No. 77 Wing RAAF
Encyclopedia
No. 77 Wing was a Royal Australian Air Force
(RAAF) wing of World War II
. The unit formed part of No. 10 Operational Group (later the Australian First Tactical Air Force
) at its establishment in November 1943, when it comprised three squadron
s equipped with A-31 Vengeance
dive bombers. No. 77 Wing commenced operations in early 1944, flying out of Nadzab
, Papua New Guinea. Soon afterwards, however, the Vengeance units were withdrawn from combat and replaced with squadrons flying Bostons, Beaufighters
and Beauforts
. The wing saw action in the assaults on Noemfoor
, Tarakan
, and North Borneo
, by which time it was an all-Beaufighter formation made up of Nos. 22
, 30
and 31 Squadrons
. Its aircraft were to have taken part in the Battle of Balikpapan
in June 1945, but unsuitable landing grounds meant that the Beaufighter units were withdrawn to Morotai
, sitting out the remainder of the war before returning to Australia, where they disbanded in 1946.
component of No. 10 Operational Group (10OG), which was established on 13 November 1943. The group was to act as a mobile strike force capable of supporting Allied ground
and naval
units while they advanced against the Japanese
in the South West Pacific Area
(SWPA), as distinct from the RAAF's area commands in Northern Australia, which had a geographically based static defence function. Led by Wing Commander
E.G. Fyfe, No. 77 Wing consisted of three flying squadrons operating A-31 Vengeance
dive bombers, and various ancillary units. The Vengeances, which had only recently been acquired by Australia, equipped Nos. 21
, 23
and 24 Squadrons
. They were to be protected on their attack missions by 10OG's fighter
component, No. 78 Wing
, operating P-40 Kittyhawks.
Headquartered at Nadzab
, Papua New Guinea, No. 77 Wing only became fully operational on 18 February 1944, following the arrival of Nos. 21 and 23 Squadrons from Lowood, Queensland
. However No. 24 Squadron, which was already based in the theatre of operations, was able to carry out its first sortie on 17 January, bombing targets along Shaggy Ridge
in support of the Australian 7th Division
. Throughout February the Vengeances, escorted by No. 78 Wing Kittyhawks, concentrated on harassing the retreating Japanese 20th Division
, and attacking enemy airfields in the Madang Province
. In March, a decision was made to withdraw the dive bombers from operations due to their inferiority to newer equipment. Three RAAF squadrons—No. 22
flying Bostons, No. 30
flying Beaufighters
, and one other from No. 9 Operational Group
flying Beauforts
—were assigned to the wing as replacements.
.jpg)
With its new squadrons and equipment, No. 77 Wing took part in the Battle of Noemfoor
, commencing in June 1944. Wing headquarters relocated to Noemfoor Island in July, followed by Nos. 22 and 30 Squadrons. This was No. 77 Wing's composition on 25 October 1944, when 10OG's name was changed to the Australian First Tactical Air Force
, ostensibly to emphasise "the formation's impressive size and ambitious purpose". That month, the wing's aircraft were credited with sinking 24 enemy transport ships and barges in support of the Allied landings during the Battle of Leyte
. In November, the wing advanced to the island of Morotai
, where it attacked Japanese airfields, shipping, and infrastructure on Celebes
. By the end of the year, Wing Commander Charles Read
had taken over command of No. 77 Wing, and the formation's complement had been augmented by No. 31 Squadron
, a Beaufighter unit previously based in Darwin, Northern Territory
as part of North Western Area Command. No. 22 Squadron was withdrawn to Noemfoor in December to re-equip with Beaufighters; upon its return No. 77 Wing became an all-Beaufighter formation, operating three squadrons of the type.
During the first week of January 1945, No. 77 Wing's aircraft undertook 142 missions against targets in Halmahera
, Celebes, and Morotai. In May, the Beaufighters provided air cover during Operation Oboe One, the Battle of Tarakan
. In the days leading up to Operation Oboe Six, the Battle of North Borneo
, No. 77 Wing surgically attacked enemy targets at Labuan
, sometimes within only 100 metres of Allied demolition teams laying charges to breach obstacles on the beach prior to the landings. Read personally led No. 31 Squadron into action during the battle on 10 June 1945. He became the first RAAF pilot to land at the newly operational Tarakan
airfield on 28 June. The following month, No. 77 Wing was to have taken part in the final Allied offensive of the Borneo Campaign
, Operation Oboe Two, the Battle of Balikpapan
. However Tarakan proved to be unsuitable for the Beaufighters to operate from, and they were withdrawn to Morotai, where they largely sat out the rest of the Pacific War. The squadrons subsequently returned to Australia, disbanding in mid-1946.
