COMMAND STRUCTURE IN THE SOUTH WEST
PACIFIC AREA
DURING WWII
Not long after the Japanese had bombed Pearl Harbour, the 8 ships of the American Pensacola Convoy arrived in Brisbane on 23 December 1941 with approximately 2,400 United States Army Air Corps Troops, 2 Field Artillery Regiments, and over 70 aircraft. This was the first major influx of American personnel into Australia.
On 28 December 1941, Lt. Gen. George H. Brett arrived in Australia to take command of all United States forces. General Barnes was his Chief of Staff and General Brereton was in command of all Air Forces. The Americans headquarters moved from Brisbane to Melbourne. The Americans needed to establish an organisation structure to distribute supplies and personnel throughout Australia. The set up what was known as numbered Base Sections of the United States Armed Forces in Australia (USAFIA).
General Douglas MacArthur escaped the Philippines, and arrived in Melbourne on 21 March 1942. He was appointed Supreme Commander of all Allied Forces in the South West Pacific Area (SWPA). On about 9 April 1942 work started to fit out the empty Trustees Executive building at 408 Collins Street, Melbourne to be MacArthur's headquarters.
American-British-Dutch-Australian Command ABDACOM
Supreme
Allied Command South West Pacific Area
18 April 1942 - 3 May 1942
Allied
Air Force Headquarters
Victoria Barracks, Melbourne
Air Defence Areas for Australia
Composition of the Australian Army in Australia in September 1939
Composition of the Australian Army in Australia in April 1943
Composition of the Australian Army in Australia in September 1943
Command
Structure for Allied Intelligence Organisations
in SWPA, May 1943
RAAF Central Area Headquarters
AMERICAN COMMANDERS
and other officers
AUSTRALIAN COMMANDERS
Maj. Gen A.S. Allen | General Gordon Bennett | General Sir Thomas Blamey |
Air Vice Marshall Bostock | Air Chief Marshall Sir Charles Burnett | Major General Cyril Clowes |
Air Commodore A.H. Cobby | Group Captain William Henry "Bull" Garing | Wing Commander Hancock |
Air Commodore Joseph C. Hewitt | Air Vice Marshall Jones | Lt. Gen. Lavarack |
Air Commodore Lukis | Air Commodore G.J.W. Mackinolty | Air Commodore McCauley |
Lt. Gen Morsehead | Lt. Gen Mackay | Group Captain F.R.W. Scherger |
Wing Commander Walters | Group Captain Cam S. Wiggins | Air Commodore Wrigley |
Other Miscellaneous personnel
Lt. W. L. Hook, Chief Nurse Base Section Three | Captain Alonzo P. Mercier | Nurse Mabel "Robbie" Robertson |
Major General Chih Wang | Sir Leslie Wilson, Governor of Queensland |
This is a very complex topic and will take me some time to work it all out.
So, I need all the help I can get.
American Base Sections in Australia during WW2
Air Defence areas for Australia
REFERENCE
"They Passed This Way"
by Barry Ralph
Can anyone help me with more information?
"Australia @ War" WWII Research Products
© Peter Dunn OAM 2020 |
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This page first produced 20 August 2000
This page last updated 04 July 2020