No. 37 Squadron RAAF

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No. 37 Squadron RAAF
2003 invasion of Iraq
War against the Islamic State
Aircraft flown
TransportC-60 Lodestar (1943–1945)
C-47 Dakota (1945–1948)
C-130E Hercules (1966–2000)
C-130H Hercules (2006–2012)
C-130J Hercules (1999–current)

No. 37 Squadron is a

East Timor, Bali, Papua New Guinea, and the Philippines
.

The squadron was formed at RAAF Station Laverton, Victoria, in July 1943, and equipped with Lockheed C-60 Lodestars that it operated in Australia, New Guinea and the Dutch East Indies. Towards the end of the war it began flying Douglas C-47 Dakotas. It became part of No. 86 (Transport) Wing, headquartered at RAAF Station Schofields, New South Wales, in 1946 but was disbanded two years later. In response to Australia's increasing air transport needs during the Vietnam War, the squadron was re-formed at Richmond in February 1966, and equipped with the C-130E Hercules. It began converting to the C-130J model in 1999, and between 2006 and 2012 also operated C-130Hs formerly of No. 36 Squadron. No. 37 Squadron came under the control of a re-formed No. 86 Wing from 1987 until 2010, when it was transferred to No. 84 Wing.

Role and equipment

Bespectacled man in camouflage uniform with fluorescent jacket in cockpit of military aircraft
Ground crewman of No. 37 Squadron in a C-130J Hercules during a US exercise in February 2015

No. 37 Squadron is tasked with

search-and-rescue, and airdrop missions.[1][2] It is located at RAAF Base Richmond, New South Wales, and controlled by No. 84 Wing, which is part of Air Mobility Group.[3] As of July 2013, the squadron comprised more than 400 personnel organised into four flights of aircrew, an administrative and operational section, and a maintenance section responsible for day-to-day aircraft servicing as well as regular maintenance cycles of six weeks' duration.[1] Intermediate and heavy maintenance is contracted to Airbus Group Australia Pacific (airframe) and StandardAero (engines).[4] No. 37 Squadron's motto is "Foremost".[5]

The squadron operates twelve

Operation Accordion.[11][12] The C-130Js are expected to remain in RAAF service until 2030.[13]

History

World War II and aftermath

Side view of twin-engined cargo plane on landing ground
Lockheed Lodestar of No. 37 Squadron at Merauke, Dutch New Guinea, in December 1944

No. 37 (Transport) Squadron was formed on 15 July 1943 at

Squadron Leader Neville Hemsworth (late of No. 34 Squadron), arrived on 21 July, and its first aircraft, a single-engined Northrop Delta (also formerly of No. 34 Squadron), was delivered on 2 August.[16][17] The squadron was allocated the first of a batch of ten twin-engined Lockheed C-60 Lodestar transports on 23 August.[15][18] The Delta was written off following an accident on 30 September.[17] By then the squadron's staff numbered 190, including forty-five officers.[19] It was declared operational on 11 October 1943, undertaking regular courier flights across Australia to destinations including Perth, Western Australia; Darwin and Alice Springs, Northern Territory; Adelaide, South Australia; Maryborough, Queensland; and Launceston, Tasmania.[15]

Side view of twin-engined military place in flight
Douglas Dakota A65-71 of No. 37 Squadron that flew the late Prime Minister John Curtin to burial in July 1945

By mid-1944, the squadron had expanded its operations to New Guinea, making courier flights to

South West Pacific Area headquarters.[21] A Lodestar crashed and burned on takeoff at Merauke on 26 January 1945 but all aboard escaped injury; it was the only hull loss suffered by the type in Australian service.[18][22] No. 37 Squadron received its first three Douglas C-47 Dakotas the following month, and by the end of March had a complement of eighteen aircraft: nine Dakotas, seven Lodestars, a Douglas DC-2, and a de Havilland Tiger Moth.[15][23] The next month it began operating detachments out of Parafield, South Australia, and Morotai in the Dutch East Indies.[24][25] On 6 July 1945, one of the squadron's Dakotas transported the body of Prime Minister John Curtin from Canberra to Perth for burial.[26] By September 1945, No. 37 Squadron's strength was 357 staff, including 111 officers, sixteen Dakotas, two Lodestars, a DC-2, and a Tiger Moth.[27]

