Strauss Airstrip

Military Decommissioning. Following the end of hostilities in World War II, the airfield was no longer required for the defense of Darwin or for offensive operations. Like many other satellite airfields built in the region during the war, it was deemed surplus to requirements and was abandoned.

The site is now a historical ruin located on private property and is not publicly accessible. The main runway, although heavily overgrown with vegetation and trees, is still clearly visible from satellite imagery. Remnants of taxiways, aircraft revetments (protective earthen mounds), and building foundations can also be found scattered throughout the area. A roadside historical marker on the nearby Stuart Highway provides information and commemorates the airfield's history and the personnel who served there.

Strauss Airstrip was a major Allied heavy bomber and fighter airfield during World War II, crucial for the defense of Darwin and for projecting air power against Japanese forces.

- **Construction and Naming:** It was constructed in 1942 by the US Army's 808th Engineer Aviation Battalion. The airfield was named in honor of Captain Allison W. Strauss, a pilot from the USAAF's 49th Fighter Group, who was killed in action during a Japanese air raid on Darwin on May 2, 1942.

- **Operations and Units:** It was a vital part of the 'Darwin Fortress' network of airfields. Key units that operated from Strauss included:
- **RAAF No. 1 Fighter Wing:** Comprising several Supermarine Spitfire squadrons (No. 54 Squadron RAF, No. 452 Squadron RAAF, and No. 457 Squadron RAAF), which were responsible for intercepting Japanese air raids on Northern Australia.
- **USAAF 380th Bombardment Group ('Flying Circus'):** This was a primary base for the group's B-24 Liberator heavy bombers. From Strauss, they conducted long-range bombing missions against strategic Japanese targets in the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia), Timor, and other islands in the region.

Its strategic location allowed for both defensive fighter interception and offensive long-range bombing campaigns, making it a significant asset in the Pacific War from 1942 to 1945.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening Strauss Airstrip as an operational airport. Its status as a historical site on private land, its overgrown and deteriorated condition, and the proximity of modern aviation facilities (including Darwin International Airport and smaller general aviation airfields) make its reactivation both unfeasible and unnecessary.