▁South - West ▁Pacific ▁Area . ▁ ▁After ▁comple ting ▁its ▁training , ▁the ▁ 1 7 th ▁Re con na issance ▁Squadron ▁was ▁sent ▁to ▁Mil ne ▁Bay ▁in ▁New ▁Guinea , ▁where ▁it ▁arrived ▁on ▁ 6 ▁November . ▁It ▁moved ▁forward ▁to ▁Dob od ura ▁Air field ▁on ▁ 2 2 ▁November , ▁flying ▁its ▁first ▁combat ▁mission ▁on ▁ 2 8 ▁January ▁ 1 9 4 4 . ▁The ▁ 1 7 th ▁fle w ▁armed ▁reconna issance ▁miss ions , ▁conduct ing ▁long ▁range ▁and ▁photo ▁reconna issance ▁while ▁attack ing ▁targets ▁of ▁opportunity . ▁It ▁inf lic ted ▁damage ▁on ▁Japanese ▁sh ipping ▁in ▁the ▁B ism ar ck ▁Sea ▁and ▁the ▁Sol omon ▁Sea , ▁destroy ing ▁several ▁ships . ▁On ▁ 2 3 ▁February , ▁three ▁B - 2 5 s ▁from ▁the ▁squad ron ▁fle w ▁uno pp osed ▁at ▁low ▁alt itude ▁for ▁ 9 0 ▁minutes ▁over ▁Man us ▁Island ▁and ▁Los ▁Neg ros ▁Island , ▁checking ▁for ▁the ▁presence ▁of ▁Japanese ▁troops ▁and ▁finding ▁no ▁signs ▁of ▁activity , ▁con cluding ▁err one ously ▁that ▁the ▁islands ▁had ▁been ▁ev acu ated . ▁On ▁ 2 7 ▁February , ▁when ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Los ▁Neg ros ▁began ▁with ▁an ▁Al lied ▁landing ▁on ▁that ▁island , ▁three ▁B - 2 5 s ▁from ▁the ▁squad ron ▁sort ied ▁to ▁provide ▁a ▁smoke ▁screen ▁for ▁the ▁invasion ▁be aches ▁if ▁required , ▁but ▁were ▁not ▁used ▁due ▁to ▁cloud ▁cover . ▁