Following the outbreak of the Second World War in the Pacific in December 1941, the Allies agreed that the United States would have primary responsibility for the region, which was divided into four areas.

The United States Navy was responsible for the South Pacific Area, which extended from New Zealand northwards to the equator and was the region in which the RNZAF was to operate.

[6] However, the RNZAF steadily grew its commitment in the region and soon a number of fighter and bomber squadrons were based in a variety of locations, stretching from New Caledonia to Guadalcanal.

1 (Islands) Group, with Wallingford as commander, was established on Espiritu Santo on 10 March 1943 for the purpose of keeping the various RNZAF units running with supplies, equipment and personnel.

[5][7] An early problem to be dealt with was finding accommodation for the increasing number of personnel and units in the area and soon a dedicated camp construction squadron was established and controlled by the group.

[9] Due to the advance of the American ground forces north through the Solomon Islands, the group's headquarters was relocated to Guadalcanal in January 1944.

[14] Operationally in the final two years of the war, the duties of the RNZAF units primarily focused on support of the ground forces; with the fighter squadrons no longer required to protect bombers due to the non-existent aerial threat presented by Japanese aircraft, they switched to a fighter-bomber role and supported Australian forces operating on Bougainville Island.

[4][15] Once the American ground forces moved beyond the Solomon Islands, the RNZAF squadrons continued to harass the Japanese bases in the region.