 Re-equipped and used as Seventh Air Force training unit; also flew reconnaissance patrols over Hawaii until late 1943.Deployed to Central Pacific as part of Seventh Air Force island hopping campaign against Japanese in late 1943.Flew combat missions from Makin Island using P-39 Airacobra fighters until April 1944, returning to Hawaii and being re-equipped and trained with long-range P-51 Mustangs.