Editing 20th Air Base Group (section)

===Defense of the Philippines===
The 20th Group's station at Nichols Field came under Japanese air attack as [[World War II]] began in the Pacific.  Although Far East Air Force had built up to the largest American overseas force in terms of personnel, much of its equipment was en route when the Japanese attacked.<ref>Williams, p. 20</ref> As the war began, the group supported the [[2d Observation Squadron]], [[17th Pursuit Squadron]] and [[34th Pursuit Squadron]] at Nichols.<ref>Williams, p. 26</ref> Three days after the start of the war, 10 December 1941, saw the first concentrated Japanese attacks on Nichols.  By the end of the attack all observation airplanes at Nichols had been destroyed or rendered unserviceable.<ref>Williams, p. 35</ref> By 24 December, all [[bomber]]s had been flown to Australia and air force headquarters and all combat units except for a few [[fighter aircraft|fighters]] soon followed.<ref>Williams, p. 32</ref><ref>Maurer, ''Combat Units'', p. 461</ref>

By the end of December, all American forces were being withdrawn to [[Bataan]].  Colonel [[Harold H. George]], of [[5th Interceptor Command]] assumed control of all Air Corps units remaining in the Philippines. With the flying mission being performed by a handful of fighter pilots, the bulk of the group's personnel were employed as infantry.<ref>Williams, pp. 36-37</ref> By May 1942, resistance in the Philippines had ended and the group ceased to exist as an organized military formation.