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) 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 unit formed part of No. 10 Operational Group (later 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...
) at its establishment in November 1943, when it comprised three squadron
Squadron (aviation)
A squadron in air force, army aviation or naval aviation is mainly a unit comprising a number of military aircraft, usually of the same type, typically with 12 to 24 aircraft, sometimes divided into three or four flights, depending on aircraft type and air force...
s equipped with A-31 Vengeance
Vultee A-31 Vengeance
The Vultee A-31 Vengeance was an American dive bomber of World War II, built by Vultee Aircraft. The Vengeance was not used in combat by US units, however it served with the British Royal Air Force, the Royal Australian Air Force, and Indian Air Force in Southeast Asia and the Southwest Pacific.The...
dive bombers. No. 77 Wing commenced operations in early 1944, flying out of Nadzab
Nadzab
-History:A Lutheran mission station was established at Nadzab around 1910. Nadzab was the site of the only Allied paratrooper assault in New Guinea on 5 September 1943.The Lae Nadzab Airport is a regional airport served by regional aircraft with domestic flights....
, Papua New Guinea. Soon afterwards, however, the Vengeance units were withdrawn from combat and replaced with squadrons flying Bostons, Beaufighters
Bristol Beaufighter
The Bristol Type 156 Beaufighter, often referred to as simply the Beau, was a British long-range heavy fighter modification of the Bristol Aeroplane Company's earlier Beaufort torpedo bomber design...
and Beauforts
Bristol Beaufighter
The Bristol Type 156 Beaufighter, often referred to as simply the Beau, was a British long-range heavy fighter modification of the Bristol Aeroplane Company's earlier Beaufort torpedo bomber design...
. The wing saw action in the assaults on Noemfoor
Battle of Noemfoor
The Battle of Noemfoor was a battle of World War II that took place on the island of Noemfoor, in Dutch New Guinea, between 2 July and 31 August 1944. United States and Australian forces attacked to capture Japanese bases on the island.-Background:...
, 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...
, and North Borneo
Battle of North Borneo
The Battle of North Borneo took place during the Second World War between Allied and Japanese forces. Part of the wider Borneo campaign of the Pacific War, it was fought between 10 June and 15 August 1945 in North Borneo...
, by which time it was an all-Beaufighter formation made up of Nos. 22
No. 22 Squadron RAAF
No. 22 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force mixed regular and reserve squadron that provides support for the RAAF in the Sydney region. Formed in 1936, the squadron served in Papua New Guinea during the Second World War, and later followed the Pacific war as far as the Philippines...
, 30
No. 30 Squadron RAAF
No. 30 Squadron is a squadron of the Royal Australian Air Force . Raised in 1942 as a fighter unit, the Squadron saw action in the Second World War and later served in the target towing and surface-to-air missile roles. After a long period of disbandment lasting from the late 1960s, No...
and 31 Squadrons
No. 31 Squadron RAAF
No. 31 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force airbase support squadron re-raised in July 2010. The Squadron was first formed in August 1942 and was disbanded in July 1946 after seeing action in the South West Pacific Theatre of World War II.-History:No...
. Its aircraft were to have taken part in 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...
in June 1945, but unsuitable landing grounds meant that the Beaufighter units were withdrawn 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:...
, sitting out the remainder of the war before returning to Australia, where they disbanded in 1946.
History
No. 77 Wing formed the attackClose air support
In military tactics, close air support is defined as air action by fixed or rotary winged aircraft against hostile targets that are close to friendly forces, and which requires detailed integration of each air mission with fire and movement of these forces.The determining factor for CAS is...
component of No. 10 Operational Group (10OG), which was established on 13 November 1943. The group was to act as a mobile strike force capable of supporting Allied ground
Army
An army An army An army (from Latin arma "arms, weapons" via Old French armée, "armed" (feminine), in the broadest sense, is the land-based military of a nation or state. It may also include other branches of the military such as the air force via means of aviation corps...
and naval
Navy
A navy is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake- or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions...
units while they advanced against the Japanese
Empire of Japan
The Empire of Japan is the name of the state of Japan that existed from the Meiji Restoration on 3 January 1868 to the enactment of the post-World War II Constitution of...
in the 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), as distinct from the RAAF's area commands in Northern Australia, which had a geographically based static defence function. Led by 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...
