703RD ORDNANCE COMPANY (AVIATION) AB
IN AUSTRALIA DURING WWII

The 703rd Ordnance Company (Aviation) AB of the 8th Air Base Group was activated on 20 February 1941 at Langley Field, Va., USA. The unit departed Boston, Massachusetts, USA on about 20 February 1942 aboard the Queen Mary and arrived in Sydney, Australia on 28 March 1942. Major Robert S. Blodgett (USMA 1936) was the Commanding Officer.

They were based at Mascot Airfield in Sydney from late March to July 1942. They departed Australia in July 1942 for Port Moresby, arriving there on 31 July 1942.

The 703rd Ordnance Company (Aviation) AB was attached to the 8th Air Base Group which later in November 1942, became the 8th Service Group and was later redesignated as the 1022nd Ordnance Company (Avn) (AB).

Master Sergeant Frank Campbell (64630) of South Tacoma, Washington State, was the senior enlisted man in the 703rd Ordnance Company and also a veteran of WWI. Unfortunately 44 year old Frank was knocked down and killed by a taxi in Anzac Parade, Kensington, Sydney on Sunday 17 May 1942. He was initially buried in the US Cemetery at Rookwood in Sydney before his body was exhumed some time after 17 November 1947 and then transported to Brisbane by train and then loaded on the USAT Goucher Victory which left Brisbane before Christmas 1947. USAT Goucher Victory then travelled to Guadalcanal where the caskets were unloaded and then loaded onto the USAT Cardinal O'Connell along with 3,346 souls recovered from Guadalcanal. The USAT Cardinal O'Connell then travelled to Hawaii. Master Sergeant Frank Campbell was eventually buried at Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia, USA.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I'd like to thanks Edward Rogers for his assistance with this web page.

Can anyone help me with more information?

"Australia @ War" WWII Research Products

This page first produced 25 September 2022

This page last updated 25 September 2022