, 8–12 December 1941    Philippines, 6 January – 8 March 1942 Philippine Presidential Unit Citation

The 34th Pursuit Squadron 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.

The squadron was organized at Kelly Field, Texas on 22 December 1939 and assigned to the 28th Composite Group. Activated on 1 February 1940 and equipped with P-36 Hawks for training as a part of the Air Corps buildup of forces after the outbreak of World War II in Europe.

The squadron was reassigned to Hamilton Field, California on 30 November 1940, and trained as part of the west coast defense forces. As part of the buildup of forces in the Philippines in the fall of 1941, it was relieved from the 28th CG, and the personnel of the squadron (without equipment) moved to the Port of Entry, San Francisco, California and departed on the SS President Coolidge, arriving in Manila, Philippine Islands on 20 November 1941.

The 35th Pursuit Group was scheduled to move from Moffett Field, California to reinforce Far East Air Force, and the 34th was concurrently attached to the 24th Pursuit Group in the Philippines, awaiting for the 35th to arrive. Upon arrival it was assigned to Del Carmen Field, Luzon, with the 21st Pursuit Squadron transferring its Seversky P-35A fighters to the squadron. The P-35As were manufactured originally for the Swedish Air Force. On 24 October 1940, President Franklin Roosevelt signed an executive order requisitioning all the undelivered EP-106 aircraft and impressing them into the USAAC. These were designated P-35A by the Army, and 40 planes were sent to the Philippines during 1941 to bolster the islands' defenses.