No. 61 Wing RAAF
Encyclopedia
No. 61 Wing was a Royal Australian Air Force
(RAAF) airfield construction wing of World War II
. The wing was formed in January 1943 and was disbanded in November 1945. During the war No. 61 Wing and the units under its command served in the North Western Area
and South West Pacific Area
(SWPA) and played a significant role in supporting RAAF and United States Army Air Forces
(USAAF) operations.
, Melbourne on 7 January 1943. It was intended that the wing would command No. 1, No. 3, No. 8 and No. 9 Mobile Works Squadrons as well as No. 11 Works Supply Unit and No. 12 Survey and Design Unit. Several of these units were either being formed or were planned to be established in the future. At the end of January the Wing's Headquarters had a strength of 7 officers and 52 airmen and was in the process of moving to the vicinity of Darwin
. By April 1943 No. 61 Wing had several airfield construction squadrons under its command in the Darwin area. All of the wing's units arrived at Darwin by July 1943, though No. 1 Mobile Works Squadron was redeployed to Victoria
shortly afterwards as it had completed twelve months service in the tropics. Before departing the squadron was split to form No. 14 Mobile Works Squadron on 20 July, which remained at Darwin. During early 1944 No. 61 Wing built a 10000 feet (3,048 m) long runway at Darwin to accommodate a proposed deployment of one hundred USAAF B-29 Superfortress heavy bombers. While the airfield was completed, no B-29s were ever based in Darwin as they were instead deployed to India to attack targets in Japan and East Asia as part of Operation Matterhorn
.
In June 1944 a decision was made to transfer No. 61 Wing from the Darwin area to New Guinea
where it would support the Allied advance towards the Philippines
. This was opposed by the Commander of the North Western Area, Air Vice Marshal Adrian Cole
, who wanted the wing to take part in an operation which was being planned to capture Selaru
island in the Netherlands East Indies
(NEI); this operation was effectively cancelled on 7 June, however. No. 61 Wing left Darwin in August and arrived at Morotai
in the NEI on 18 September, three days after United States Army
forces had first landed on the island in the Battle of Morotai
. No. 14 Airfield Construction Squadron landed on Morotai on 18 September and began work on building airfields the next day. Shortly before this operation began No. 12 Survey and Design Unit was absorbed into No. 61 Wing's headquarters on 12 September.
On 25 October 1944 the main units of No. 61 Wing were its headquarters, No. 3 Airfield Construction Squadron and No. 14 Airfield Construction Squadron, all of which were located at Morotai. At this time the Wing came under the command of the Australian First Tactical Air Force
(1TAF), which was the RAAF's main mobile formation. In November No. 3 Airfield Construction Squadron was selected to participate in the liberation of Mindoro
in the central Philippines while No. 14 Airfield Construction Squadron remained at Morotai to complete and maintain facilities there alongside army engineer units. A liaison party comprising 16 personnel from No. 61 Wing accompanied No. 3 Airfield Construction Squadron.
During the last months of the war No. 61 Wing took part in the Australian-led Borneo Campaign
. On 1 May 1945 No. 1 and No. 8 Airfield Construction Squadrons landed on Tarakan Island
during the first day of the Battle of Tarakan
. After the island's airfield was captured on 5 May the two squadrons began work on repairing and extending it. The airfield had been seriously damaged by Allied pre-invasion attacks and was waterlogged, however, and could not be made ready for use until 28 June. No. 61 Wing's headquarters and No. 2, No. 3, No. 6 and No. 8 Airfield Construction Squadrons subsequently landed at Balikpapan
in Borneo on 6 July and undertook construction tasks near the town during the Battle of Balikpapan
. Following the war No. 61 Wing's headquarters was disbanded at Morotai on 22 November 1945.
Royal Australian Air Force
The Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...
(RAAF) airfield construction wing of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The wing was formed in January 1943 and was disbanded in November 1945. During the war No. 61 Wing and the units under its command served in the North Western Area
North Western Area Campaign
The North-Western Area Campaign was an air campaign fought between the Allied and Japanese air forces over northern Australia and the Netherlands East Indies between 1942 and 1945...
and South West Pacific Area
South West Pacific theatre of World War II
The South West Pacific Theatre, technically the South West Pacific Area, between 1942 and 1945, was one of two designated area commands and war theatres enumerated by the Combined Chiefs of Staff of World War II in the Pacific region....
(SWPA) and played a significant role in supporting RAAF and United States Army Air Forces
United States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II, and the direct predecessor of the United States Air Force....
(USAAF) operations.
History
No. 61 Wing was established at Camp Pell in Royal ParkRoyal Park, Melbourne
Royal Park is the largest of Melbourne's inner city parks . It is located north of the Melbourne Central Business District, Victoria, Australia, in the suburb of Parkville....
, Melbourne on 7 January 1943. It was intended that the wing would command No. 1, No. 3, No. 8 and No. 9 Mobile Works Squadrons as well as No. 11 Works Supply Unit and No. 12 Survey and Design Unit. Several of these units were either being formed or were planned to be established in the future. At the end of January the Wing's Headquarters had a strength of 7 officers and 52 airmen and was in the process of moving to the vicinity of Darwin
Darwin, Northern Territory
Darwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. Situated on the Timor Sea, Darwin has a population of 127,500, making it by far the largest and most populated city in the sparsely populated Northern Territory, but the least populous of all Australia's capital cities...
