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WE WENT TO WAR
Part III: OUR BROTHERS-AT-ARMS
Members of the RAAF Liberator Squadrons of Australia
Who Served Directly With the 380th Bomb Group
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Compiled by
INTRODUCTION
The Royal Australian Air Force during World War II had always had an interest in establishing a heavy bomber arm in order to better carry out their offensive air mission against the Japanese.
The impending move of the Fifth Air Force of the USAAF (including the 380th Bomb Group based in Darwin, Northern Territory) to the Philippines, following the invasion of these islands, in late 1944-early 1945, made such an acquisition imperative. Accordingly, the RAAF acquired a total of 287 Liberator aircraft including D, J, L, and M models and cooperated with the Crew Replacement and Training Center of the Fifth Air Force to give conversion training in the Liberator to selected RAAF air crews.
Initial combat training was with an active USAAF Heavy Bomb Group. These included the 43rd and 90th but particularly the 380th since the 380th was serving in the combat area to be later covered by the Australian heavy bomber force. In addition, the 380th had been serving under the Australian North West Area Command and under Australian operational command.
Accordingly, 52 Australian air crews served with the 380th (13 each in four successive periods) to acquire 100 combat flying hours on regular 380th missions of all types. Australians flew both a complete Australian crew and as individuals in mixed crews with American compatriots. At the conclusion of this service, they then formed their own squadrons for later Australian-only operations.
This roster lists all Australian personnel known to have served with the 380th, in both Flight Crews and Ground Staff position. The first part of the roster presents all personnel in alphabetical order, the second part presents the Flight Crews in alphabetical order of the crew Aircraft Commander.
The authors regret any mistakes that may have crept into this compilation and we take full responsibility for such. We will welcome any comments or corrections from the readers of this book and the other parts of this compilation, and will make every effort to correct them. Therefore, we hope you will let us know of any such errors.
For a list of the errors found to date, please click here.
Every attempt has been made to get permission to use photographs, drawings, information, etc., when the sources were known. If copyrighted material appears here, please let us know so permission can be requested and credit given. If you have any photos, corrections, or other information to add to this history, please send email to Barbara Gotham at 380th.ww2@gmail.com or use our Comment Form.
We will incorporate all corrections and additional data which we receive in this compilation as maintained at this website.
ISBN 0-9672447-2-2
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 99-72900
Copyright © 1999 by Theodore J. Williams
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, mechanical, photo-copying, recording, or otherwise, for commercial purposes, without the prior written permission of the publisher. However, private use for historical research or related purposes is hereby granted on condition that credit be given to this publication and its authors.
Published by:
Theodore J. Williams
208 Chippewa Street
West Lafayette, IN 47906-2123 USA
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| Alphabetical Rosters by Squadron of Australian Personnel: | Flight Crew Rosters by Squadron: | |||
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Roster of Group Headquarters |  |
Australian Flight Crews of the 528th Squadron | |
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Roster of the 528th Squadron |  |
Australian Flight Crews of the 529th Squadron | |
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Roster of the 529th Squadron |  |
Australian Flight Crews of the 530th Squadron | |
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Roster of the 530th Squadron |  |
Australian Flight Crews of the 531st Squadron | |
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Roster of the 531st Squadron | |||
| Abbreviated Roster - All Squadrons & Group HQ | ||||