▁the ▁same ▁day ▁the ▁squad ron ▁moved ▁to ▁Sal inas ▁Army ▁Air ▁Base , ▁California , ▁joining ▁the ▁ 7 1 st ▁Observ ation ▁Group ▁there . ▁It ▁was ▁equ ipped ▁with ▁St inson ▁L - 1 ▁V ig il ant , ▁Douglas ▁O - 4 6 , ▁North ▁American ▁O - 4 7 , ▁and ▁Curt iss ▁O - 5 2 ▁O w l ▁light ▁observation ▁aircraft . ▁From ▁around ▁May ▁to ▁around ▁September ▁it ▁fle w ▁ant is ub marine ▁pat rol s ▁off ▁west ▁coast ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁On ▁ 4 ▁July , ▁the ▁squad ron ▁was ▁red es ign ated ▁the ▁ 1 7 th ▁Observ ation ▁Squadron . ▁Between ▁ 1 9 4 2 ▁and ▁ 1 9 4 3 ▁the ▁ 1 7 th ▁was ▁re equ ipped ▁with ▁Douglas ▁A - 2 0 ▁Hav oc , ▁Bell ▁P - 3 9 ▁A i rac ob ra ▁and ▁the ▁Curt iss ▁P - 4 0 ▁War h awk . ▁On ▁ 2 4 ▁January ▁it ▁was ▁moved ▁to ▁Es ler ▁Field , ▁Louisiana . ▁The ▁ 1 7 th ▁was ▁re located ▁to ▁La ure l ▁Army ▁Air field , ▁Mississippi , ▁on ▁ 3 1 ▁March , ▁where ▁it ▁was ▁red es ign ated ▁as ▁the ▁ 1 7 th ▁Re con na issance ▁Squadron ▁( B omb ard ment ) ▁and ▁began ▁training ▁on ▁the ▁North ▁American ▁B - 2 5 ▁Mitchell ▁medium ▁bom ber , ▁in ▁prepar ation ▁for ▁combat ▁in ▁the