. By April 1943 No. 61 Wing had several airfield construction squadrons under its command in the Darwin area. All of the wing's units arrived at Darwin by July 1943, though No. 1 Mobile Works Squadron was redeployed to Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
shortly afterwards as it had completed twelve months service in the tropics. Before departing the squadron was split to form No. 14 Mobile Works Squadron on 20 July, which remained at Darwin. During early 1944 No. 61 Wing built a 10000 feet (3,048 m) long runway at Darwin to accommodate a proposed deployment of one hundred USAAF B-29 Superfortress heavy bombers. While the airfield was completed, no B-29s were ever based in Darwin as they were instead deployed to India to attack targets in Japan and East Asia as part of Operation Matterhorn
Operation Matterhorn
Operation Matterhorn was a military operations plan of the United States Army Air Forces in World War II for the strategic bombing of Japanese forces by B-29 Superfortresses based in India and China. Targets included Japan itself, and Japanese bases in China and South East Asia...
.
In June 1944 a decision was made to transfer No. 61 Wing from the Darwin area to New Guinea
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
where it would support the Allied advance towards the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. This was opposed by the Commander of the North Western Area, Air Vice Marshal Adrian Cole
Adrian Cole
Adrian Cole , writer.He was born in Plymouth, Devonshire in 1949. He is known for his Dream Lords trilogy, the Omaran Saga and Star Requiem series, and his young adult novels, Moorstones and The Sleep of Giants....
, who wanted the wing to take part in an operation which was being planned to capture Selaru
Selaru
Selaru is an island in Indonesia in the Tanimbar Islands group, Southeast Maluku. It is located south of Yamdena.-External links:**...
island in the Netherlands East Indies
Dutch East Indies
The Dutch East Indies was a Dutch colony that became modern Indonesia following World War II. It was formed from the nationalised colonies of the Dutch East India Company, which came under the administration of the Netherlands government in 1800....
(NEI); this operation was effectively cancelled on 7 June, however. No. 61 Wing left Darwin in August and arrived at Morotai
Morotai
Morotai Island Regency is a regency of North Maluku province, Indonesia, located on Morotai Island. The population was 54,876 in 2007.-History:...
in the NEI on 18 September, three days after United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
forces had first landed on the island in the Battle of Morotai
Battle of Morotai
The Battle of Morotai, part of the Pacific War, began on September 15, 1944, and continued until the war ended in August 1945. The fighting began when United States and Australian forces landed on the south-west corner of Morotai, a small island in the Netherlands East Indies , which the Allies...
. No. 14 Airfield Construction Squadron landed on Morotai on 18 September and began work on building airfields the next day. Shortly before this operation began No. 12 Survey and Design Unit was absorbed into No. 61 Wing's headquarters on 12 September.
On 25 October 1944 the main units of No. 61 Wing were its headquarters, No. 3 Airfield Construction Squadron and No. 14 Airfield Construction Squadron, all of which were located at Morotai. At this time the Wing came under the command of the Australian First Tactical Air Force
Australian First Tactical Air Force
The Australian First Tactical Air Force was formed on 25 October 1944 by the Royal Australian Air Force . Its purpose was to provide a mobile force of fighter and ground attack aircraft that could support Allied army and naval units fighting the Empire of Japan in the South West Pacific Area...
(1TAF), which was the RAAF's main mobile formation. In November No. 3 Airfield Construction Squadron was selected to participate in the liberation of Mindoro
Battle of Mindoro
The Battle of Mindoro was a battle in World War II between forces of the United States and Japan, in Mindoro Island in the central Philippines, from 13-16 December 1944, during the Philippines campaign....
in the central Philippines while No. 14 Airfield Construction Squadron remained at Morotai to complete and maintain facilities there alongside army engineer units. A liaison party comprising 16 personnel from No. 61 Wing accompanied No. 3 Airfield Construction Squadron.
During the last months of the war No. 61 Wing took part in the Australian-led Borneo Campaign
Borneo campaign (1945)
The Borneo Campaign of 1945 was the last major Allied campaign in the South West Pacific Area, during World War II. In a series of amphibious assaults between 1 May and 21 July, the Australian I Corps, under General Leslie Morshead, attacked Japanese forces occupying the island. Allied naval and...
. On 1 May 1945 No. 1 and No. 8 Airfield Construction Squadrons landed on Tarakan Island
Tarakan Island
Tarakan is an island off the coast of East Kalimantan, Indonesia. It is a marshy island situated in the eastern Celebes Sea, off the northeastern coast of Borneo. The island occupies an area of .-Petroleum:...
during the first day of the Battle of Tarakan
Battle of Tarakan (1945)
The Battle of Tarakan was the first stage in the Borneo campaign of 1945. It began with an amphibious landing by Australian forces on 1 May, code-named Operation Oboe One...
. After the island's airfield was captured on 5 May the two squadrons began work on repairing and extending it. The airfield had been seriously damaged by Allied pre-invasion attacks and was waterlogged, however, and could not be made ready for use until 28 June. No. 61 Wing's headquarters and No. 2, No. 3, No. 6 and No. 8 Airfield Construction Squadrons subsequently landed at Balikpapan
Balikpapan
Balikpapan is a seaport city on the eastern coast of the island of Borneo, Indonesia, in the East Kalimantan province, a resource-rich region well known for its timber, mining, and petroleum export products. Two harbors, Semayang and Kariangau , and the Sepinggan International Airport are the main...
in Borneo on 6 July and undertook construction tasks near the town during the Battle of Balikpapan
Battle of Balikpapan (1945)
The Battle of Balikpapan was the concluding stage of the Borneo campaign . The landings took place on 1 July 1945. The Australian 7th Division, composed of the 18th, 21st and 25th Infantry Brigades, with support troops, made an amphibious landing, codenamed Operation Oboe Two a few miles north of...
. Following the war No. 61 Wing's headquarters was disbanded at Morotai on 22 November 1945.