John Couper (Jack) BLACK

BLACK, John Couper

    Service Number: 470
    Enlisted: 16 January 1939
    Last Rank: Squadron Leader
    Last Unit: No. 31 Squadron (RAAF)
    Born: Adelaide, South Australia, 29 March 1920
    Home Town: Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria
    Schooling: Not yet discovered
    Occupation: Mechanic
    Died: Natural Causes, Sydney New South Wales, Australia, 27 July 1983, aged 63 years
    Cemetery: Not yet discovered
    Memorials: Hackney St Peter's College WW2 Honour Roll
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    World War 2 Service

    16 Jan 1939: Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Pilot Officer, 470
    20 Nov 1944: Involvement Royal Australian Air Force, Squadron Leader, 470, No. 30 Squadron (RAAF), Buna / Gona / Sanananda "The Battle of the Beachheads" - Papua, Noemfoor & Morotai New Guinea 9 Sorties, 32.5 Operational Hours Flying plus 16 other hours.
    26 Dec 1944: Involvement Royal Australian Air Force, Squadron Leader, 470, No. 31 Squadron (RAAF), Borneo - Operation Oboe July - August 1945, Morotai & Tarakan 31 Operational Sorties 137.15 Operational Hours flown 70.30 Other flying hours
    10 Mar 1945: Involvement Royal Australian Air Force, Squadron Leader, 470, No. 31 Squadron (RAAF), Air War SW Pacific 1941-45, RAAF. No 1016 10.3.1945 Personal file S/Ld J Black. MASSED AUSTRALIAN AIR ATTACK: Nearly a hundred aircraft of the RAAF's First Tactical Air Force smashed the Japanese stronghold of Tondano, in the Celebes, in the biggest massed attack yet made by the RAAF in the Pacific. The attack was made in five waves by Kittyhawks and Beaufighters. The first wave of 40 Kittyhawks, led by Wing Commander G.C. Atherton DFC, of Launceston, Tasmania, silenced ack-ack positions. Depth charges, used for the first time by Kittyhawkds effectively blanketed the target area. When the Beaufighters, led by S/Ldr. J. Black, of Adelaide, came in to attack the stronghold was well on the way to complete destruction. The town of Tondane (population 15,000) was of major importance to the Japanese, as it was the administrative centre for 1,900 Japs billeted in the Celebes.
    8 Nov 1945: Discharged
    8 Nov 1945: Discharged Royal Australian Air Force, Squadron Leader, 470, No. 31 Squadron (RAAF)

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