More than 100 people gathered at the Katherine Museum today to pay tribute to the thousands of service men and women in the region at the time of the bombing of Katherine.
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The anniversary was marked with the loud flypass of F/A-18 Hornets and RAAF Base Tindal personnel sounding the Air Raid Siren.
At the time, the effort of women and Indigenous people during World War Two went largely unrecognised, but today were not forgotten.
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"The part played by Aboriginal men and women is largely unrecognised despite the variety of duties undertaken ranging from hospital orderlies to transport, farm and stock work at Australian Army abattoirs," master of ceremonies historian Mike Reed said today.
"Also underestimated is the role played by women in the Katherine region during World Was two in essential roles of communication and administration and those who served in Australian Army hospitals.
"Today we reflect on a raid on Katherine by aircraft of the Imperial Japanese Navy and pay tribute to the tens of thousands of Australian Army and Air Force personnel, along with those of the united states Army who were stationed in and around Katherine during World War Two together with thousands of civillians who made an essential contribution to the war effort."
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Wing Commander Tim Ferrell, who has only recently taken up the new post at RAAF Base Tindal, provided a commemorative address saying it is the "strength of the service men and women" which should be remembered today.
"I would argue that the strength and tenacity exhibited through the Second World Was has held true from that point onward seeing the town through adversity such as the 1998 flood and the way this community has recovered and flourished, now assisting with the evacuation as cyclone Trevor approaches," he said.
Before the national anthem and a minutes silence, local leaders including Katherine Mayor Fay Miller and Cadet Corporal Ella Yeoman laid wreaths.
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