17th Pursuit Squadron (17th PS)
U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF), Far East Air Force (FEAF), 24th Pursuit Group (24th PG)

Background
On June 16, 1917 organized as 29th Aero Squadron in the U.S. Army. On July 30, 1917 redesignated 17th Aero Squadron. The squadron emblem was a great snow owl in white on black rectangle. During February 1918 attached to the Royal Air Force (RAF) for operations and training. In August 1918 to 13 Wing, RAF. On November 11, 1917 redesignated 147th Aero, later redesignated 17th Pursuit. In November 1918 assigned to the 4th Pursuit Group, Army Expeditionary Force (AEF). On April 1, 1919 demobilized.

On March 14, 1921 redesignated as the 17th Squadron. On January 25, 1923 redesignated as 17th Pursuit Squadron. On October 17, 1936 reconstituted and consolidated with the 147th Aero Squadron in the U.S. Army Air Corps (USAAC) in the 1st Pursuit Group (1st PG) at Selfridge Field in Michigan. On December 6, 1939 redesignated 17th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor).

During 1940, sent overseas to the Philippines. On December 5, 1940 moves to Nichols Field in southern Manila. On December 14, 1940 assigned to the 4th Composite Group (4th CG) in the Philippines. On May 6, 1941 1st Lt. Boyd D. "Buzz" Wagner became the Commanding Officer (C. O.). On June 20, 1941 became part of the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF). By the middle of 1941 rebuilt to strength under the 24th Pursuit Group (24th PG) equipped with P-40E Warhawks.

Wartime History
On December 8, 1941 at the start of the Pacific War went into action against the Japanese and participated in the defense of the Philippines. On December 9, 1941 began operating from Clark Field.

On December 12, 1941 in the morning, P-40E Warhawk pilot 1st Lieutenant Boyd D. "Buzz" Wagner performs on a solo reconnaissance flight over Aparri and spots two destroyers offshore came under anti-aircraft fire, flew inland and was attacked by two fixed landing gear Japanese fighters then engaged them and claimed both as shot down in flames. Next, he made two strafing passes over Aparri Airfield. For his daring mission, he was praised and became one of the first Philippine pursuit pilots made into a hero by the press back home.

On December 16, 1941 at 5:50am P-40E Warhawk pilot 1st Lieutenant Boyd D. Wagner and P-40E Warhawk pilot pilot 1st Lt. Russel M. Church, Jr. took off from Clark Field armed with six 30 pound bombs each on a mission to bomb and strafe Vigan Airfield and Vigan where 29 Japanese fighters were spotted the previous day. Escorting the pair was P-40E Warhawk pilot Allison Strauss who flew top cover at 15,000'. Lost in P-40E Warhawk pilot 1st Lt. Russel M. Church, Jr. (KIA). Although cheered by their fellow pilots, FEAF Headquarters deemed it to be an unauthorized mission and barred direct combat to preserve the small number of pursuit planes available. Regardless, Wagner and Church were recommended for the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) by General Douglas MacArthur.

On December 22, 1941 twelve P-40E Warhawks from 17th Pursuit Squadron and 20th Pursuit Squadron each armed with six 30 pound fragmentation bombs took off from Clark Field led by 1st Lt. Lt. Col Boyd D. "Buzz" Wagner on an attack against Japanese ships in Lingayen Gulf. Arriving over Agoo, they saw Japanese transports and landing barges. Leading the attack, Wagner makes a dive bombing attack and salvoed all his bombs on a group of boats near shore pulling up at 1,500' then strafed warships and encounters anti-aircraft fire. Intercepted by Ki-27 Nates, Wagner's P-40 sustained damage to the cowling and shattered his canopy and was wounded in the shoulder with splinters hitting his face and eyes. Withdrawing, he formed up with two other P-40s from the squadron that helped guide him back to land safely.

