P03193.006 Accession Number: P03193.006

Description

Part of the wreckage of RAAF Mustang A68-757, photographed in South Korea in late December 1950 - early January 1951, and which had been relocated from its crash site in the area of Pukpyong by North Korean forces to an unidentified area some 10 miles (16 kilometres) distant. 031401 Squadron Leader (Sqn Ldr) Graham Strout, of 77 Squadron RAAF and the pilot of Mustang A68-757, was the first RAAF fatality in the Korean War. He was posted missing after leading a raid by a section of four 77 Squadron Mustang aircraft north of latitude 37 degrees 08 minutes north, on the east coast railway at Samchok on 7 July 1950. The RAAF Air Board had directed that a search team should be sent to locate Strout or his remains. At the time, the Pukpyong area was controlled by ROK forces and the recovery party was assisted by the ROK Navy. The team comprised Sqn Ldr Esmond New, an RAAF Presbyterian chaplain with extensive knowledge of Korea, its people and language from prior to World War II, and Sergeant (Sgt) Tom Henderson, a World War II veteran of RAAF search and rescue in New Guinea, Java and New Britain. Sqn Ldr Stroud's remains were recovered and were later buried at the United Nations Cemetery at Pusan, South Korea. The main piece of wreckage is part of the starboard wing, with the RAAF roundel (pre-kangaroo central symbol) visible.

Details

People

• Squadron Leader Graham Strout

Conflicts

• Korean War, 1950-1953