| 1-Jan-1941 |
71st Pursuit
Squadron is activated at Selfridge Field, Michigan, and assigned
to the 1st Pursuit Group (Interceptor). |
| 12-Mar-41 |
1st Pursuit Group
(Interceptor) is redesignated. |
| 11 May 41 |
While deployed to Alpina Michigan for a gunnery exercise, Lt. Taylor of the 71st was flying a YP-38 when the left engine burst into flames, causing the plane to crash into the pine trees. Lt. Taylor died from his injuriesa few days after the accident. |
| 1-Jul-41 |
27th squadron
received the first models of the Lockheed P-38 lightning. |
| 5-Dec-41 |
Captain Ralph
Garman led the air echelon of the 94th squadron, consisting of
20 P-38s to March Field, California for a scheduled 90 day deployment. |
| 7-Dec-41 |
This Sunday, Japan attacked Hawaii and the Phillipines and declared war on the United States of America. The 27th and 71st squadrons were placed on the alert. All men on pass or furlough were ordered back to duty at Selfridge Field and work was begun to arm the airplanes. The 94th squadron
stopped over in El Paso, Texas, en route to March Field, California,
and heard the news of Pearl Harbor. The remainder of the Group, under
command of Major Robert S. Isreal, Jr., was directed to proceed
from Selfridge Field to March Field, California. |
| 8-Dec-41 |
Already ahead
of the Group because of its scheduled TDY to March Field, the
94th squadron arrived at San Diego. |
| 9-Dec-41 |
The first echelon
and support units start to leave Selfridge Field, Michigan for California.
|
| 10-Dec-41 |
The 71st and 27th
squadrons arrived at March Field with 12 P-38s and 24 P-43 aircraft. Note: it is unclear from the records whether the group travelled together to San Diego or split operations as seperate squadrons. Only the detailed diary of the 71st is currently available to reconstruct timelines. |
| 13-Dec-41 |
The bulk of the support element of 71st squadron arrived via train at Riverside,CA. For many of the men it was their first glimpse of an orange tree; several children came out to see the troop train when the 71st pulled into Riverside, California and were kind enough to bring oranges 'fresh from the tree.' |
| 14-Dec-41 |
The 71st squadron arrives at its final destination of Naval Air Station, Sand Diego. The 94th at March Field, California. 1st Fighter Group HQ at March Field. |
| 15-Dec-41 |
The 71st Fighter Squadron began its first combat air patrols of the California coast from San Diego. Other forward deployed elements of the 1st Fighter Group likely had already been patrolling the California coast for a few days. |
| 21-Dec-41 |
The 94th squadron loses two pilots, Lt Foy Robertson, and Lt William Northern when their P-38s collide and crash into the Pacific ocean. |
| 28-Dec-41 |
2d Lt Allan B. Scales, 71st, while on a routine patrol duty and machine gun practice flight over the Pacific Ocean, plunged to his death. |
1st Fighter Group WW2 History