The Australian War Memorial Collection. Test site
Portrait of 1st Lieutenant (Lt) George Leo Cantello, who was later Commanding Officer of the 41st Pursuit Squadron (flying P-39 Airacobras), of the 35th Pursuit Group, United States Army Air Force (USAAF), which was based at Bankstown Airport, near Sydney, NSW, in 1942. On the morning of 8 June 1942, whilst responding to a call to intercept the Imperial Japanese Navy submarine, I-24, (which had just shelled the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney), Lt Cantello was killed when his P-39 Airacobra stalled and crashed into the ground near the small farming community of Hammondville, NSW. The following day the wreckage was recovered and Lt Cantello's remains were sent for burial at a military cemetery in Sydney. Post-war his remains were taken to the 'Punchbowl' War Cemetery in Hawaii. In 1988, at Hammondville, a memorial park with a monument dedicated to Lt Cantello was opened jointly by the United States and Australian Governments.
Australia made its acquaintance with Japanese submarines when three of them sneaked into Sydney Harbour. Their combined efforts resulted in the sinking of a harbour vessel of no military value. With
Portrait of 1st Lieutenant (1st Lt) George Leo Cantello (left) Commanding Officer of the 41st Pursuit Squadron, 35th Pursuit Group, United States Army Air Force (USAAF) and another unidentified USAAF
Lieutenant (Lt) George Leo Cantello waves to the photographer as he sits in a Boeing P-26 Peashooter of the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC). Lt Cantello was later posted to the 41st Pursuit Squad
Portrait of 1st Lieutenant (1st Lt) George Leo Cantello (left) Commanding Officer of the 41st Pursuit Squadron, 35th Pursuit Group, United States Army Air Force (USAAF) and another unidentified USAAF
Port (left) view of two Bell P-400 Airacobra aircraft in flight, possibly over Australia. Note the early Second World War American star on the side of the aircraft on both aircraft and the fitting of
AT SEA. 1944-09/08. MOTOR TORPEDO BOATS, SUBMARINE CHASERS OF THE UNITED STATES NAVY AT SPEED. NOTE THE 37MM GUNS TAKEN FROM P-39 AIRACOBRA AIRCRAFT MOUNTED IN THE BOWS.
PORT MORESBY. A GROUP OF PILOTS OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY AIR CORPS AIRACOBRA 40TH PURSUIT SQUADRON. (NEGATIVE BY D. PARER.)
The remains of a destroyed United States Army Air Force (USAAF) Airacobra aircraft.
