MacDonald Airfield was an airfield built alongside the former northern road, west of Stuart Highway

Stuart Highway

The Stuart Highway is one of Australia's major highways. It is a segment of Australia's Highway 1 extending from Darwin, Northern Territory, in the north, via Tennant Creek and Alice Springs, to Port Augusta, South Australia, in the south—a distance of...

, north of Pine Creek, Northern Territory

Pine Creek, Northern Territory

Pine Creek is a small town in the Katherine region of the Northern Territory, Australia. According to the 2001 Australian census 665 people live in Pine Creek, which is the fourth largest town between Darwin and Alice Springs....

, Australia

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

 during 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 airfield was constructed by the 43rd Engineer Regiment (US Army) in March 1942 with further improvements undertaken by the 808th Engineer Aviation Battalion between 11 May 1942 and 16 July 1942 and later by the Allied Works Council

Allied Works Council

The Allied Works Council was an organisation set up to oversee and organise military construction works in Australia during World War II.Established in February 1942, the Allied Works Council was responsible for carrying out any works required by the Allied Forces including providing any equipment,...

 and No 1 Airfield Construction Unit RAAF.

Originally known as Burkholder Field , the runway was 6000 feet (1,828.8 m) long and 100 feet (30.5 m) wide. Renamed MacDonald Airfield in honour of Wing Commander

Wing Commander (rank)

Wing commander is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries...

 JRG McDonald of No. 13 Squadron RAAF

No. 13 Squadron RAAF

No. 13 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force squadron. The Squadron saw combat during World War II as a bomber and maritime patrol squadron and is currently active as a mixed regular and reserve RAAF unit located in Darwin, fulfilling both operational support and training duties.-History:No. 13...

 who was killed at Laha

Laha

Laha can refer to:* Laha airfield, Ambon Island * Laha , town in Nehe City, Heilongjiang, China* Laha language, a Kra language of Vietnam* Laha people, an ethnic group in Vietnam...

 on 10 December 1941.

The Royal Australian Air Force

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...

 occupied the base on 24 November 1942 when No. 54 Operational Base Unit administered the base.

The airfield became an Australian Army

Australian Army

The Australian Army is Australia's military land force. It is part of the Australian Defence Force along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. While the Chief of Defence commands the Australian Defence Force , the Army is commanded by the Chief of Army...

 communication camp and was abandoned in 1945.

Units based at MacDonald Airfield

• 43rd Engineer Regiment (US Army)
• 808th Engineer Aviation Battalion
• No. 1 Airfield Construction Unit RAAF
• No. 18 (Netherlands East Indies) Squadron RAAF
  No. 18 (Netherlands East Indies) Squadron RAAF
  No. 18 Squadron was a joint Dutch and Australian bomber squadron of World War II.-History:No. 18 Squadron was formed at Canberra on 4 April 1942. Like the other two joint Australian-Dutch squadrons the Dutch authorities provided No. 18 Squadron's pilots and aircraft...
  
   (B-25
  B-25 Mitchell
  The North American B-25 Mitchell was an American twin-engined medium bomber manufactured by North American Aviation. It was used by many Allied air forces, in every theater of World War II, as well as many other air forces after the war ended, and saw service across four decades.The B-25 was named...
  
  ) – (18 January 1943 till 7 May 1943)
• No. 54 Operational Base Unit RAAF