No. 30 Transport Unit RAAF

No. 30 Transport Unit RAAF
Recording the next day's tasking for No. 30 Transport Unit at Iwakuni, Japan, in 1953
Active	1950–1951 (No. 30 Communications Unit) 1951–1953 (No. 30 Transport Unit)
Country	Australia
Branch	Royal Australian Air Force
Role	Transport
Part of	No. 91 Wing
Headquarters	Iwakuni, Japan
Engagements	Korean War
Aircraft flown
Transport	C-47 Dakota Auster CAC Wirraway

No. 30 Transport Unit was a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) unit that operated during the Korean War. It was formed in November 1950 as No. 30 Communications Unit and based at Iwakuni, Japan, as part of No. 91 (Composite) Wing. The unit was initially equipped with four Douglas C–47 Dakotas and two Austers, one of the Dakotas being the personal transport of Lieutenant General Sir Horace Robertson, commander of the British Commonwealth Occupation Force (BCOF). Another four Dakotas were sent to Japan due to operational demands. The unit's role in Korea was to support No. 77 (Fighter) Squadron by transporting supplies and equipment. It also delivered materials and stores to Australian and Commonwealth ground forces, and transported VIPs of the United Nations Command. Return journeys to Japan were often used to evacuate wounded personnel from the theatre. No. 30 Communications Unit was redesignated No. 30 Transport Unit in November 1951, and re-formed as No. 36 (Transport) Squadron in March 1953. The squadron remained in Korea following the armistice, and returned to Australia in June 1955.

When the Korean War broke out on 25 June 1950, No. 77 (Fighter) Squadron of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) was based at Iwakuni, Japan, having served with the British Commonwealth Occupation Force (BCOF) for four years. Equipped primarily with North American P-51 Mustangs, the squadron also operated a communications flight of two Douglas C-47 Dakotas and two Austers. Personnel were preparing to return to Australia when they were placed on standby for action over Korea; the Mustangs began flying missions as part of United Nations Command (UNC) forces a week later. Following the landing at Inchon and the consequent advance northward of UNC troops, No. 77 Squadron relocated to Pohang, South Korea, on 12 October 1950. It left behind its main support elements at Iwakuni.No. 91 (Composite) Wing was established at the base on 20 October and given administrative responsibility for all RAAF units operating during the conflict. As well as No. 77 Squadron, this included the newly formed No. 391 (Base) Squadron and No. 491 (Maintenance) Squadron, and No. 30 Communications Flight, formerly the No. 77 Squadron Communications Flight. The flight's original complement of two Dakotas and two Austers had been augmented in September 1950 by two more Dakotas from Australia. On 1 November, the flight was designated No. 30 Communications Unit.