On December 24, 1942 the squadron ceases operating from Clark Field and begins moving to the Bataan Peninsula. Around noon, P-35A took off from Clark Field on a mission over the Mauban area and strafed Japanese shipping and troops but were engaged by Zeros with P-35 pilot Marshall Anderson damaged and one Zero shot down and returning were fired on by friendly anti-aircraft fire then landed. At 1:00pm four P-40s took off from Clark Field on a mission over Lamon Bay and bombed and strafed the Japanese landing. P-40E Warhawk pilot Jim Rowland was hit by ground fire and returning ditched into Laguna de Bay and swam ashore. At 7:00pm, most of the enlisted men were assembled at Pier 7 in Manila and embarked aboard SS Legaspi and at 11:00pm depart for a voyage across Manila Bay to Mariveles at the southern tip of Bataan arriving at 9:30am Christmas Day and without transport begin walking northward to Pilar Airfield.

On December 25, 1942 moves to the Bataan Peninsula. In late December, the remaining squadron personnel, aside from pilots are preseed into service as infantry and form three platoons to defend in the Anyasan-Silaiim sector of II Corps area on Bataan.

On January 2, 1942 at 6:30am the remaining aircraft at Lubao Airfield were flown to the Bataan Peninsula. The P-40s were flown to Pilar Airfield and Orani Airfield. Five P-35A piloted by 2nd Lt. Oscar D. Wyatt, 2nd Lt. Bob Krantz, 2nd Lt. Earl Hulsey, 2nd Lt. Silas Wol and one other pilot took off from Lubao Airfield on a flight to Bataan Airfield. While circling to land, Wyatt was fired on by anti-aircraft gunners who mistook his plane as enemy and crashed at Camachile two miles to the southeast. Also hit was Krantz in the windscreen and diverted to land at Pilar Airfield and damaged his plane with a nose landing. The other two pilots also aborted the landing at Bataan and instead landed at Pilar Airfield and landed safely.

On January 3, 1942 two P-40 pilots 2nd Lt. Earl R. Stone, Jr. and 2nd Lt. Balfanz took off from Pilar Airfield on a reconnaissance mission to the north and spotted Japanese planes parked at Maniquis Airfield (Cabanatuan). Stone dove down to strafe and burned a bomber while Balfanz flew top cover. When pulling up, Stone spotted Ki-36 ida approaching to land and shot it down in flames.

On January 12, 1942 the squadron moved from Rodriguez Park on the east coast near Limay to the Saysain Point area at Kilometer Post 205 on the west coast two miles south of Bagac.

On February 7-8, 1942 Japanese barges land reinforcements at Silaiim Bay and are engaged by gunfire from the squadron, 45th Scouts and strafing P-40s and eliminate the landing force.

On February 9, 1942 at 1:00pm P-40E Warhawk pilots 2nd Lt. Earl R. Stone, Jr. and Ben Brown took off on a mission to escort a Boeing Stearman Model 75 biplane piloted by Captain Jesús A. Villamor to photograph the Ternate area from an altitude of 17,000'. Both P-40s were assigned fly top cover. During the mission, the planes were spotted by a Ki-46 Dinah over Limay. Over the Bataan Peninsula, six Ki-27 Nates intercept the formation and a dog fight began between the fighters. During the combat, Lt. Stone chased Ki-27 Nate pilot Kurosawa. On the ground at Mariveles, an eye witness reported a Japanese fighter chasing a P-40 overhead and gaining on it. The two went in and out of clouds around Mount Mariveles, then an explosion was heard. Both Ki-27 Nate pilot Kurosawa and P-40E Warhawk pilot 2nd Lt. Earl R. Stone, Jr. failed to return.

On February 11, 1942 C.O. 1st Lt. Raymond "Spud" Sloan was wounded and died of his wonds and was posthumously promoted to the rank of Captain.

