 Crews from the group's 75th and 390th squadrons trained with B-25s at Hammer Field and McClellan Field in California before the air echelon departed for its new assignment on 6 March.One aircraft was lost en route to Hickam Field on the first leg of this shipment.The group's ground echelon assembled at Camp Stoneman for overseas shipment aboard the and the , departing for Noumea on 27 and 28 March.