No. 73 Squadron was formed at
Cootamundra, New South Wales, on 1 July 1942 from personnel loaned by
No. 1 Air Observers School. The squadron's formation was part of the RAAF's response to
Japanese submarine attacks on shipping off Australia during mid-1942, and it was equipped with
Avro Anson training aircraft. It was recognised that the Ansons lacked sufficient range and payload to be effective in the anti-submarine role, but superior aircraft were not available. The squadron conducted training in the Cootamundra and
Wagga Wagga areas during July and early August. Six aircraft were lost in flying accidents. The squadron's aircraft had their gun turrets removed and Air-to-Surface Vessel (ASV) radar installed during 1943, and by the end of January 1944 the squadron was operating 13 ASV Ansons. In November 1943 the RAAF began to reduce its anti-submarine effort as no Japanese submarine attacks had been made in Australian waters since the middle of the year. The RAAF ceased flying anti-submarine escort patrols south of the
24th parallel from February 1944, easing No. 73 Squadron's workload. The squadron was notified on 24 July that it was to be disbanded as part of a further reduction in the RAAF's anti-submarine forces, and flying ceased that day. The unit was formally disbanded on 9 September 1944. ==Notes==