Following the attack on Pearl Harbor the group moved to Philadelphia, where it assumed an air defense role while training for combat.

The group served in North Africa and Italy until February 1944, earning a Distinguished Unit Citation in January 1943 for its defense of its base from attacks by German and Italian aircraft.

In 1944, the group departed Italy for the China-Burma-India Theater, leaving its Curtiss P-40 Warhawks behind for Lockheed P-38 Lightnings and Republic P-47 Thunderbolts.

As Otis expanded to add the airborne early warning and control mission the following year, the group's support units were transferred to the newly reactivated 33d Fighter Wing.

It flew the McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle until 2009, when it began the transition to the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter.

[4] The mission of the group is to train Air Force and international partner pilots and maintainers of the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter.

[1] It trained with Bell P-39 Airacobras in 1941, but soon changed to Curtiss P-40 Warhawks and served as part of the United States defense force for the east coast after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

Its 77 P-40Es moved from Hampton Roads, Virginia, to North Africa on the deck of the USS Chenango as part of the invasion force on 8 November 1942.

[1] The 33d received a Distinguished Unit Citation for action on 15 January 1943 when nine German Junkers Ju 88 bombers escorted by four Italian Macchi C.202 fighters attempted to knock out the group's base at Thelepte.

[1][12] In May 1943 the 99th Fighter Squadron, the first AAF unit to enter combat with black personnel, was attached to the group, and again from August to October 1943.

[13] It took part in the reduction of Pantelleria and flew patrol missions while Allied troops landed after surrender of the enemy's garrison.

[1] Upon returning to India in September 1944, it flew dive bombing and strafing missions in Burma until the Allied campaigns in that area had been completed.

Because of ADC's need to expand its coverage, the group dispersed the 60th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron to Westover Air Force Base, Massachusetts in August 1950.

Its mission was to maintain and operate base support facilities at Tan Son Nhut Air Base, supporting the 2d Air Division and subordinate units by performing reconnaissance of Vietnam from various detachments flying Douglas RB-26 Invader, Martin RB-57 Canberra, and McDonnell RF-101C Voodoo aircraft.

[2] The 33d Tactical Group performed administrative and maintenance tasks and set up detachments at smaller, outlying airfields, the 33d assuming responsibility for Can Tho and Nha Trang Air Bases.

[35] From 1992 through 2002 the group deployed aircraft and personnel to Saudi Arabia, Canada, the Caribbean, South America, Jamaica, Iceland, Italy, and Puerto Rico and participated in various operations.

In July, the group stopped operating F-15s in anticipation of receiving the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter.

[38] However, the F-35 program was delayed and in January 2011, the group received its first aircraft in 17 months, when four General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft borrowed from the 56th Fighter Wing at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona arrived to prepare the group's instructor pilots for the Lightning II.

[39] Lt Col Christine Mau, the deputy commander of the group, became the first woman to fly the F-35 on 5 May 2015, when she completed her first training flight.