The 4th Composite Group is an inactive United States Army Air Corps unit. It was last was assigned to the United States Army Philippine Department at Nichols Field, Commonwealth of the Philippines. It was disbanded on 1 November 1941.
Officers of the 3d Pursuit Squadron in formation in front of a squadron Boeing P-26 Peashooter, Clark Field, Luzon, Philippines, 1937
2d Observation Squadron Douglas O-46A 36-139 Nichols Field, Luzon, Philippines, 1939 (4M tail designation of 4th Composite Group)
28th Bombardment Squadron Martin B-10B 34–51, Clark Field, Luzon, Philippines, 1937
17th Pursuit Squadron ex-Swedish Seversky P-35A #17 Nichols Field, Luzon, Philippines 1941.
The Philippine Department was a regular United States Army organization whose mission was to defend the Philippine Islands and train the Philippine Army. On 9 April 1942, during World War II, the organization surrendered to the Japanese. The department and its sub-units were predominantly under the command of American officers, including an American general, while the majority of the troops were enlisted Filipinos, known as the Philippine Scouts (PS). The primary force of this department was the Philippine Division. Of the 22,532 troops, 10,473 were members of the Philippine Division itself.
Aerial view of the headquarters of the Philippine Department in Manila, 1939
