Activated 1 October 1942 at Salt Lake City AB, Utah. The group established at Geiger Field in Washington in November of 1942 where the Group was assembled for initial training, and the Second phase of training was conducted at Biggs Field, Texas, between December of 1942 and March of 1943. The unit then moved to Pueblo AAB, Colorado for preparation for overseas movement. the ground unit left Pueblo for New York on the 12th of April 1943. the aircraft began movement on the 1st April 1943.