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: 80064

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.

USS WILLIAM B. PRESTON (AVD 7)

OPERATING AS A UNIT OF THE US ASIATIC FLEET, COMMANDED BY LCDR
ETHERIDGE GRANT, USN, WITH VP22 SQUADRON COMMANDER LCDR FRANK
O'BEIRNE, USN ABOARD, THE SHIP WAS ANCHORED IN DARWIN HARBOUR
ON 19 FEBRUARY 1942 TENDING SEAPLANES OF PATWINGTEN SQUADRONS
VP22, VP 101, AND VP 102 WHEN JAPANESE AIR FORCES ATTACKED.  STRUCK
BY BOMBS WHILE UNDERWAY THE SHIP LOST TEN MEMBERS OF HER CREW
AND WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED, BUT UNDER THE SKILLFUL HANDLING OF
LT. LESTER O. WOOD, USN, WHO WAS ACTING COMMANDING OFFICER, WAS
ABLE TO GAIN THE OPEN SEA.  AFTER REPAIRS IN SYDNEY, SHE RETURNED
TO WESTERN AUSTRALIA FOR CONTINUED WAR OPERATIONS.  THE CATALINA
SHOT DOWN THIS DATE WAS PILOTED BY LT. THOMAS H. MOORER, U.S.N.
LATER, AS A FULL ADMIRAL, HE SERVED AS CHAIRMAN, US JOINT CHIEFS
OF STAFF.                                                                                                                               

THIS PLAQUE IS DEDICATED TO THE BRAVE MEN OF USS WILLIAM    
B. PRESTON AND HER ATTACHED AIRCRAFT WHO LOST THEIR LIVES
19 FEBRUARY 1942 DURING THE BATTLE OF AUSTRALIA.                          

Information current to May 2000

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