Following the end of hostilities, No. 37 Squadron repatriated former prisoners of war from Singapore to Australia.[24] On 27 July 1946, it moved to RAAF Station Schofields, New South Wales, where it came under the control of No. 86 (Transport) Wing along with Nos. 36 and 38 Squadrons, also operating Dakotas.[15][24] Another unit of No. 86 Wing, No. 486 (Maintenance) Squadron, was responsible for servicing the Dakotas.[24][28] On 30 September 1946, No. 37 Squadron was assigned the regular courier service to Japan that had previously been flown by No. 36 Squadron, to support the British Commonwealth Occupation Force.[5][15] In January 1947, No. 37 Squadron handed over the Japan courier run to No. 38 Squadron, and the following month took over the Lae courier service previously flown by No. 36 Squadron; the Rabaul courier run was added in April.[15][29] By the end of 1947, No. 37 Squadron's personnel numbered fifty-six, including twenty-four officers, and it had an average of ten Dakotas on strength.[30] The unit was disbanded at Schofields on 24 February 1948.[15]

Re-establishment

On 27 September 1965, Minister for Air

RAAF Base Butterworth, Malaysia.[36][38] Initially both C-130A and E models were employed for such evacuations, but only C-130Es were assigned to this task from May 1967, as they offered more comfortable conditions and were capable of flying directly between South Vietnam and Australia if required.[39] By the end of February 1968, No. 37 Squadron had a strength of 207 personnel: eighty-five aircrew, including fifty-one officers, and 122 ground staff, including three officers.[40] The squadron transported the last Australian forces out of Vietnam in December 1972, following the Federal government's decision to withdraw from the conflict.[41]

Four-engined military cargo plane in grey and white livery at an airfield
C-130E Hercules of No. 37 Squadron at Clark Air Base, Philippines, in November 1981

As well as participating in military exercises and overseas peacekeeping commitments, the Hercules became a familiar sight in the Southern Pacific, called on for relief operations following many natural disasters including tsunamis in New Guinea, cyclones in the

Governor General in June 1976 for its performance in 1974–75.[38]

In January–February 1979, two No. 37 Squadron C-130Es evacuated Australian and other foreign embassy staff from

Operation Warden.[57] The last C-130Es were taken out of service in November 2000.[58] No. 37 Squadron was awarded the Gloucester Cup in 2001, the same year it took delivery of its twelfth and final C-130J.[59] Five C-130s of Nos. 36 and 37 Squadrons participated in relief efforts following the Bali bombings in October 2002.[60]

Personnel in camouflage uniforms with RAAF flag lined up in front of four-engined military cargo plane in grey livery
C-130J Hercules and personnel of No. 37 Squadron in the Middle East during 2009

In September 2004, aircraft from No. 37 Squadron joined the rotating detachment of C-130s established by No. 36 Squadron in the

Middle East Area of Operations (MEAO) in February 2003, following the invasion of Iraq; the C-130Js were required to be fitted with self-protection equipment before deploying to the MEAO.[61][62] No. 37 Squadron was strengthened to create a "super squadron" on 17 November 2006, when its force of twelve C-130Js was augmented by No. 36 Squadron's twelve C-130Hs, prior to the latter re-equipping with Boeing C-17 Globemasters and relocating to RAAF Base Amberley, Queensland.[63] Two of the C-130s joined DHC-4 Caribous from No. 38 Squadron as part of the RAAF's initial contribution to Operation Papua New Guinea Assist following Cyclone Guba in November 2007.[64] No. 37 Squadron took over full responsibility for the Hercules detachment to the MEAO in mid-2008, and in March 2010 one of its C-130Js completed the detachment's 20,000th hour of flying operations.[61][65] The squadron was transferred from No. 86 Wing to No. 84 Wing on 1 October 2010, as part of a restructure of Air Lift Group.[66] It was presented with the Gloucester Cup for its proficiency in 2011 at a ceremony on 31 May 2012.[67][68] The C-130Hs were retired the same year, the last pair at Richmond on 30 November.[69] In January 2013, No. 37 Squadron undertook a successful search-and-rescue mission for Alain Delord, a missing round-the-world yachtsman who was found approximately 500 nautical miles (930 km) south of Tasmania. Crews located Delord adrift in a life raft before airdropping supplies, maintaining watch and ultimately guiding in a rescue vessel fifty-eight hours later.[70]

No. 37 Squadron was awarded the Gloucester Cup for proficiency in March 2013.

