[1][2][3][4] The group trained at Colorado Springs until September 1943, when it began moving to the Southwest Pacific Theater[1] During World War II, the group operated primarily in the Southwest Pacific Theater and used Lockheed F-5 Lightnings and Consolidated F-7 Liberators to photograph Japanese airfields, harbors, beach defenses, and personnel areas in New Guinea, the Bismarcks, Borneo, and the southern Philippines.

It reconnoitered target areas and enemy troop positions to provide intelligence for air force and army units.

The group's F-5s and F-7s risked enemy interception and braved severe tropical weather to complete their mission all without fighter escort.

After moving to the Philippines in November 1944, flew missions to Formosa and China, engaged in mapping parts of Luzon and Mindanao], and provided intelligence for US ground forces concerning Japanese movements.

[1] On 1 October 1981, the unit was reconstituted and reactivated as the 6th Tactical Intelligence Group at Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea.