No. 80 Squadron RAAF
Encyclopedia
No. 80 Squadron was a Royal Australian Air Force
(RAAF) fighter squadron of World War II
. The squadron was formed in September 1943 and was disbanded in July 1946 after seeing action in the South West Pacific Theatre
of the war.
on 10 September 1943 and was equipped with P-40 Kittyhawk
fighter aircraft. It moved to Aitkenvale
on 9 October and commenced flight training. On 13 November it became part of RAAF's main mobile unit, No. 10 Operational Group
, upon its formation. This group's main role was to support the rapid advance of Allied units along the north coast of New Guinea
. Once its training was completed the squadron moved again to Nadzab
in New Guinea
on 24 February 1944.
The squadron flew its first combat sorties two days after arriving in New Guinea. Its initial operations included patrols around Nadzab, escorting Allied bombers and ground attack missions against Japanese forces in and around Alexishafen and Madang
. The squadron moved to Cape Gloucester
, New Britain
on 21 March to escort convoys and conduct armed reconnaissance patrols. It moved again on 29 April to Tadji
on the New Guinea mainland where it flew patrols to protect the Allied landing at Hollandia
. The squadron moved to Hollandia after it was secured, arriving there on 15 May.
No. 80 Squadron continued to support Allied amphibious operations between May and July 1944. In May it covered the invasions Wakde
and Biak
from its base at Hollandia. This included attacking targets near the beachhead
at Wakde while US troops landed. The squadron moved twice in July, arriving at Biak on 1 July and Noemfoor
on 22 July. From its base at Noemfoor, No. 80 Squadron conducted ground attack operations over western New Guinea and the eastern islands of the Netherlands East Indies
. These operations included attacks on Japanese watercraft and sawmills around Kokas Island and sweeps over the Maluku Islands
in October.
No. 10 Group, of which No. 80 Squadron was still part, was redesignated the First Tactical Air Force on 25 October 1944. On 15 January 1945, four of No. 80 Squadron's pilots were ferrying Kittyhawks from Noemfoor to Morotai
when they missed their destination and had to land on the Japanese-held Talaud Islands
, where they were captured and executed. The unit completed its move to Morotai on 21 January, where it continued to operate over the Maluku Islands. The shortage of worthwhile targets in this area caused morale to decline in No. 80 Squadron and other RAAF units in the area from the end of 1944.
No. 80 Squadron was taken off operational status on 11 April 1945 to prepare for the Borneo Campaign
. Later that month its commander, Squadron Leader John Waddy
, participated in the so-called "Morotai Mutiny
" as a protest against what he and seven other senior pilots saw as the misuse of the First Tactical Air Force in unimportant operations. While No. 80 Squadron's ground crew landed at Tarakan
in early May, delays with repairing the island's airfield meant that the squadron's aircraft were unable to move forward until 22 July. The limited flying opportunities for the squadron's pilots in this period further reduced their morale. Once established at Tarakan, No. 80 Squadron flew close air support operations during the Battle of Balikpapan
, but found few worthwhile targets.
Following the Japanese surrender No. 80 Squadron flew reconnaissance patrols over Japanese-occupied areas. The amount of flying was limited from September, however. In late 1945 the squadron's personnel embarked aboard the British aircraft carrier which carried them to Sydney
via Manus Island
. Glory arrived at Sydney on 12 December 1945 and the members of the squadron from New South Wales
proceeded to Deniliquin and the remainder were sent on leave. No. 80 Squadron's strength was rapidly decreased, and it comprised only six men by 31 December. The last personnel left the unit on 9 May 1946 and it was disbanded on 11 July that year.
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) fighter squadron 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 squadron was formed in September 1943 and was disbanded in July 1946 after seeing action in the South West Pacific Theatre
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....
of the war.
History
No. 80 Squadron was formed at Townsville, QueenslandTownsville, Queensland
Townsville is a city on the north-eastern coast of Australia, in the state of Queensland. Adjacent to the central section of the Great Barrier Reef, it is in the dry tropics region of Queensland. Townsville is Australia's largest urban centre north of the Sunshine Coast, with a 2006 census...
on 10 September 1943 and was equipped with P-40 Kittyhawk
Curtiss P-40
The Curtiss P-40 Warhawk was an American single-engine, single-seat, all-metal fighter and ground attack aircraft that first flew in 1938. The P-40 design was a modification of the previous Curtiss P-36 Hawk which reduced development time and enabled a rapid entry into production and operational...
fighter aircraft. It moved to Aitkenvale
Aitkenvale, Queensland
Aitkenvale is a suburb of Townsville, North Queensland, Australia. It is named after Thomas Aitken, the original grantee of Portion 38, Parish of Coonambelah. He began subdividing the property during the 1880s, putting 440 quarter-acre residential allotments on the market in 1885...
on 9 October and commenced flight training. On 13 November it became part of RAAF's main mobile unit, No. 10 Operational Group
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...
, upon its formation. This group's main role was to support the rapid advance of Allied units along the north coast of 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...
. Once its training was completed the squadron moved again to Nadzab
Lae Nadzab Airport
Lae Nadzab Airport is a regional airport located in Lae, Papua New Guinea. It is served by regional aircraft with domestic flight.-Airlines and destinations:-History:...
in 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...
on 24 February 1944.
The squadron flew its first combat sorties two days after arriving in New Guinea. Its initial operations included patrols around Nadzab, escorting Allied bombers and ground attack missions against Japanese forces in and around Alexishafen and Madang
Madang
Madang is the capital of Madang Province and is a town with a population of 27,420 on the north coast of Papua New Guinea. It was first settled by the Germans in the 19th century....
