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    Darwin Harbor Northern Territory Australia
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R. Alford Feb 19, 1942

PacificWrecks.com
Post February 1942
Location
Lat 12° 28' 0S Long 130° 49' 60E  Darwin Harbor borders Darwin on the north coast of the Northern Territory in Australia. Also spelled Darwin Harbour and includes East Arm and is is twice as large as Sydney Harbor.

Wartime History
During the Pacific War, used as an anchorage for Allied warships and merchant vessels and seaplane operations. On February 19, 1942 Japanse carrier planes attack Darwin and Darwin Harbor sinking twelve vessels.

Japanese missions against Darwin Harbor
February 19, 1942–November 12, 1943

Today
During 1961 removal of World War II wreckage began in Darwin Harbor. Today, there are regular SCUBA dive charters to several of the shipwrecks.

Darwin Harbor Seaplane Base
Located in Darwin Harbor

USS Peary DD-226
Sunk February 19, 1942

MV Neptuna
Sunk February 19, 1942 hit by three bombs and set fire then exploded and sunk.

Kelat
Damaged February 19, 1942 and sank over two days off Darwin wharves with the deck above the surface.

British Motorist
Tons 6,891. Sunk in Darwin Harbor February 19, 1942 during first Japanese air raid on Darwin.

Zealandia
Tons 6,600. Sunk in Darwin Harbor February 19, 1942 during first Japanese air raid on Darwin.

Meigs
Tons 12,568. Sunk in Darwin Harbor February 19, 1942 during first Japanese air raid on Darwin.

Mauna Loa
Tons 5,436. Sunk in Darwin Harbor February 19, 1942 during first Japanese air raid on Darwin.

S23 "Corinthian" Tail G-AEUF
Pilot Ambrose crashed March 22, 1942 rediscovered September 2004 by Darwin high school student

P-40E Warhawk Serial Number ?
Pilot Strauss crashed April 27, 1942

P-40E Warhawk Serial Number ?
Pilot Fish crashed April 27, 1942

Spitfire A58-92
Pilot Thorold-Smith crashed March 15, 1943

PB2B-1 Catalina Serial Number A24-206
Sunk June 20, 1945

PBY-5 Catalina Serial Number A24-1
Pilot Bolitho crashed August 30, 1945

PBY-5A Catalina Serial Number A24-69
Sunk December 14, 1945

C-47B Dakota Serial Number A65-115
Pilot Lange ditched September 5, 1946

References
Every Day A Nightmare (2010) pages 197 (map Darwin area February 1942 via AHSNT)

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Last Updated
May 24, 2023

 

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