Place: Darwin, Northern Territory, 0800
District: Darwin-Daly
Orientation: Territory capital
Location: Adjacent to Darwin Cenotaph, Bicentennial Park, off Esplanade between Herbert Street and Knuckey Street
Position: 12 28 00 S     130 50 39 E
Ref: 80053

The plaque is one of a series commemorating various units who served in Darwin during World War II. They are set at ground level next to a fence overlooking the harbour and in close proximity to Darwin Cenotaph.

Insignia    AUSTRALIA NEEDED ALL POSSIBLE HELP WHEN THE JAPANESE INVASION
               WAS CLOSE ON 19TH FEBRUARY 1942. A GROUP OF YOUNG MEN OF THE
         U.S. ARMY AIR FORCE TRAPPED IN THE AIR AND ON THE GROUND BY
              ENEMY PLANES FOUGHT AND GAVE ALL THEY COULD FOR MANY MORE
           MONTHS. GREATLY OUTNUMBERED BY THE ENEMY THE 49TH FIGHTER
GROUP INTERCEPTED EVERY ATTACK TAKING TOLL FAR OUT OF
PROPORTION TO ITS OWN LOSSES.                                              

THIS IS DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF THE BRAVE MEN
OF THE U.S. ARMY AIR FORCE WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN
DEFENCE OF AUSTRALIA DURING WORLD WAR II AND
ACKNOWLEDGES WITH GRATITUDE THE COURAGE OF THOSE
WHO SURVIVED.                                                                             

UNVEILED BY MAJOR-GENERAL HUTCHINSON  D.S.M.  L.M.   D.F.C.  A.M. ON 10TH JULY 1979 DURING
THE RETURN VISIT BY FORMER MEMBERS OF THE 49TH FIGHTER GROUP US 5TH AIR FORCE.

Information current to May 2000

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