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147th Field Artillery Regiment South DakotaPrint Page Print this page

May-2007
May-2007
Photographs supplied by Peter F Williams / Sandra O'Keefe

The plaque commemorates those who served with the 147th Field Artillery Regiment South Dakota (United States of America) during World War Two.

The Unit arrived in Brisbane on 22 December 1941 on the Pensacola Convoy. They landed in New Guinea on 6 August 1943. While occupying the camp at Kiriwina Island, the second Battalion of the 147 was united with the 158 Infantry forming the 158 Regimental Combat Team (called the Bushmasters). The 1 and 2 Battalions were redesignated 260 and 147 Field Artillery Battalions on 31 December 1943.

Location

Address:Esplanade, Bicentennial Park, adjacent to Cenotaph, Darwin, 0800
State:NT
Area:Foreign
GPS Coordinates:Lat: -12.466807
Long: 130.839882
Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate.
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Details

Monument Type:Plaque
Monument Theme:Conflict
Sub-Theme:WW2
Actual Event Start Date:22-December-1941
Actual Event End Date:31-December-1943

Dedication

Approx. Monument Dedication Date:February-1992
Front Inscription

The 147th Field Artillery Regiment

South Dakota (U.S.A.)


This Field Artillery regiment first landed at Brisbane on December 23, 1941. It was quickly sent to Darwin, N.T. to serve under the command of the Commanding General Australian Forces for the defense of the Darwin area. The first American flag to be flown over a U.S. encampment in Australia was raised on January 18, 1942. Troops of the 147th F.A. were widely dispersed into defensive positions both on the coast and inland, when on February 19, 1942 a substantial bombing raid by the Japanese Naval Carrier Force caused immense damage to Darwin and all of the ships in the harbor.

Erected in February, 1992 by the 147th F.A. World War II veterans.

Source: SKP, MA
Monument details supplied by Monument Australia - www.monumentaustralia.org.au