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The wing came into existence on the 18th of October 1927, as the
19th Observation Group, an inactive unit of the Army Air Corps.
In March 1932, the unit was activated at Rockwell Army Air Field,
California and redesignated as the 19th Bomb Group. The unit remained
in California until 1941 flying B-10s and B-18s. In 1941, flying
the newly built B-17C long-range bomber, the 19th Bomb Group deployed
to the Philippines. In route, the Group under the command of Lt.
Colonel Eugene Eubanks made aviation history. For the first time
ever, a mass flight of heavy bombers flew the 2,400 miles from the
west coast of the United States to Hawaii. By early fall 1941, the
19th had completed deployment of personnel and equipment overseas
and was now prepared to function as the long-range strike arm of
the Far East Air Force.
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On December 8, 1941, the 19th was caught off-guard at Clark Army
Air Field, the Philippines, and was virtually destroyed by a Japanese
attack. The attack destroyed most of the aircraft and seriously
damaged the remaining aircraft. Despite this, the 19th Bombardment
Group was the first American air unit to strike back at the Japanese.
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