450TH SERVICE SQUADRON (PROVISIONAL)
REDESIGNATED 48TH SERVICE SQUADRON
REDESIGNATED 480TH SERVICE SQUADRON
IN AUSTRALIA DURING WWII

The 450th Service Squadron (Provisional) was activated at Charleville in Queensland, Australia on 7 September 1942 as per General Orders No. 37, Headquarters United States Army Air Service, SWPA, APO 501. Major Jerry H. Dunkelberger was appointed as the Squadron Commander.

Personnel from the 8th Service Squadron, and Headquarters & Headquarters Squadron of 45th Service Group  were transferred to establish the 450th Service Squadron (Prov). Strength on activation was as follows:-

4 Officers
1 Warrant Officer
199 Enlisted Men

The first echelon comprising heavy motor vehicles departed Charleville for their new station on the same day they were activated. The second echelon comprising light motor vehicles departed for their new station at 6:00am on 9 September 1942. The third echelon departed by train at 1:30pm on 9 September 1942.

The third echelon arrived in Brisbane at 3:30pm on 10 September 1942 moved to Camp Doomben where they waited for further orders. The third echelon departed Brisbane by train at 1:30pm on 15 September 1942 and arrived in Townsville at 6:30am on 17 September 1942. They detrained and relocated to Garbutt Airfield by truck, where they were joined by the first and second echelons and awaited further orders.

All three echelons boarded the SS Maetsucher at the Port of Townsville and set sail northwards at 4:30pm on 25 September 1942. They arrived off Thursday Island at 10:00am on 27 September 1942 where they docked at 4:00pm.

They disembarked and moved to Horn Island by barges between 28 and 30 September 1942. From 1 October 1942 they started to setup camp on Horn Island and dispersed their equipment. On 3 October 1942 they received orders to move, so they started to reload onboard SS Sea Witch. A lack of docking facilities and barges slowed down their loading operations. The Squadron was split into three shifts working eight hours each until everything was loaded.

Their Historical Data Resume (listed below) states that they departed Thursday Island at 8:00am on 6 October 1942. I assume this means they had earlier relocated from Horn Island to Thursday Island on the SS Sea Witch.

They arrived at Port Moresby at 12 Noon on 8 October 1942.They unloaded equipment and moved it to the Sports Ground and the personnel camped at Murray Barracks.

On 10 October 1942 the first movement of equipment and personnel left Port Moresby by barge for Kanosia.

Orders were received redesignating the Squadron to the 48th Service Squadron on 27 October 1942 under General Orders No. 24, Headquarters Fifth Air Force dated 30 October 1942 and made effective 7 September 1942.

An advance detail of 50 men moved to Dobodura by air on 31 December 1942 to setup camp and to salvage wrecked Japanese aircraft. The Squadron was the first Air Corps unit in the Buna area. A detail of seven men were sent to the Buna strip to salvage wrecked Mitsubishi A6M3 Type 32 Zekes. Four of the men accompanied the wrecks back to Hangar 7 at Eagle Farm Airfield in Brisbane where they assisted the Allied Technical Air Intelligence Unit, who worked out of Hangar 7, to build a flying Type 32 Zero. It made its first flight on 20 July 1943.

On 1 April 1943, the 48th Service Squadron was redesignated to the 480th Service Squadron per General Order No. 62, Headquarters Fifth Air Force dated 1 April 1943 and made effective 7 October 1942.

REFERENCES

"Historical Data Resume - Period: 7 September 1942 to 31 December 1944" 480th Service Squadron (Previously 450th Service Squadron), 59th Air Service Group

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"Australia @ War" WWII Research Products

This page first produced 9 May 2023

This page last updated 24 May 2023