On March 22 1942, nine "Betty" bombers from the Japanese Navy dropped between 82-92 high explosive bombs popularly known as "Daisy Cutters" as part of the ongoing Second World War.

The Japanese targeted the Katherine airfield, dropping most of their bombs in and around the site, where the Katherine Museum is located today.

There was one fatality, an Indigenous man called Dodger Kodjalwal, and two other Indigenous people were injured.

A remembrance ceremony was held at the Katherine Museum, to pay tribute to the victims of the bombing and the ongoing service military personnel perform in the Katherine region.

Juanita Heparia is one of few witnesses to the bombing who is still alive.

Just two-years-old at the time, Mrs Heparia said she can remember running with her family from their house, to the airfield's grounds in an attempt to shelter from the violence.

Dodger Kodjalwal was a relative of Mrs Heparia, and tributes to him today left her feeling proud of his memory.

"I reckon they would be proud (his family)," she said.

"They said his name and acknowledged it... it's important to family."

The remembrance ceremony was well attended by Katherine residents, local government officials and personnel from RAAF Base Tindal.

The ceremony started with the sounding of the old air-raid siren, before Wing Commander Shane Smith from RAAF Base Tindal spoke about the "strength and resilience" of the residents in Katherine at the time of the bombing.

He also paid tribute to the military personnel who have served in Katherine over the years.

Wreaths were laid by members of the community, and a minutes silence was observed to remember the victims of the bombing.

Katherine was targeted by the bombing raid due to the large numbers of military personnel stationed in the town during the war.

An example of this is the North Australia Observation Unit, nicknamed the "Nackeroos", which was created in 1942 and based in Katherine.

The bombing of the small outback town was the furthest encroachment of enemy invasion ever recorded on mainland Australia.

While damage to infrastructure was limited and just one life was lost, the attack changed Katherine in many ways and continues to impact people's lives.

Local families were immediately evacuated to South Australia, where Indigenous children like Mrs Heparia were taken from their families and became part of the Stolen Generations.

After the war, local people and new arrivals built on the military framework and infrastructure which was left behind to create a much larger town than Katherine may have been if it had been left out of the war.

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