Air Vice Marshal William Henry Simmonds AO (Rtd) as a pilot No 77 Fighter Squadron RAAF, Korea 1952, interviewed by Dr Chris Clark

Air Vice Marshal Simmonds talks about the lack of relevance of basic flying training to combat mission flying in Korea; being posted to 78 Wing, RAAF Base Williamtown after graduation from Point Cook; the transition from flying Wirraways to flying Vampire jets through flying Mustangs; his notification of being posted to No.77 Squadron, Korea; his first being posted to Iwakuni, Japan to undertake the Meteor conversion course; a comparison of the Meteor with the Mig-15; inadequacies in the retraining of experienced air-to-ground Mustang pilots as air defence jet pilots; shooting down a Mig-15 on 8 May 1952; discrimination against Point Cook graduates in general and against Simmonds in particular; a one-third attrition rate for 77 Squadron pilots; USAF organization at Iwakuni; 77 Squadron's assignment to the United States 5th Air Force; relationships with the Americans; accommodation at Kimpo and efforts to improve it; an embellished Tent 3; daily operational routine; drop tank usage; winter conditions and ground crew; a comparison with Korea's summer; good American catering; R & R opportunities at Iwakuni; visiting Nagoya; operations from Kimpo; receiving usually good intelligence for targeting; occasional doubts about targets; missing a potential second Mig-15 target because of low fuel; the need for the RAAF to develop air combat tactics; the failure of the RAAF to use Simmond's Sabre experience from his secondment to 2nd Allied Tactical Air Force, Germany on his return to Australia; the American system of awards and decorations compared to Australian practice; Simmond's Mentioned in Despatches award and lessons learned from Korea, particularly with respect to fighter operations and training.