▁west ▁out ▁of ▁the ▁range ▁of ▁the ▁Rad ar . ▁ ▁It ▁was ▁believed ▁that ▁the ▁ 3 d ▁went ▁under ne ath ▁the ▁formation . ▁▁ ▁At ▁ 0 4 : 4 5 ▁notification ▁was ▁received ▁of ▁a ▁state ▁of ▁war ▁between ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁and ▁the ▁Japanese ▁Empire . ▁ ▁At ▁approximately ▁ 0 9 : 3 0 , ▁a ▁large ▁formation ▁of ▁Japanese ▁bom bers ▁was ▁sp otted ▁over ▁L ing ay en ▁G ulf ▁reported ▁heading ▁towards ▁Man ila . ▁ ▁The ▁ 2 0 th ▁P urs uit ▁Squadron ▁was ▁immediately ▁dispatch ed ▁to ▁intercept ▁the ▁formation ▁over ▁Ros el as . ▁ ▁The ▁ 1 7 th ▁P urs uit ▁Squadron ▁was ▁ordered ▁from ▁Nich ols ▁Field ▁to ▁cover ▁the ▁air space ▁over ▁Clark . ▁ ▁Again , ▁the ▁inter ception ▁was ▁not ▁successful , ▁as ▁the ▁bom bers ▁turned ▁to ▁the ▁n ortheast ▁and ▁attacked ▁B agu io ▁and ▁T ug u eg ara o ▁then ▁head ed ▁north ▁off ▁the ▁rad ar . ▁▁ ▁Both ▁squad rons ▁returned ▁to ▁their ▁stations ▁and ▁were ▁ref ue led ▁and ▁put ▁back ▁on ▁alert . ▁ ▁Again ▁at ▁approximately ▁ 1 1 : 3 0 ▁a ▁large ▁formation ▁of ▁bom bers ▁was ▁reported ▁over ▁the ▁China ▁Sea ▁heading ▁towards ▁Man ila . ▁ ▁The ▁ 3 d ▁was ▁again ▁dispatch ed ▁to ▁intercept ; ▁the ▁ 1 7 th ▁was ▁dispatch ed ▁to ▁cover ▁B ata an ▁and ▁the ▁ 3 4 th ▁was ▁placed ▁on ▁a ▁standing