▁B - 2 5 s ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 7 th ▁attacked ▁coast al ▁targets ▁between ▁Sar mi ▁and ▁S aw ar . ▁The ▁squad ron ' s ▁aer ial ▁phot ography ▁during ▁that ▁week ▁revealed ▁that ▁the ▁Sar mi ▁area ▁was ▁too ▁heavily ▁man ned ▁by ▁Japanese ▁to ▁build ▁an ▁air field ▁there . ▁ ▁Its ▁air ▁e ch el on ▁was ▁moved ▁up ▁to ▁W ak de ▁on ▁ 2 5 ▁May ▁to ▁provide ▁air ▁cover ▁for ▁the ▁invasion ▁of ▁B iak , ▁leaving ▁the ▁ground ▁cre ws ▁behind ▁at ▁Fin sch h afen . ▁On ▁ 2 7 ▁May , ▁when ▁the ▁invasion ▁of ▁B iak ▁began , ▁four ▁B - 2 5 s ▁from ▁the ▁squad ron ▁provided ▁the ▁first ▁air ▁cover ▁for ▁the ▁invasion ▁troops ▁shortly ▁after ▁first ▁light . ▁The ▁ 1 7 th ' s ▁aircraft ▁provided ▁direct ▁air ▁support ▁to ▁the ▁troops ▁on ▁B iak ▁when ▁called ▁upon , ▁but ▁were ▁end anger ed ▁by ▁trigger - h appy ▁friendly ▁anti - air craft ▁g unn ers . ▁On ▁ 2 8 ▁May , ▁a ▁B - 2 5 ▁from ▁the ▁squad ron ▁that ▁was ▁cleared ▁to ▁drop ▁pictures ▁on ▁the ▁beach head ▁was ▁shot ▁down ▁by ▁friendly ▁fire . ▁The ▁Japanese ▁began ▁attempted ▁to ▁send ▁a ▁rein for cement ▁con voy ▁of ▁tro op - lad en ▁destroy ers ▁to ▁B iak ▁on ▁ 8 ▁June ▁after ▁an ▁air ▁ra id ▁on ▁W ak de ▁on ▁the ▁night ▁of ▁ 5 – 6 ▁June