Mount Sinjar. According to the Australian Department of Defence, it was the RAAF's "most complex operational humanitarian air drop mission in more than a decade".[74] A second drop was conducted to deliver supplies to isolated civilians in the northern Iraqi town of Amirli.[75] By September 2014, the RAAF's C-130Js had accumulated over 100,000 flying hours.[13] Later that month, a C-130J took part in the airlift of arms and munitions to forces in Kurdish-controlled northern Iraq; the involvement of RAAF transport aircraft in operations in Iraq is ongoing.[76] From 7 to 10 December 2015, a C-130J of No. 37 Squadron flying out of Guam joined American and Japanese aircraft in Operation Christmas Drop, a humanitarian aerial supply operation in the west Pacific and Micronesia.[77] No. 37 Squadron was awarded the Meritorious Unit Citation in the Queen's Birthday Honours on 13 June 2016 for "sustained outstanding service in warlike operations throughout the Middle East Area of Operations over the period January 2002 to June 2014".[78] The squadron commemorated sixty years of RAAF Hercules operations in December 2018, and twenty years of C-130J operations in September 2019.[79][80] One of the C-130s flew from Australia to Antarctica in February 2020, the first time a RAAF Hercules had done so since 1983, to provide equipment for the Australian Antarctic Division near Casey Station.[81] The squadron was awarded the RAAF Maintenance Trophy in April 2023.[82]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ a b "Today's No. 37 Squadron" (PDF). No. 37 Squadron 70th Anniversary. Royal Australian Air Force. p. 3. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
  2. ^ a b c "Air Force's No 37 Squadron celebrates its 70th anniversary" (Press release). Department of Defence. 16 July 2013. Archived from the original on 21 August 2016. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
  3. ^ "No. 84 Wing". Royal Australian Air Force. Archived from the original on 18 February 2017. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
  4. ^ Minister for Defence, Defence Portfolio Budget Statements 2016–17, p. 164
  5. ^ a b c "37 Squadron". RAAF Museum. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
  6. ^ "Lockheed Hercules". RAAF Museum. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
  7. ^ McPhedran, Air Force, pp. 53–55
  8. ^ "C-130J Hercules description and specifications". Royal Australian Air Force. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
  9. ^ Hamilton, Eamon (18 October 2017). "285SQN Gears up for Farewell". Air Force. Vol. 59, no. 19. p. 9. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
  10. ^ "Air Force disbands No. 285 Squadron at RAAF Base Richmond". Defence News and Media. Department of Defence. 8 December 2017. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
  11. ^ Croce, Peter (17 July 2014). "Burning the midnight oil" (PDF). Air Force. Vol. 56, no. 13. pp. 12–13. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
  12. ^ "Operation Accordion". Department of Defence. 13 March 2014. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
  13. ^ a b "RAAF marks 800,000 Hercules flying hours". Australian Aviation. 15 September 2014. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
  14. ^ No. 37 Squadron (1943–48), "Operations Record Book", p. 180
  15. ^ a b c d e f g h i RAAF Historical Section, Maritime and Transport Units, pp. 62–63
  16. ^ No. 37 Squadron (1943–48), "Operations Record Book", pp. 179–180
  17. ^ a b "Northrop Delta". RAAF Museum. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
  18. ^ a b "Lockheed Lodestar". RAAF Museum. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
  19. ^ No. 37 Squadron (1943–48), "Operations Record Book", p. 176
  20. ^ No. 37 Squadron (1943–48), "Operations Record Book", p. 151
  21. ^ Odgers, Air War Against Japan, pp. 381–383
  22. ^ No. 37 Squadron (1943–48), "Operations Record Book", p. 133
  23. ^ No. 37 Squadron (1943–48), "Operations Record Book", p. 124
  24. ^ a b c d Roylance, Air Base Richmond, p. 92
  25. ^ No. 37 Squadron (1943–48), "Operations Record Book", pp. 119, 122
  26. ^ "Douglas C-47B-20-DK, Dakota Mk IV Transport Aircraft". Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
  27. ^ No. 37 Squadron (1943–48), "Operations Record Book", p. 96
  28. ^ RAAF Historical Section, Maintenance Units, p. 70
  29. ^ No. 37 Squadron (1943–48), "Operations Record Book", pp. 24, 28, 32
  30. ^ No. 37 Squadron (1943–48), "Operations Record Book", p. 6
  31. ^ "New RAAF squadron for transports". The Canberra Times. National Library of Australia. 28 September 1965. p. 10. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
  32. ^ Wilson, Dakota, Hercules, and Caribou in Australian Service, p. 105
  33. ^ Roylance, Air Base Richmond, p. 117
  34. ^ a b Stephens, Going Solo, pp. 178, 420–425
  35. ^ RAAF Historical Section, Maintenance Units, p. 8
  36. ^ a b c d e f Roylance, Air Base Richmond, pp. 100–103
  37. ^ No. 37 Squadron (1966–78), "Operations Record Book", p. 5
  38. ^ a b c RAAF Historical Section, Maritime and Transport Units, pp. 64–65
  39. ^ Coulthard-Clark, The RAAF in Vietnam, pp. 256–258
  40. ^ No. 37 Squadron (1966–78), "Operations Record Book", p. 48
  41. ^ Coulthard-Clark, The RAAF in Vietnam, pp. 248
  42. ^ Stephens, The Royal Australian Air Force, p. 311
