The squadron moved to Ephrata Army Air Field, Washington, later that month and equipped with Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress (briefly) and Consolidated B-24 Liberator heavy bombers.

[1][2] The following month, the 304th Group moved to Langley Field, Virginia, where it became part of AAF Antisubmarine Command.

RAF's Coastal Command requested reinforcements from the AAF in the form of B-24s equipped with ASV radar operating in the microwave band.

In response, the squadron's air echelon was dispatched to RAF St Eval, England on 10 November to support Coastal Command.

Much of the squadron's flying time was spent providing convoy coverage to ships approaching or departing the Straits of Gibraltar, but it also flew patrols as far north as Cape Finisterre and as far west as 1000 miles west of Port Lyautey, French Morocco into the Atlantic.

It attacked enemy submarines and shipping in the area of Sicily and the Italian peninsula until Operation Avalanche began with landings at Salerno, Italy.

In addition to the antisubmarine patrols, the squadron covered the escape of Italian naval vessels from Genoa and Spezia to Malta following Italy's surrender.

[11] This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency