Townsville, previously a sleepy northern town of around 35,000 people was strategically chosen as the location of a large U.S. Air Force base supporting General MacArthur’s defence of Australia against the advancing Japanese forces, swelling the population to over 65,000. At one time during the war, Townsville was America’s largest overseas air base except for some facilities in Great Britain. During the Battle, Townsville had more aircraft taking off and landing per minute than any other city in the world. It was common for B-26 Marauders, B-17 Flying Fortresses or B-25 Mitchell bombers to take off on long range bombing raids from Garbutt air base. The first bombing raid on Rabaul on 23 February 1942 was carried out by six B-17’s based near Townsville. These long range bombing raids from Townsville would cover a 36 - 48 hour period with a total of 18 hours of flying time. Typically they would leave Townsville late in the afternoon, stay overnight at Port Moresby to refuel and take on-board a load of bombs, and then attack Rabaul. They would then return to Port Moresby for more fuel and return to Townsville.