American Legion (1941–1945)

The US entered the war after the Japanese attacks on Pearl Harbour in December 1941. Anticipating a war of island hopping in the Pacific, the US established military bases in Australia. The first Americans arrived in Brisbane on 22 December 1941. In April 1942, General Douglas MacArthur established his headquarters in Melbourne and, by mid-1943, around 250,000 American troops were stationed in Australia, largely concentrated in Queensland, near Brisbane, Rockhampton and Townsville. Over 16 million Americans served in the United States Armed Forces during WWII.