, ▁and ▁William ▁F . ▁Sav idge . ▁ ▁The ▁Group ▁was ▁flying ▁Bo eing ▁P - 2 6 ▁Pe ash oot ers , ▁then ▁upgrad ed ▁into ▁the ▁radial - eng ined ▁Curt iss ▁P - 3 6 ▁Haw ks ▁before ▁being ▁re - equ ipped ▁with ▁Curt iss ▁P - 4 0 s ▁a ▁few ▁months ▁prior ▁to ▁the ▁attack ▁on ▁Pear l ▁Har bor ▁by ▁Japanese ▁naval ▁aircraft ▁which ▁immediately ▁drew ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁into ▁World ▁War ▁II . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁immediate ▁months ▁before ▁the ▁Pear l ▁Har bor ▁attack , ▁the ▁group ▁was ▁expanded ▁as ▁follows : ▁▁▁ 6 th ▁P urs uit ▁Squadron ▁( Interceptor ) ▁( P - 4 0 B ) ▁▁ 1 9 th ▁P urs uit ▁Squadron ▁( Interceptor ) ▁( P - 4 0 B , ▁P - 4 0 C ) ▁▁ 4 4 th ▁P urs uit ▁Squadron ▁( Interceptor ) ▁( P - 4 0 B , ▁P - 4 0 C ) ▁( At ▁Bell ows ▁Field ) ▁▁ 7 2 nd ▁P urs uit ▁Squadron ▁( Interceptor ) ▁( none ) ▁▁ 7 3 rd ▁P urs uit ▁Squadron ▁( Interceptor ) ▁( P - 4 0 B ) ▁▁ 7 8 th ▁P urs uit ▁Squadron ▁( Interceptor ) ▁( P - 4 0 B ) ▁ ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁The ▁Imperial ▁Japanese ▁attack ▁on ▁ 7 ▁December ▁ 1 9 4 1 , ▁sever ely ▁hurt ▁the ▁group ▁– ▁its ▁only ▁two ▁P - 4