[5] The squadron trained with North American B-25 Mitchell medium bombers until April 1943, when it departed for the Southwest Pacific Theater.

[2][4] The squadron had originally been slated for deployment to the European Theater of Operations, but was diverted to the Pacific at the request of General George C. Kenney following the successful use of medium bombers in the Battle of the Bismarck Sea.

[5] Staging through Australia, the unit reached its combat station near Port Moresby, New Guinea in early June 1943.

[4] On 2 November 1943, the squadron flew a series of attacks on flak positions, coastal defenses and barracks at Rabaul, a major Japanese naval base in New Britain.

[2] In July 1945, the squadron moved to Ie Shima Airfield in the Ryuku Islands, from which it was able to attack shipping in the Sea of Japan and carry out a few raids on Kyushu.

It trained to maintain combat proficiency in locating, attacking, and destroying targets from all altitudes and under all conditions of weather and light.