World War II 108th Air Refueling Squadron

108th observation squadron maintenance crew @ howard field, panama, o-47 (39-108-07)

after war broke out in europe in 1939, preparedness war increased in united states. part of preparedness program, 4,800 members of 33d division, including 108th squadron mobilized , placed on active duty in february 1941. unit reequipped north american o-47 biplanes , trained @ chicago municipal airport in chicago. unit remained in chicago until 14 january 1942 when assigned caribbean air force after japanese attack on pearl harbor , arrived @ río hato army air base, panama. stay @ rio hato brief, however, squadron moved howard field in canal zone on 19 january.

at howard field, squadron kept busy on myriad of patrol , communications flights along atlantic , pacific panamanian coast lines , within far-flung command. 108th acquired several stinson l-1 s during period along p-36a, 1 a-18, 2 l- l s , 2 l-4a s based @ howard field.

one of l-4a s transferred dedicated tow target squadron @ howard field on 28 february 1943, while rare curtiss a-18, relief of hard-pressed maintenance crews, transferred technical school @ rio hato on 3 april 1943. a-18 serve operationally line combat unit during world war ii.

the units first douglas b-18 bolo added in february 1943. interestingly, squadron conducted 1 operational mission, aircraft, along pacific coast of colombia on 24 february. 25 june 1943, time designation had been changed more realistic 108th reconnaissance squadron (special), mission handed squadron ever more complex , demanding, , alterations equipment reflected this. douglas b-18 (36-275) had been added in may 1943, squadron gained small numbers of piper l-4a s, curtiss 0-52 s (undocumented recalled squadron members), , 4 bell p-39n airacobras.

in november 1943, threat panama canal had decreased sufficiently 108th reconnaissance squadron inactivated in canal zone, , personnel reassigned other units in 1 of combat theaters.