No 13 Squadron RAAF

No. 13 (City of Darwin) Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) squadron. The unit saw combat during World War II as a bomber and maritime patrol squadron. It is currently active as a mixed regular and reserve RAAF unit located in Darwin. The squadron was formed from elements of No. 12 Squadron at RAAF Station Darwin on 1 June 1940. The future Australian Prime Minister Gough Whitlam served with the squadron as a navigator from August 1943 until February 1945. No. 13 Squadron was awarded the United States Presidential Unit Citation for its operations over Timor during August and September 1942; it is one of only two RAAF squadrons to have received this honour, the other unit being No. 2 Squadron for its performance in the Vietnam War. It was withdrawn to RAAF Base Fairbairn to rest and re-equip with Bristol Beaufort anti-submarine aircraft and Ventura aircraft in August 1944. It moved to Cooktown, north-eastern Queensland, in late May 1944, before moving again to Northern Territory, in August from there in August.