"SECTION 22"
GENERAL HEADQUARTERS, SWPA
AN INTELLIGENCE ORGANISATION
 DURING WW2

visits since 17 March 2002

"Section 22", General Headquarters, SWPA was a multinational organization set up under the Chief Signal Officer at GHQ SWPA, Major General Spencer B. Akin in late 1943 to collect electronic intelligence about the increasing number of Japanese radar sets deployed in the South West Pacific Area (SWPA). "Section 22" was responsible for the coordination of Allied electronic reconnaissance.

Unlike Central Bureau, Brisbane, which was a purely cryptologic organization, "Section 22" included personnel from the Navy, Marine Corps, Signal Corps, Army Air Forces, and foreign personnel. Personnel included members of the U.S. military along with British, Australian, New Zealand and Dutch allies.

"Section 22" was responsible for collecting information on Japanese radar and radio systems, analysis, dissemination of the resulting intelligence and requisitioning and assigning electronic countermeasures/reconnaissance personnel and equipment. By mid-1943 USAAF B-24D Ferret aircraft had been assigned to the Southwest Pacific Area, and "Section 22" started to assemble a detailed picture of the Japanese radar network in the area. "Section 22" soon realised the effectiveness of operations using dedicated AAF Ferrets and soon forced the US Navy into a similar mode of operation.

The B-24D Ferret (a modified Liberator) was equipped with the SCR-587 receiver and a developmental version of a radar pulse analyzer which became a vital tool to assist the airborne operators in identifying the type of enemy radar being intercepted.

In March 1944, Patrol Bombing Squadron VPB-116, which was based on the recently captured Eniwetok Atoll, began flying electronic reconnaissance missions around the Japanese naval base at Truk in the Caroline Islands. Their PB4Y-ls, with their electronic reconnaissance equipment, were used to locate and collect information on the Japanese radar installations on Truk. This data was then used to great effect during the aircraft carrier air strikes on the Eniwetok Atoll.

Patrol Bombing Squadron VPB-116 had its beginnings as Bombing Squadron VB-116 which was established on 1 December 1943. It was redesignated to VPB-116 on 1 October 1944.

It was clear in 1944, that the AAF's permanently modified Ferret aircraft used exclusively for electronic reconnaissance, were considerably more effective than the US Navy's makeshift installations operated by their "gypsy" air crewmen. "Section 22" directed the formation of a dedicated US Navy unit, where all its personnel, equipment and aircraft would be responsible solely for the electronic reconnaissance role.

Lt Lawrence Heron was selected to form and command this new dedicated airborne electronic reconnaissance unit which was temporarily based at the Palm Island Naval Air Station near Townsville in north Queensland. The unit was equipped with two PBY-5A Black Cat (Catalinas) to be modified for electronic reconnaissance.

ARC-l receivers were installed in the Catalinas and a locally manufactured direction-finding antenna system was used. The new DF antenna pointed downward from the rear fuselage gun hatch, which meant that the antennae could not remain in place prior to take off. It was manually reattached after takeoff which initially proved quite a challenge for the members of this special unit.

After these modifications and some training the Black Cats eventually left NAS Palm Island for New Guinea to begin flying electronic reconnaissance missions from the seaplane bases at Port Moresby and Samari Islands. By late 1944 Lt Heron's Black Cats were flying electronic missions out of the Philippines.

The following entries are from the Military Telephone Books for Brisbane during WW2:-

TELEPHONE DIRECTORY OCTOBER 1943 - RESTRICTED

SECTION 22.

TELEPHONE DIRECTORY MAY 1944 - RESTRICTED

SECTION 22.

TELEPHONE DIRECTORY FEBRUARY 1945 - RESTRICTED

SECTION 22.

Note: - By February 1945, the Chief Signal Officer was Lt. Col. Ernst, J.M.

REFERENCE

"A History of US Navy Fleet Air Reconnaissance, Part 1, The Pacific and VQ-1"
by Captain Don C. East, USN

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I'd like to thank Bill Bentson for his assistance with this home page.

Heaps of WW2 books available at Amazon.com

"Australia @ War"

This page first produced 17 March 2002

This page last updated 09 February 2009