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Captain Keith Hatfield about to board his T-6
Mosqultos Over Korea
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Mosquito Over Korea
“Goddamnit, an Aussie! Come in . . . ” They were all at the bar rolling dice for drinks. It was like old home week. “Come in . . . ” and they began introducing themselves . . . It was Sunday afternoon at the 6147 Control Group Officer’s Club in the Korean town of Chunchon on April 5, 1953. Lt Gus Breen had just walked in and the sighting of his slouch hat had caused a spontaneous response. “Come on, ” they said “your roll. ” “I don’t know anything about dice and I’ve got no money, ” the Australian remarked. He and his two companions had just arrived and they did not have any American dollars . . . but that did not matter. “You won’t lose,” he was assured. And that was how three Australian Army officers were welcomed into the American ‘Mosquito’ squadron . . .
Lt A E J Breen had graduated from Duntroon as an infantry officer in December, 1951. Because of the casualties which had already occurred during the Korean War, 32 out of 54 in the 1951 class graduated into infantry and all, without exception, eventually went to Korea as infantry platoon commanders or reinforcement officers for a 12 month tour.
Gus Breen arrived in Korea in November,1952 and was posted to 1 Battalion, straight up onto a hill which was called 355 or Little Gibraltar. He had breakfast in Japan and lunch on the front line. The RAAF airlifted his group of reinforcements across from lwakuni, in a Dakota of No. 30 (Transport) Unit, to Kimpo, which was the main airport of Seoul, the South Korean capital. Then it was up to the line by jeep. At this stage the war was in its static stages when the front line was north of the Imjin River, about 40 miles (64km) north of Seoul. Breen took over from an officer who had been killed only a few nights before.
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