It was part of the island's defenses until entering into combat during World War II in the Southwest Pacific Area as a night fighter squadron in 1944.

The origins of the unit date to 29 June 1913 when Lieutenant Harold Geiger, along with about 12 enlisted men and a civilian engine expert, George B. Purington, left the Army aerodrome at North Island (later Rockwell Field), San Diego, California to establish an air school in Hawaii.

Captain John B. Brooks and 49 men arrived from Rockwell Field on 13 March 1917 and the 6th Aero Squadron was officially activated.

[2] Captain Curry was informed that the aircraft being sent to Hawaii to equip the squadron would be flying boats, and he was to find a location near the water.

[3] Curry chose Ford Island in Pearl Harbor as the permanent base for the 6th Squadron for several reasons: "It had excellent approaches and plenty of water for landings and take-offs.

[4] The squadron remained in Hawaii throughout the United States involvement in World War I and did not deploy to the Western Front in France.

[4] On 15 August 1919, the 2d Group (Observation) was formed in Hawaii by the Air Service, the 6th Aero Squadron being assigned on 15 September.

Along with the reorganization of units, the 6th began to receive newer aircraft, surplus Dayton-Wright DH-4s and Curtiss JN-6s from World War I, along with a captured Fokker D.VIII from Germany and a Thomas-Morse MB-3 that arrived in 1922.

Another airfield was needed to accommodate the growth, and the first detachment of twenty men started clearing land south of Schofield Barracks for Wheeler Field in February 1922.

It was re-equipped with some P-40C Warhawks that were shipped in from the states and the squadron resumed air defense flights in the surrounding waters.

Eight months later, in November, enemy night bombers sank one and damaged three Allied ships at Bougainville Island.

Japanese night bombers launched a major effort to disrupt the construction of U.S. airfields on Saipan needed for the Boeing B-29 Superfortress campaign against the home islands.

In thirty-seven attempts at interception from 24 June to 21 July, the defense of the island made twenty-seven airborne radar contacts and claimed three kills.

[7] A typical Japanese aerial assault force consisted of a dozen Mitsubishi G4M Betty bombers flying twenty miles apart.

Black Widows from the 6th and 548th Night Fighter Squadrons downed five additional enemy intruders before the attacks stopped in January 1945.