2 5 ▁and ▁began ▁to ▁transport ▁vital ▁am mun ition ▁and ▁supplies ▁to ▁Gu adal can al ▁and ▁to ▁ev acu ate ▁wounded ▁personnel ▁on ▁return ▁tri ps . ▁ ▁In ▁November ▁ 1 9 4 2 ▁the ▁squad ron ▁became ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁South ▁Pacific ▁Com bat ▁Air ▁Transport ▁Command ▁( SC AT ). ▁ ▁For ▁its ▁actions ▁during ▁the ▁Gu adal can al ▁Camp aign ▁the ▁squad ron ▁earned ▁its ▁first ▁Dist ingu ished ▁Unit ▁C itation . ▁ ▁In ▁August ▁ 1 9 4 3 ▁the ▁squad ron ▁was ▁assigned ▁to ▁the ▁ 4 0 3 d ▁Tro op ▁Car rier ▁Group ▁and ▁then ▁moved ▁to ▁Esp ir itu ▁Santo . ▁It ▁supported ▁the ▁New ▁Guinea ▁and ▁Philippines ▁campaign s ▁by ▁transport ing ▁men ▁and ▁cargo ▁to ▁combat ▁areas . ▁ ▁The ▁ 1 3 th ▁ev acu ated ▁cas ual ties ▁and ▁dropped ▁or ▁air land ed ▁supplies ▁to ▁gu err illa ▁forces ▁in ▁the ▁Philippines . ▁ ▁On ▁ 2 3 ▁February ▁ 1 9 4 5 ▁the ▁squad ron ▁dropped ▁par atro op ers ▁into ▁Lag una ▁de ▁Bay , ▁Lu zon ▁to ▁free ▁civ ili ans ▁held ▁prisoner ▁by ▁the ▁Japanese . ▁ ▁The ▁unit ▁moved ▁to ▁the ▁Philippines ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 5 ▁and ▁remained ▁after ▁the ▁Japanese ▁surrender ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁Far ▁East ▁Air ▁Forces . ▁ ▁It ▁fle w ▁occupation ▁troops ▁to ▁Japan , ▁ev acu ated ▁prisoners ▁of ▁war ▁and ▁fle w ▁cargo ▁and ▁personnel ▁between ▁Australia ▁and ▁Japan . ▁In