60th Depot Repair Squadron in Australia during WW2

60TH DEPOT REPAIR SQUADRON
FIFTH AIR FORCE SERVICE COMMAND
TRANSITED BRISBANE & TOWNSVILLE, QLD
ON WAY TO MILNE BAY, NEW GUINEA
IN AUSTRALIA DURING WWII

On 25 September 1943, the 60th Depot Repair Squadron left Stinson Field, Texas, USA for Newport News, arriving there on 28 September 1943. Seven days were spent procuring and exchanging clothing and equipment and then on 6 October 1943, they boarded the ship USS General John Pope, a new Naval Transport, making her second voyage.

Two hours after boarding, USS General John Pope (AP110) eased out into Hampton Roads and headed for Australia. The ship was divided into troop compartments – about 350 to 400 men to a compartment and then small compartments for officers and non-coms. There were probably around 7,000 troops on board.

They arrived at Panama City four days later and then passed through to Balboa then into the Pacific Ocean.

The USS General John Pope was 1.5 miles abeam of the Caloundra Head Lighthouse at 1636 hours on Thursday 28 October 1943. The ship anchored in 7 fathoms of water in Brisbane Roads, with 60 fathoms of chain to the port anchor at 1907 hours on 28 October. The ship pulled up the anchor at 0614 hours on Friday 29 October and steered its way along the Brisbane River Channel towards Brisbane. The Brisbane Quarantine Officer came aboard at 0712 hours and left the ship at 0748 hours.

After steaming further up the Brisbane River, the ship commenced turning in the Brisbane River Basin at 0822 hours. The tug Garlock came alongside and secured itself to the starboard bow at 0832 hours to assist in turning and mooring the ship. The first line was tied to the port side of Pier #2, Hamilton Wharves at 0908 hours. They commenced loading passengers at 1930 hours. They took on board 140,000 gallons of fresh water.

1 US Army officer and 400 enlisted men disembarked and the following 397 passengers embarked for transportation north:-

The 60th Depot Repair Squadron made preparations to disembark but this never happened. The ship took on board the Pilot, Mr. A. Courtney, at 2325 hours on 29 October. They commenced maneuvers to leave #2 Dock at Hamilton Wharves at about midnight but at 0031 hours on 30 October the stern struck the dock causing the following damage:-

There was no rupture of welding or plate and the steering engine compartment was still water tight. A 3” fresh water line was ruptured on #2 dock, and the dock was pierced 59” in, 36’ long, 6 planks 3” x 8”, 1 piling was shattered 6’ from the top, 16” in diameter.

The ship steamed further up the Brisbane River and moored to the starboard side of #2 dock at Newstead Wharves at 0151 hours on 30 October. The Pilot left the ship at 0204 hours and they commenced taking on more fresh water at 0245 hours. They started taking on about 1,592 tons of fuel at 0504 hours and took on another 965 passengers at 0545 hours.

At 0905 hours, a US Navy carpenter, William John Francis Powers, made an under water inspection of the stern of USS General John Pope.

Pilots J.M. Ahern (Harbour Pilot) and the Torres Strait pilot S.S. Diamond came aboard at 1105 hours. The tugs Forceful and Garlock arrived at 1116 hours to assist with undocking. The two tugs were dismissed at 1140 hours

USS General John Pope started to slowly steam out of Brisbane at 1141 hours on 30 October 1943. The ship anchored in the Northwest Channel in 7 fathoms of water at 1534 hours allowing pilot J. M. Ahern to leave the ship.

They were underway at 1625 hours and headed north escorted by USS Ralph Talbot (DD390) until 0645 hours on 31 October.

They arrived in Cleveland Bay off Townsville in north Queensland and dropped anchor at 0709 hours on 1 November 1943. The Pilot S.S. Diamond and the ships Captain left the ship in No. 2 Whaleboat at 0900 hours. The ship weighed anchor at 0657 hours on 2 November 1943.

They then headed for New Guinea escorted by USS Ralph Talbot and anchored in Berth J-6 at Gili Gili at 2145 hours on 3 November 1943. They weighed anchor at 0630 hours on 4 November and later moored to the starboard side of Pier #1 at Ahioma, Milne Bay at 0757 hours on 4 November 1943.

They transferred to an old inter-island Dutch Steamer called the VanHeusen for an expected journey to Port Moresby which never happened. After two and a half days of jungle rations on board the Van Heusen, they disembarked via landing barges. On 10 November 1943, they were ordered to Port Moresby by C-47 Dakota. They were assigned to a camp area near the 27th Air Depot Group.

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