78 Fighter SquadronPrint Page

The plaque commemorates 78 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force.

No 78 Squadron, equipped with Kittyhawks, was formed at Camden in New South Wales in July 1943. Operational by October, the Unit moved to Kiriwina Island in November, where the Squadron provided bomber escort and ground attack missions, against targets around Gasmata. A succession of moves bought the Squadron to Hollandia where the unit fought the RAAF`s last major air combat of the Pacific War on 3 June 1944, sixteen Kittyhawks attacked a formation of twelve fighters and three dive-bombers.

For the loss of one aircraft, the Kittyhawks claimed nine enemy aircraft destroyed and six damaged. Subsequent moves took the squadron to Noemfoor, Morotai and finally Tarakan where the Squadron continued its ground attack operations until the end of the war. After returning to Australia in December 1945, No 78 Squadron operated Mustangs for a short period until it disbanded in April 1948.

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