Mount Isa, Queensland ~ Australia 1942 ~ 1945

During World War II Mount Isa, a large mineral (silver, lead, zinc, and copper) mining operation, founded in 1923, located in northwestern Queensville, 800 miles west of Townsville, became an inland garrison city playing host to U.S. troops, logistical supply storage facilities with a rail link to Townsville and roadway links to northern territory coastal port towns. There was also a Royal Australian Air Force, base and airfield.         Mount Isa also had an underground hospital built in the mines after February 1942. The Medical Superintendent of Mount Isa Hospital asked Mount Isa Mines to help build it to protect patients in the event of any Japanese air raids. The hospital provided services for routine medical outpatient care, and maternity and surgical operating theater's. It was constructed by local miners who volunteered to work in their spare time and on weekends.

click on to enlarge

        While at Mount Isa the soldiers of B Company, 720th MP Battalion performed garrison duties to include, stockade duty and establishing outposts. One of the B Company duties was to climb the approximately 1000 steps to the top of an outcropping and report all aircraft sightings.

        Early 1942 after approximately 3-months in Brisbane, the 48th and 29th QM Truck Regiments were equipped new trucks and were convoyed to Mount Isa.  At the time, each company in the regiments had 48-2 1/2 ton GMC 6x6 trucks, 2-2 1/2 ton trucks for supply and mess, and a 1/2 ton 4x4 pickup truck.  (Jeeps were not available at this time and were issued later.)  A regiment consisted of 12 companies organized into 3 battalions of 4 companies each. The regiments were to form a brigade and operate out of Mount Isa, where they transported supplies from the end of the railroad up to Darwin.  There were no blacktop surfaced roads  in the Northern Territory at this time.

The Americans left Mount Isa in about July 1943.