348th Active in SWP by May-June 1943 flying P-47D2's/D5's. They flew early D's up to the D11 until early '44, when they began receiving D23's. Flew the D23's through the Phillipine campaign, transitioning into P-51's in January of '45. Other P-47 groups active early were 35th (who also transitioned into P-51's) and the 58th FG, who finished the war in the Jug. P-47's served in the New Guinea area, Saipan/Tinian/Guam, the Phillipines, and later in April '45, the 318th FG brought the first P-47N to Ie Shima/Okinawa. They were joined shortly thereafter by the 507th and 413th FG. One squadron of the 49th FG transitioned into Jugs when V Fighter Command ran out of P-38's for a short time.
A36's and P-51A's were simultaneously introduced in India and China in September of 1943. First "P-51D's" in the Pacific theater were the F-6D reconnaissance planes that arrived in the Phillipines in November '44--82nd TRS.