E.G. Fyfe, No. 77 Wing consisted of three flying squadrons operating A-31 Vengeance
Vultee A-31 Vengeance
The Vultee A-31 Vengeance was an American dive bomber of World War II, built by Vultee Aircraft. The Vengeance was not used in combat by US units, however it served with the British Royal Air Force, the Royal Australian Air Force, and Indian Air Force in Southeast Asia and the Southwest Pacific.The...
dive bombers, and various ancillary units. The Vengeances, which had only recently been acquired by Australia, equipped Nos. 21
No. 21 Squadron RAAF
No. 21 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force general reserve squadron. It saw action as a fighter, dive bomber and heavy bomber unit during World War II.-History:...
, 23
No. 23 Squadron RAAF
No. 23 Squadron of the Royal Australian Air Force is a non-flying base operations and training squadron headquartered at RAAF Base Amberley near Brisbane, Queensland. The Squadron was formed in 1937 and saw action during World War II as a bomber squadron.-History:No...
and 24 Squadrons
No. 24 Squadron RAAF
No. 24 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force squadron. The Squadron was formed in 1940 and saw action as a bomber squadron during World War II. Since the end of the war the Squadron has been an RAAF Reserve squadron located near Adelaide, South Australia....
. They were to be protected on their attack missions by 10OG's fighter
Fighter aircraft
A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets...
component, No. 78 Wing
No. 78 Wing RAAF
No. 78 Wing is the Royal Australian Air Force's operational training wing. It is headquartered at RAAF Base Williamtown, New South Wales, and operates the BAE Hawk 127 lead-in fighter. The wing was formed in 1943 and operated P-40 Kittyhawk fighters in the South West Pacific theatre of World War II...
, operating P-40 Kittyhawks.
Headquartered at Nadzab
Nadzab
-History:A Lutheran mission station was established at Nadzab around 1910. Nadzab was the site of the only Allied paratrooper assault in New Guinea on 5 September 1943.The Lae Nadzab Airport is a regional airport served by regional aircraft with domestic flights....
, Papua New Guinea, No. 77 Wing only became fully operational on 18 February 1944, following the arrival of Nos. 21 and 23 Squadrons from Lowood, Queensland
Lowood, Queensland
Lowood is a town in south east Queensland, Australia. The town is located on the Brisbane River, 66 kilometres west of the state capital, Brisbane or 17 km birds line and 31 kilometres north of Ipswich...
. However No. 24 Squadron, which was already based in the theatre of operations, was able to carry out its first sortie on 17 January, bombing targets along Shaggy Ridge
Shaggy Ridge
Shaggy Ridge is a 6.5 kilometre -long, razorback ridge in the Finisterre Range, in north eastern Papua New Guinea. Its highest point is 1,494 metres above sea level...
in support of the Australian 7th Division
Australian 7th Division
The 7th Division was an infantry division of the Australian Army. It was formed in February 1940 to serve in World War II, as part of the Second Australian Imperial Force...
. Throughout February the Vengeances, escorted by No. 78 Wing Kittyhawks, concentrated on harassing the retreating Japanese 20th Division
20th Division (Imperial Japanese Army)
was an infantry division in the Imperial Japanese Army. Its call sign was the .-History:The 20th Division and the 19th Division were raised on 24 December 1915 as a garrison force for Korea. After Japan's victory in the Russo-Japanese War, and subsequent occupation, and then annexation of Korea,...
, and attacking enemy airfields in the Madang Province
Madang Province
Madang is a province on the northern coast of mainland Papua New Guinea. The province has many of the country's highest peaks, active volcanoes and its biggest mix of languages...
. In March, a decision was made to withdraw the dive bombers from operations due to their inferiority to newer equipment. Three RAAF squadrons—No. 22
No. 22 Squadron RAAF
No. 22 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force mixed regular and reserve squadron that provides support for the RAAF in the Sydney region. Formed in 1936, the squadron served in Papua New Guinea during the Second World War, and later followed the Pacific war as far as the Philippines...
flying Bostons, No. 30
No. 30 Squadron RAAF
No. 30 Squadron is a squadron of the Royal Australian Air Force . Raised in 1942 as a fighter unit, the Squadron saw action in the Second World War and later served in the target towing and surface-to-air missile roles. After a long period of disbandment lasting from the late 1960s, No...
flying Beaufighters
Bristol Beaufighter
The Bristol Type 156 Beaufighter, often referred to as simply the Beau, was a British long-range heavy fighter modification of the Bristol Aeroplane Company's earlier Beaufort torpedo bomber design...
, and one other from No. 9 Operational Group
No. 9 Operational Group RAAF
No. 9 Operational Group was a major Royal Australian Air Force unit providing fighter, ground attack and anti-shipping support to the Allies in the South West Pacific theatre during World War II. It was designed to act as a mobile striking force independent of the RAAF's static area commands. As...
flying Beauforts
Bristol Beaufort
The Bristol Beaufort was a British twin-engined torpedo bomber designed by the Bristol Aeroplane Company, and developed from experience gained designing and building the earlier Blenheim light bomber....
