squadron raaf squadron royal_australian_air_force raaf fighter unit based squadron formed saw extensive action theatre world war operating disbanded reformed following year operated jet aircraft cold war squadron based malta flying malaysia returning australia squadron equipped fighters moved placed alert support australian led deployment saw combat australian contribution invasion iraq military intervention history port bay february march allied position new_guinea pressure japanese aircraft sighted northern australia result priority given basing fighter squadron port new_guinea defend town important airfields port facilities raaf received allocation fighters late february flown queensland form squadron march need reinforce defences pressing squadron allowed days train aircraft deployed commanded initially squadron leader squadron advance party arrived port march aircraft followed 19th squadron leader assumed command 21st month time squadron pilots including commander previously seen combat squadron took march april squadron scored kill afternoon march shot japanese bomber conducting reconnaissance town march attacked japanese destroying aircraft including damaging australian aircraft lost operation crashed separate accidents march japanese launched raid port day squadron action day late march april generally outnumbered japanese aircraft mounting attacks japanese positions frequently escorted squadron dive bombers stationed port squadron casualties quickly mounted exacerbated high rates disease squadron leader jackson shot killed april shortly destroyed japanese fighter younger brother squadron leader assumed command day time squadrons arrived reinforce april squadron reduced aircraft seven need repair squadron withdrawn operations losing aircraft day period port squadron confirmed destroyed japanese aircraft probably destroyed damaged squadron suffered fatalities lost including accidents squadron departed port return australia located later moved followed equipped period received number pilots served equipped squadrons europe late july unit departed queensland returned new_guinea squadron arrived bay july joined squadron equipped time allied base developed bay protect port mount attacks japanese positions new_guinea nearby islands japanese aircraft major raid august intercepted squadrons mid august bay defenders warned target japanese landing august japanese barges sighted heading area vessels destroyed day night august japanese convoy landed invasion force resulting squadrons provided important support allied defenders heavily attacking japanese positions japanese air raids area august withdrawn japanese troops came close returned bay day squadrons later supported allied counter offensive bay ended remaining japanese troops evacuated early september following battle lieutenant general commander stated attacks squadrons day japanese landing decisive factor allied victory september squadron flew sorties support 12th battalion late september australian squadrons bay relieved squadrons squadron subsequently moved period rest returning february command squadron leader deployment squadron operated alongside squadron squadron flew patrols mixed force squadrons inflicted heavy casualties force japanese aircraft bound single australian aircraft lost squadron major air battle war august december squadron issued lightning aircraft photo reconnaissance tasks squadron moved october support allied offensive offensive operations december squadron wing turn formed newly established group formed provide mobile organisation capable supporting new_guinea planned half squadron frequently moved air bases support allied operations based january march march june june july period role provide close air support australian ground troops protect allied shipping air attack squadron stationed july november conducted long range attacks japanese shipping eastern islands renamed tactical air force october time squadron continued form wing alongside squadrons squadron ordered november provide air defence island displeasure pilots considered taken war sorties flown squadron returned december squadron rest wing moved late december squadron arrived december flew operational sorties month attacks japanese positions nearby islands attacks islands continued early squadron flew sorties support troops attacking remaining japanese similar operations seen fighter pilots leaders april officers including group captain wing commander attempted resign protest mutiny squadron participated borneo campaign squadron ground crew landed invasion force early delays bringing island operation meant aircraft deployed mid july originally planned period squadron pilots remained conducted little flying causing morale decline established attacked targets near supported australian forces war weeks following japanese surrender squadron flew reconnaissance patrols prisoner war camps continued general flying later flown queensland ground crew returned australia december board british aircraft carrier squadron suffered fatalities world war cold war december squadron maintained located manned officer airmen aircraft squadron moved near sydney issued aircraft personnel moved september year equipped fighters squadron aircraft routine training exercises disbanded march squadron formed january equipped jet fighters early squadron conducted training exercises included teaching new pilots operate vampires making acceptance flights vampires delivered raaf period key role squadron training pilots combat korean war equipped squadron march decided reform wing deploy malta form british force sought counter soviet_union influence middle_east squadrons selected form wing flying units arrived malta july equipped vampires leased royal_air_force raf based malta wing took numerous training exercises mediterranean region europe including large scale nato exercise involved aircraft personnel addition wing participated royal review commemorate coronation queen elizabeth_ii wing moved raf station june remained returned australia late december preparation return australia squadron disbanded november squadron april initially equipped vampires fighters replaced sabre aircraft early operating squadron number deployments darwin air defence exercises involved raf units december squadron transferred wing independent unit direct command november squadron pilots took emergency deployment darwin indonesian attack feared apparent indonesia malaysia confrontation squadron australian fighter unit equipped fighters december declared operational aircraft august subsequently maintained detachment darwin early following period training squadron transferred malaysia base squadron took regular exercises occasional exercises involving raf squadron trained united_states_air_force united_states_navy occasion including large scale series exercises deployed philippines period based squadron deployed detachments air base singapore basis squadron raaf responsibility units months decided withdraw raaf fighter squadron malaysia darwin pending completion near squadron unit selected arrived darwin october fighter squadron permanently based world war unit began convert moved october year squadron wing close raaf newly developed squadron assigned light transport aircraft january fly supplies facilities current role late squadron placed alert provide close air support air defence protect international forces deployed despite threat posed indonesian forces ultimately required squadron saw action time australian contribution invasion iraq announced deploy squadron middle_east february squadron flew february following outbreak iraq war march squadron initially escort high value coalition aircraft aircraft clear posed threat role squadron shifted providing close air support coalition ground forces air iraqi forces missions initially flown support army squadron later switched supporting marine_corps squadron supported april units captured squadron flew combat sortie april war squadron flew combat missions dropped laser guided bombs operations squadron augmented pilots wing squadrons squadron aircraft returned ground crew arrived day squadron awarded unit citation november sustained outstanding service operations operations iraq operation august group current veteran members squadron travelled commemorate 60th anniversary end pacific war 63rd anniversary squadron remained raaf largest equipped unit squadron regularly exercises units military conducts training facilities squadron scheduled transition lockheed martin lightning fighters late march squadron deployed middle_east operation military intervention aircraft replaced detachment squadron began flying combat operations late month squadron deployed middle_east september handed rotation squadron
No. 75 Squadron RAAF