Service Details
- Branch of Service
- Air Force
- Conflict
- Korea (1950-1953)
- Date of Enlistment
- 11/09/1942
- Place of Enlistment
- Brisbane, Queensland
Personal Details
- Gender
- Male
- Date of Birth
- 22/05/1924
- Place of Birth
- Hastings, New Zealnd
- Address (at enlistment)
- RAAF Base Canberra (Fairbairn), ACT
- Occupation
- Pilot
- Next of Kin
- Monica Hunt (wife), RAAF Base Canberra (Fairbairn), ACT
Unit and Rank Details
- Service Number
- A11389
- Final Rank
- Warrant Officer
- Final Unit
- 77 Squadron
Awards and Honours
Distinguished Flying Cross (Commonwealth of Australia Gazette: 9 April 1952; page 2137, position 3)
US Air Medal (Commonwealth of Australia Gazette: 22 June 1951; page 1555, position 45)
Notes
Hunt was based at RAAF Canberra when he was called up for service with the 77th Squadron in Korea on 2 July 1950. The slightly built Hunt was on duty at the Sergeant's Mess when he heard the news but it took a few hours for it to sink in and a few more before he found the words to tell his wife. A week later he was flying a Mustang fighter out of Iwakuni air field near Hiroshima in Japan, and later from Yongpo in North Korea. Hunt flew one hundred missions before returning to Canberra and taking a brief holiday at the beach with his wife. During that time his plane was only hit once - on his 100th mission. Hunt returned to Korea in April 1951 for a second tour, this time flying a Gloster Meteor jet. His service in Korea ended on 8 September 1951.
Hunt was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross in April 1952 for his "determination & devotion 115 missions Korea". By then he was based in Malta with the 78th Squadron of the RAAF.
Sources
Nominal Roll of Australian Veterans of the Korean War http://www.koreanroll.gov.au/
ACT Electoral Rolls 1916 to 1967 http://canberraheritageportal.org/default.php
'Across the Parallel - the Australian 77th Squadron with the United States Air Force in the Korean War', by George Odgers, 1953
David Wilson, 'Lion over Korea: 77 Fighter Squadron RAAF 1950-53', 1994
The Canberra Times - 21 July 1950, 7 November 1950, 28 February 1951, 14 March 1951, 12 April 1951, 23 June 1951
AWM Honours & Awards
ACT electoral roll - 1951