  43. ^ "Looking back: 20 years ago". RAAF News. Vol. 37, no. 1. January–February 1995. p. 7.
  44. ^ Bullard, Stephen. "After the Fall". Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
  45. ^ Stephens, The Royal Australian Air Force, p. 274
  46. ^ "RAAF evacuation of Australians from Iran, 1979" (PDF). Pathfinder. No. 64. April 2007. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
  47. ^ "Boeing 707". RAAF Museum. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
  48. ^ Roylance, Air Base Richmond, pp. 107–108, 116–117
  49. ^ Hamilton, Eamon (8 May 2014). "Symbolic change is perfect timing". Air Force. Vol. 56, no. 8. p. 7. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
  50. ^ Roylance, Air Base Richmond, pp. 110–111
  51. ^ RAAF Historical Section, Maritime and Transport Units, p. 59
  52. ^ "Gulf War, 1990–91". Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
  53. ^ "Advance party headed for Somalia". Air Power Development Centre. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
  54. ^ "Airlift returned Army battalion from Somalia". Air Power Development Centre. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
  55. ^ "Bulletin board". Air Force News. Vol. 40, no. 8. September 1998. p. 12.
  56. ^ "A History of No. 37 Squadron" (PDF). No. 37 Squadron 70th Anniversary. Royal Australian Air Force. p. 10. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
  57. ^ "RAAF units in East Timor". Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
  58. ^ "Today's No. 37 Squadron" (PDF). No. 37 Squadron 70th Anniversary. Royal Australian Air Force. p. 11. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
  59. ^ Caddaye, Ben (6 June 2002). "Thumbs up for Hercs". Air Force News. Archived from the original on 25 August 2016. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
  60. ^ Eaton, Mark (24 October 2002). "'Full-on' efforts earn plaudits". Air Force. Vol. 44, no. 20. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
  61. ^ a b "Aussie Hercs clock 20,000 operational hours" (Press release). Department of Defence. 25 March 2010. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
  62. ^ Hamilton, Eamon (28 February 2013). "Keeping up ops" (PDF). Air Force. Vol. 55, no. 3. p. 4. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
  63. ^ Hamilton, Eamon (30 November 2006). "Dawn of a new era". Air Force. Vol. 48, no. 22. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
  64. ^ Hamilton, Eamon (29 November 2007). "PNG Assist takes off" (PDF). Air Force. Vol. 49, no. 22. Department of Defence. p. 3. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
  65. ^ McPhedran, Air Force, p. 11
  66. ^ Hamilton, Eamon (30 September 2010). "Command swap for ALG" (PDF). Air Force. Vol. 52, no. 18. p. 3. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
  67. ^ "Best of 2011". Air Force. Vol. 54, no. 6. 12 April 2012. p. 4. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
  68. ^ "Air Force awards". Air Force. Vol. 54, no. 11. 21 June 2012. pp. 11–13. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
  69. ^ Hamilton, Eamon (6 December 2012). "Emotional end of an era" (PDF). Air Force. Vol. 54, no. 23. p. 5. Retrieved 26 June 2016.
  70. ^ Hamilton, Eamon (31 January 2013). "One to remember" (PDF). Air Force. Vol. 55, no. 1. p. 2. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
  71. ^ "Proficiency and leadership awards 2013". Air Force. Vol. 56, no. 6. 10 April 2014. p. 16. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
  72. ^ Black, Simon (17 July 2013). "Hercules fly over Sydney Harbour to mark 70th anniversary of the No 37 Squadron's formation". The Daily Telegraph. Sydney. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
  73. ^ Hamilton, Eamon (5 December 2013). "Vital assistance". Air Force. Vol. 55, no. 23. p. 2. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
  74. ^ "JTF633 supports Herc mercy dash" (Press release). Department of Defence. 22 August 2014. Archived from the original on 26 August 2014. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
  75. ^ "Australia steps up assistance to Iraqi people" (Press release). Department of Defence. 31 August 2014. Archived from the original on 28 September 2014. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
  76. ^ "ADF delivers fifth shipment to Iraq" (Press release). Department of Defence. 26 September 2014. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
  77. ^ Hamilton, Eamon (11 February 2016). "Trilateral triumph". Air Force. Vol. 58, no. 1. p. 17. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
  78. ^ "Military – Distinguished & Conspicuous" (PDF). Queen's Birthday Honours List 2016. Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 August 2016. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
  79. ^ "Celebrating 60 years of Hercs" (PDF). Air Force. Vol. 60, no. 21. 15 November 2018. p. 9. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
  80. ^ Hamilton, Eamon (19 September 2019). "Cheers to a heavy lifter" (PDF). Air Force. Vol. 61, no. 17. p. 7. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
  81. ^ Nicholson, Dylan (9 March 2020). "Hercules on ice: RAAF C-130J flight to Antarctica". Defence Connect. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
  82. ^ "Unit awards". Air Force. 13 April 2023. p. 11. Retrieved 13 April 2023.

References

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