Reid River Airfield

Reid River Airfield
Queensland, Australia Reid River Airfield Reid River Airfield (Queensland)
Coordinates	19°45′45″S 146°50′40″E / 19.76250°S 146.84444°E / -19.76250; 146.84444Coordinates: 19°45′45″S 146°50′40″E / 19.76250°S 146.84444°E / -19.76250; 146.84444
Type	Military airfield
Site history
In use	1942-1945

Reid River Airfield is a World War II airfield located to the south of the Reid River near Townsville, Queensland, Australia.

Disused since the war as an airfield, the former base is private property used for mustering cattle and horses. An arch marks the western edge of the strip, easily accessible from the main road. With permission of the owner, visitors can tour the strip. On the eastern edge of the strip are concrete pads from former buildings including the mess hall and first air station. Also, there are the remains of a B-26 crash site and a former 2nd BS camp area. Small markers, left by veterans in 1992 mark these locations.

History

The airfield, which had a single main runway running east to west, was built by the United States Army Air Forces.

Two units were based at the airfield:

2nd Bombardment Squadron, 22nd Bombardment Group, 9 April-9 October 1942
408th Bombardment Squadron, 22nd Bombardment Group (later re-designated the 18th Reconnaissance Squadron), 12 April-15 October 1942

Both squadrons initially flew B-26 Marauder medium bombers. The first mission by the 408th BS was on 22 April 1942 from Reid River, operating until January 1943 when the group went on R&R. In early February 1943, both the 2nd and 408th Squadrons converted from B-26 to B-25 Mitchell bombers when it was decided to send the B-26s to the Mediterranean Theatre.

References

This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.

Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-89201-092-4.
Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556.
Pacific Wrecks - Reid River Airfield

Airports in Queensland

Public airports	Abingdon Agnew Alpha Aramac Archerfield Arrabury Aurukun Barcaldine 'Batavia Bedourie Birdsville Blackall Blackwater Boigu Island Boulia Bowen Brisbane Brisbane West Wellcamp Bundaberg Burketown Caboolture Cairns Caloundra Camooweal Charleville Charters Towers Chillagoe Chinchilla Clermont Cloncurry Coen Cooktown Cunnamulla Darnley Island Dirranbandi Donnington Airpark Doomadgee Dunk Island Edward River Emerald Gayndah Georgetown Gladstone Gold Coast Goondiwindi Great Barrier Reef Gympie Hervey Bay Horn Island Hughenden Innisfail Julia Creek Karumba Kingaroy Kowanyama Kubin Lizard Island Lockhart River Longreach Mabuiag Island Mackay Mareeba Maryborough Moranbah Mornington Island Mount Isa Murray Island Muttaburra Normanton Northern Peninsula Palm Island Quilpie Redcliffe Richmond Rockhampton Roma St George Springvale Stanthorpe Sunshine Coast Taroom Thangool Thargomindah Toowoomba Townsville Warwick Weipa Whitsunday Coast Windorah Winton

Private airports	Badu Island Ballera Century Mine Coconut Island Dysart Elrose Middlemount Mount Gordon Osborne Mine Saibai Island Southport Springsure The Monument Trepell Warraber Island Whitsunday Yam Island Yorke Island

Military airports	Amberley Enoggera Oakey Scherger Townsville Williamson

Defunct airports	Antil Plains Eagle Farm Breddan Petrie Tarampa Aitkenvale Bohle River Reid River

Related	New South Wales Northern Territory South Australia Tasmania Victoria Western Australia Territories of Australia

Airports in bold have scheduled service

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Reid River Airfield

History

See also

References