—were assigned to the wing as replacements.
Battle of Noemfoor
The Battle of Noemfoor was a battle of World War II that took place on the island of Noemfoor, in Dutch New Guinea, between 2 July and 31 August 1944. United States and Australian forces attacked to capture Japanese bases on the island.-Background:...
, commencing in June 1944. Wing headquarters relocated to Noemfoor Island in July, followed by Nos. 22 and 30 Squadrons. This was No. 77 Wing's composition on 25 October 1944, when 10OG's name was changed to 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...
, ostensibly to emphasise "the formation's impressive size and ambitious purpose". That month, the wing's aircraft were credited with sinking 24 enemy transport ships and barges in support of the Allied landings during the Battle of Leyte
Battle of Leyte
The Battle of Leyte in the Pacific campaign of World War II was the invasion and conquest of the island of Leyte in the Philippines by American and Filipino guerrilla forces under the command of General Douglas MacArthur, who fought against the Imperial Japanese Army in the Philippines led by...
. In November, the wing advanced to the island of 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:...
, where it attacked Japanese airfields, shipping, and infrastructure on Celebes
Sulawesi
Sulawesi is one of the four larger Sunda Islands of Indonesia and is situated between Borneo and the Maluku Islands. In Indonesia, only Sumatra, Borneo, and Papua are larger in territory, and only Java and Sumatra have larger Indonesian populations.- Etymology :The Portuguese were the first to...
. By the end of the year, Wing Commander Charles Read
Charles Read (RAAF officer)
Air Marshal Sir Charles Frederick Read KBE, CB, DFC, AFC is a retired senior commander in the Royal Australian Air Force . He served as Chief of the Air Staff from 1972 to 1975. Born in Sydney, Read joined the RAAF in 1937, and began his career flying biplane fighters. As a Beaufighter pilot, he...
had taken over command of No. 77 Wing, and the formation's complement had been augmented by No. 31 Squadron
No. 31 Squadron RAAF
No. 31 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force airbase support squadron re-raised in July 2010. The Squadron was first formed in August 1942 and was disbanded in July 1946 after seeing action in the South West Pacific Theatre of World War II.-History:No...
, a Beaufighter unit previously based in Darwin, Northern Territory
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...
as part of North Western Area Command. No. 22 Squadron was withdrawn to Noemfoor in December to re-equip with Beaufighters; upon its return No. 77 Wing became an all-Beaufighter formation, operating three squadrons of the type.
During the first week of January 1945, No. 77 Wing's aircraft undertook 142 missions against targets in Halmahera
Halmahera
Halmahera is the largest island in the Maluku Islands. It is part of the North Maluku province of Indonesia.Halmahera has a land area of 17,780 km² and a population in 1995 of 162,728...
, Celebes, and Morotai. In May, the Beaufighters provided air cover during Operation Oboe One, the Battle of Tarakan
Battle of Tarakan
Battle of Tarakan may refer to two actions in the Pacific campaign of World War II, on the island of Tarakan, off the north-east coast of Borneo:* Battle of Tarakan , January 11–12, 1942, the Japanese assault on the island, defeating Allied forces there....
. In the days leading up to Operation Oboe Six, the Battle of North Borneo
Battle of North Borneo
The Battle of North Borneo took place during the Second World War between Allied and Japanese forces. Part of the wider Borneo campaign of the Pacific War, it was fought between 10 June and 15 August 1945 in North Borneo...
, No. 77 Wing surgically attacked enemy targets at Labuan
Labuan
Labuan is a federal territory in East Malaysia. It is an island off the coast of the state of Sabah. Labuan's capital is Victoria and is best known as an offshore financial centre offering international financial and business services via Labuan IBFC since 1990 as well as being an offshore support...
, sometimes within only 100 metres of Allied demolition teams laying charges to breach obstacles on the beach prior to the landings. Read personally led No. 31 Squadron into action during the battle on 10 June 1945. He became the first RAAF pilot to land at the newly operational Tarakan
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:...
airfield on 28 June. The following month, No. 77 Wing was to have taken part in the final Allied offensive of 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...
, Operation Oboe Two, 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...
. However Tarakan proved to be unsuitable for the Beaufighters to operate from, and they were withdrawn to Morotai, where they largely sat out the rest of the Pacific War. The squadrons subsequently returned to Australia, disbanding in mid-1946.