On February 12, 1942 by 3:00pm they pushed to the beach at Silaiim, completing the defense of the Anyasan/Silaiim. Relieved of their beach defense duty, the moved to a rest camp at Kilometer Post 184 near the Biaan River,

On April 7, 1942 the personnel of all five pursuit squadrons on Bataan were assembled at Mariveles Airfield plus personnel from other outfits. Meanwhile, the few surviving aircraft are flown to Mindanao.

On April 8, 1942 the Bataan peninsula was surrendered by Major General Edward P. King to the Japanese. The surviving personnel become Prisoners Of War (POW). They will be forced to walk northward in what will be dubbed the Bataan Death March.

On May 1, 1942 pilot Lt. Marble was flown out of the Philippines to Australia.

On May 6, 1942 when General Jonathan M. Wainwright surrenders U.S. forces in the Philippines, the survivng squadron personnel became Prisoners Of War (POW). For the remainder of World War II, the squadron was carried as an active unit without personnel until April 2, 1946 when inactivated.

Today
On November 12, 1971 redesignated 17 Wild Weasel Squadron in the U.S. Air Force (USAF). On December 1, 1971 activated as part of the 388th Tactical Fighter Wing (388th TFW) operating the F-105 at Korat RTAFB in Thailand until November 15, 1974.

On July 1, 1982 assigned to the 363rd Tactical Fighter Wing operating the F-16 at Shaw AFB in South Carolina. Later, redesignated 363rd Fighter Wing. On August 9, 1990 attached to the 363rd Tactical Fighter Wing Provisional and deployed to Dhafra AB in United Arab Emirates (UAE) until March 13, 1991. On May 1, 1992 assigned to the 363 Operations Group until the end of 1993 and inactivated. On January 24, 2003 redesignated 17 Weapons Squadron. On February 3, 2003 assigned to USAF Weapons School at Nellis AFB in Nevada.

Commanding Officers (C.O.)
Capt. Ross G. Hoyt (1933)
Major Kirtley J. Gregg (July 1940–May 6, 1941)
1st Lt. Boyd D. "Buzz" Wagner (May 6, 1941–December 18, 1941)
2Lt David L. Obert (December 18, 1941–January 9, 1942
1st Lt. Raymond "Spud" Sloan (January 9, 1942–February 11, 1942) †
1st Lt. Hugh "Tex" Marble (February 11, 1942–May 1942)

Awards
Distinguished Unit Citations: Philippines (ground defense December 7 1941–May 10, 1942), Philippines (aerial actions December 8, 1941–December 22, 1941) Philippines January 6, 1942–March 8, 1942)
Philippines Presidential Unit Citation

References
FindAGrave - CPT Raymond Anderson Sloan (photo, grave photo)
Combat Squadrons of the Air Force World War II (1982) page 94-96 (PDF pages 106-108)
Stars & Bars (1995) pages 30-31 (24th PG / 3rd PS, 17th PS, 17th PS (Provisional) 31 (17th PS(P) continued, 20th PS, 20th PS(P), 21st PS, 33rd PS, 33rd PS(P), 34th PS, 34th PS(P)
Doomed At The Start: American Pursuit Pilots in the Philippines 1941-1942 (1995) by William H. Bartsch pages 11 (CO Wagner), 196 (SS Legaspi to Mariveles), 200 (Mariveles arrival), 242 (17th PS as infantry), 250 (C.O. Sloan) , 303 (Feburary 7-8, 1942 Japanese landing Silaiim Bay), 304 (C.O. Marble), 362 (Japanese bombing of Bataan Airfield), 376 (C.O. Marble), 431 (photo 17th PS pilots released from POW camp), 436-437 (Roster 17th PS, December 8, 1941) 443 (footnote 1), 446 (footnote 7), 451 (footnote 4), 458 (footnote 3), 450 (footnotes 1, 5), 458 (footnote 3), 467 (footnote 1), 468 (footnote 3), 422 (footinote 5), 449 (footnote 9), 474, 477
Air Force Historical Research Agency (AFHRA) - 17 Weapons Squadron (ACC)