No. 9 Operational Group (No. 9 OG) was formed in
New Guinea in September 1942, consisting of seven RAAF squadrons attached to the
USAAF's
Fifth Air Force. Four of the squadrons were based at
Milne Bay and three at
Port Moresby. On its establishment it was the RAAF's "premier fighting unit" in the
South West Pacific Area (SWPA). Its first commander was Group Captain
Bill Garing. Administratively, No. 9 OG initially came under the control of RAAF
North-Eastern Area Command. On 1 January 1943, Headquarters No. 9 OG assumed responsibility for the formation's administration as well as its operations, making it independent of North-Eastern Area. In October–November the group launched a number of
major assaults on Rabaul, bombing and strafing ground and naval targets. Although Hewitt was performing an "excellent job" according to Fifth Air Force commander Major General
Ennis Whitehead, he was transferred from his post in November 1943 by the
Chief of the Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal
George Jones, over accusations of poor discipline within No. 9 OG. He was replaced by Air Commodore
Frank Lukis, who had commanded North-Eastern Area in 1942. In December 1943, No. 9 OG's Kittyhawks took part in a series of attacks culminating in the
Battle of Arawe. As the Pacific conflict gradually shifted further north, operational tasking lessened and No. 9 OG became colloquially known in the RAAF as the "Non-Ops Group". It assumed the duties of a garrison force in New Guinea and was renamed
Northern Command on 11 April 1944, to better reflect its new function. Its mobile strike role was taken over by No. 10 Operational Group (later renamed the
Australian First Tactical Air Force), which had been formed on 13 November 1943. ==Order of battle==