On December 29, AWS-1 personnel boarded the USS White Plains (CVE-66) headed for the Territory of Hawaii. It arrived at Pearl Harbor on January 4, 1944 and was transported to Marine Corps Air Station Ewa. Upon arrival it was reassigned to Marine Aircraft Group 22, 4th Marine Base Defense Aircraft Wing and began training for combat missions in support of the World War II Pacific Campaign. After a short period of time at MCAS Ewa the squadron boarded the USS Mormacport on February 12 and sailed west for its first combat operation.