TROJANS CELEBRATE 70 YEARS

摘要

As they celebrate their 70th anniversary in 2013, No.37 Squadron aircraft and personnel are a common sight around Australia. Their 'Trojan' radio call-sign is often the first indication that help is on the way during times of national crisis. And it's not just Australians who have benefited from the unit's assistance, as it has a long record of humanitarian efforts throughout the Asia-Pacific region.Although the squadron has not enjoyed a continuous history, it was formed at RAAF Base Laverton (now part of RAAF Williams) in Victoria on July 15, 1943 in response to the demand for more airlift capability to support operations against Japan in the South-West Pacific theatre. The first aircraft on strength was the Lockheed C-60A Lodestar and initial operations established a courier service from Melbourne (then home to RAAF Headquarters) to airfields in the west and north of Australia and New Guinea. Wounded troops were flown back to Australia from New Guinea, which began an association with the Aeromedical Evacuation (AME) role which continues to this day.