Corowa’s Sam King with Deborah Birrell from Tallangatta and Daniel Wilson from Mildura in the Parade of Heroes in Townsville.
Several locals and Corowa Swim-In and Military Gathering regulars made the trek to Townsville recently as part of the Victory In The Pacific (VP Day) 80th anniversary commemoration.
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Victory in the Pacific on August 15, 1945 marked the formal end of World War II in the Pacific, following years of intense conflict.
The Corowa Swim-In is the largest annual gathering of ex-military vehicles in the Southern Hemisphere, where owners of these vehicles, including amphibious ones, display and use their vehicles in and around the Murray River.
Corowa local, Sam King took part in the Townsville VP80 Commemorations from August 15 to 17.
“I have been involved with the Corowa Military Vehicle Swim-in and Military Gathering since 2016 as military vehicles are in my blood,” Mr King said.
“Having served in the Army for eight years it is great to be able to still work on the gear I used in my time, and I’ve made countless friends through the Swim-in, actively taking my own vehicle since 2017.
“Scott Rough from Sydney, who is a long-time contributor to the Swim-In, was the driving force in getting our group together for the VP80.
“There were 10 of us in total who travelled to Townsville with all of us becoming friends through the Corowa Swim-In.”
On VP Day World War II veterans were honoured at Anzac Memorial Park and Kissing Point Memorial Services.
Corowa’s Sam King proudly displays his grandfather, Layton King’s medals and placard he carried in Townsville.
Townsville’s proud military heritage came to life at the VP80 Community Day before the community was invited to the 31st Battalion Association Annual Commemorative Service at St James Cathedral before making a pilgrimage to the Townsville War Cemetery on the Sunday.
Sam attended the commemorations and marched in the parade to remember his grandfather who was in the Airforce during the war.
“My Grandfather Layton King was a Farmer and Mechanic from Birchip Victoria,” Mr King said.
“Being a qualified mechanic, he was already in a sought-after trade for the RAAF. Prior to joining the Airforce he was in the 26th Machine Gun Regiment, a militia unit based out of Warracknabeal Victoria.”
Layton started his Air Force service as a ground crew fitter/motor mechanic in the 5th and 22nd Squadrons RAAF working primarily on Douglas DC3 and Beaufighter aircraft.
In early 1944, he and other RAAF personnel were seconded to the 307th Bomb Group, US Army Air Force, in order to boost crew numbers for operations in the South West Pacific.
The 307th Bomb Group operated B24 Liberator Bombers requiring 10 men per crew, Layton’s role was flight engineer with the rank of Flight Sergeant.
He served in the South West Pacific Theatre of Operations with the RAAF and US Army Air Force from late 1942 until late 1946.
His group was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for unescorted daylight operations over Balikpapan and Truk Lagoon.
“Scott was invited to drive his newly restored Ford Jeep in the parade and he was assigned 101-year-old Army Veteran James "Jim" Grebert from Atherton QLD to ride with him in the Parade of Heroes,” Mr King said.
“It was very exciting to meet some of the high-ranking American Generals and the US 5 th Airforce.
“The standout was getting to shake hands and talk with Brigadier General James Dooghan who is commander of the US Forces in Japan. He was very gracious with us and thanked us for our family’s service in WW2.”
As well as attending the commemorations in Townsville itself, the group visited various training locations and secret (at the time) US Airforce bases in central Australia.
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