Garing (ePub)

Bill Garing joined the RAAF (Royal Australian Air Force) as a Cadet at the Royal Military College Duntroon in 1929. He made his first flight as a pilot at Point Cook two years later in 1931 in a DH60X Moth. Over the next 15 years as pilot in command he flew almost every type of trainer, fighter, bomber and seaplane used by the RAAF close to 50 different types of aircraft in all.

This book includes every flight Bill made from January 1931 until December 1946, with details of aircraft type and serial number, names of crew, and reason for the flight. Bill also flew in aircraft operated by the RAF including in 1935 the giant six engine biplane flying boat the Sarafand and later the Spitfire, Hurricane and Lancaster bomber. He flew aircraft operated by the USAAF including the B17, B18, A24, P38, P39, P40, P47, P51B, P63 and also the Boeing B29 Superfortress in 1945.

Whilst in Hawaii in August 1941, Bill met with Admiral Halsey who for a whole week asked him specific, questions about the war in Europe. Early in 1943 Bill met with General George C Kenny and later presented to him a detailed plan for attacking a Japanese convoy which was being assembled in Rabaul.

The Battle of the Bismarck Sea took place in March 1943 and Bill's plan for the attack resulted in every ship in the convoy headed for Lae being sunk. This was the last time the Japanese attempted this method to re-supply their troops. Bill served in the RAAF until 1964 when he retired but continued flying for more than 20 years with 97 different types of aircraft in his Log Books when he made his last flight as a pilot in command.