Wheeler Field, where they were retained as part of the defense force of the territory under the new Seventh Air Force. The squadron deployed B-17s to Midway Island in late May 1942 to strengthen the island's defenses, however they were withdrawn prior to the Japanese attack on the airfield. They returned to Midway and attempted to raid the attacking Japanese naval forces with little success, and returned to Wheeler Field after the battle ended on 8 June. The squadron deployed to the South Pacific and came under the new Thirteenth Air Force. Operating from the New Hebrides, the B-17s attacked enemy targets in the Solomon Islands during late 1942 as well as targets in New Guinea and other enemy-controlled areas in the South Pacific Area. The B-17s were flown to Australia from New Guinea in early 1943 and squadron personnel returned to Hawaii for re-equipping and replacement personnel. Was re-equipped with very long range Consolidated B-24 Liberators optimized for long-range missions in the Pacific. The squadron operated in the Central Pacific Area, flying very long-range heavy bombing missions over the Gilbert and Marshall Islands before moving west to Guam in the Northern Mariana Islands in October 1944. In 1945, Liberators from the squadron carried out very long range bombing attacks on Okinawa, eventually being stationed on Okinawa after the Japanese Capitulation in August 1945. In September 1945, immediately post-war, the planes were used to ferry former prisoners of war to Manila. The squadron was demobilized on Okinawa after the war, with aircraft being sent to the Philippines for reclamation. The 26th Bombardment Squadron still existed as a paper Boeing B-29 Superfortress very heavy bombardment squadron by Far East Air Forces until inactivation in late 1948, never being equipped or manned. Strategic Air Command bomber operations Reactivated under Strategic Air Command in December 1948 at Carswell Air Force Base, Texas; received the new Convair B-36B Peacemaker intercontinental strategic bomber. Upgraded to the jet-assisted B-36D in 1950, then the B-36J-III Featherweight in 1954; Trained in heavy bombardment operations and participated in many SAC exercises and deployments. In 1958 moved to Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma and re-equipped with new Boeing B-52E Stratofortresses and continued operations as well as standing nuclear alert. Remained at Altus on alert status until B-52Es were phased out of SAC service and consigned to storage in 1968. Afterward the squadron was inactivated. Fighter and aggressor operations Reactivated under