. The squadron moved to Cape Gloucester
Cape Gloucester
Cape Gloucester is a headland, in the northwest of the island of New Britain, Papua New Guinea, at . During World War II, the Japanese captured New Britain, and had driven most of Cape Gloucester's native population out to construct two airfields...
, New Britain
New Britain
New Britain, or Niu Briten, is the largest island in the Bismarck Archipelago of Papua New Guinea. It is separated from the island of New Guinea by the Dampier and Vitiaz Straits and from New Ireland by St. George's Channel...
on 21 March to escort convoys and conduct armed reconnaissance patrols. It moved again on 29 April to Tadji
Tadji, Papua New Guinea
Tadji is a small town on the north coast of Papua New Guinea in the Sandaun Province. It is located to the east of Aitape....
on the New Guinea mainland where it flew patrols to protect the Allied landing at Hollandia
Operations Reckless and Persecution
Operation Reckless, known as the Landing at Hollandia and Operation Persecution known as the Aitape landing, were Allied amphibious landings which commenced the Western New Guinea campaign. Both operations commenced on 22 April 1944....
. The squadron moved to Hollandia after it was secured, arriving there on 15 May.
No. 80 Squadron continued to support Allied amphibious operations between May and July 1944. In May it covered the invasions Wakde
Battle of Wakde
The Battle of Wakde was part of the New Guinea campaign of World War II. It was fought between the United States and Japan from 15 May 1944 to 18 May 1944....
and Biak
Battle of Biak
The Battle of Biak was part of the New Guinea campaign of World War II. It was fought between the United States Army and the Japanese Army from May 27 to June 22, 1944. It was the first major tactical use of an ambush by the Japanese during the war....
from its base at Hollandia. This included attacking targets near the beachhead
Beachhead
Beachhead is a military term used to describe the line created when a unit reaches a beach, and begins to defend that area of beach, while other reinforcements help out, until a unit large enough to begin advancing has arrived. It is sometimes used interchangeably with Bridgehead and Lodgement...
at Wakde while US troops landed. The squadron moved twice in July, arriving at Biak on 1 July and Noemfoor
Noemfoor
Numfor is one of the Biak Islands in Papua province, Indonesia. It was the site of conflict between Japanese and the Allied forces during World War II, and was major airbase for both sides.-Geography:The island is situated just north of the large Cenderawasih Bay...
on 22 July. From its base at Noemfoor, No. 80 Squadron conducted ground attack operations over western New Guinea and the eastern islands of 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....
. These operations included attacks on Japanese watercraft and sawmills around Kokas Island and sweeps over the Maluku Islands
Maluku Islands
The Maluku Islands are an archipelago that is part of Indonesia, and part of the larger Maritime Southeast Asia region. Tectonically they are located on the Halmahera Plate within the Molucca Sea Collision Zone...
in October.
No. 10 Group, of which No. 80 Squadron was still part, was redesignated the First Tactical Air Force on 25 October 1944. On 15 January 1945, four of No. 80 Squadron's pilots were ferrying Kittyhawks from Noemfoor to 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:...
when they missed their destination and had to land on the Japanese-held Talaud Islands
Talaud Islands
Talaud Islands is a group of islands located north of Sulawesi island in Indonesia, northeast of the Sangihe Islands...
, where they were captured and executed. The unit completed its move to Morotai on 21 January, where it continued to operate over the Maluku Islands. The shortage of worthwhile targets in this area caused morale to decline in No. 80 Squadron and other RAAF units in the area from the end of 1944.
No. 80 Squadron was taken off operational status on 11 April 1945 to prepare for the 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...
. Later that month its commander, Squadron Leader John Waddy
John Lloyd Waddy
John Lloyd Waddy OBE, DFC was a senior officer and aviator in the Royal Australian Air Force , who later served as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly and Minister of the Crown...
, participated in the so-called "Morotai Mutiny
Morotai Mutiny
The "Morotai Mutiny" was an incident in April 1945 involving members of the Australian First Tactical Air Force based on the island of Morotai, in the Dutch East Indies...
" as a protest against what he and seven other senior pilots saw as the misuse of the First Tactical Air Force in unimportant operations. While No. 80 Squadron's ground crew landed at Tarakan
Tarakan
Tarakan volcano is located in Indonesia's Halmahera islands, near the shore of Galela Bay north east of Dukono volcano. Tarakan consists of two large cinder cones, namely Tarakan Lamo and Tarakan Itji ....
in early May, delays with repairing the island's airfield meant that the squadron's aircraft were unable to move forward until 22 July. The limited flying opportunities for the squadron's pilots in this period further reduced their morale. Once established at Tarakan, No. 80 Squadron flew close air support operations 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...
, but found few worthwhile targets.
Following the Japanese surrender No. 80 Squadron flew reconnaissance patrols over Japanese-occupied areas. The amount of flying was limited from September, however. In late 1945 the squadron's personnel embarked aboard the British aircraft carrier which carried them to Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
via Manus Island
Manus Island
Manus Island is part of Manus Province in northern Papua New Guinea and is the largest island of the Admiralty Islands. It is the fifth largest island in Papua New Guinea with an area of 2,100 km², measuring around 100 km × 30 km. According to the 2000 census, Manus Island had a...
. Glory arrived at Sydney on 12 December 1945 and the members of the squadron from New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
proceeded to Deniliquin and the remainder were sent on leave. No. 80 Squadron's strength was rapidly decreased, and it comprised only six men by 31 December. The last personnel left the unit on 9 May 1946 and it was disbanded on 11 July that year.