On This Day in 1942: Japanese Fighters Devastate Broome in Deadly Strafing Raid That Destroyed Refugee Aircraft and Killed Dozens

On This Day in 1942: Japanese Fighters Devastate Broome in Deadly Strafing Raid That Destroyed Refugee Aircraft and Killed Dozens

A Remote Town Suddenly at War On March 3, 1942, the quiet pearling town of Broome in Western Australia became the scene of one of the deadliest air attacks ever carried out on Australian soil. What had once been a small coastal settlement suddenly found itself drawn into the expanding Pacific conflict as aircraft carrying refugees and military personnel crowded its harbor and airfield. In early 1942, Broome served as a critical stop for evacuati…