On the 18th February, the first convoy of United States troops called at the port, the ex-interstate vessels Katoomba and Duntroon, as well as the American transport William Holbrook, being the vessels employed. The escorting warship was the U.S.N. cruiser Phoenix and the aircraft carrier Langley also arrived to load fighter aircraft which had been flown across Australia to the main Royal Australian Air Force aerodrome in this State and then taken down by road to Victoria Quay.

In the following month after Singapore had fallen to the enemy, vessels crowded with refugees arrived at Fremantle, taxing accommodation to the utmost in the inner harbour, whilst as many as 30 took up all anchorage in Gage Roads. In the inner harbour, it was, therefore, a common sight to see up to as many as four vessels of substantial size lying in tier, and it was due solely to the circumstances forced upon the port and the prevailing weather conditions that such a state of affairs could be permitted. Altogether, some 75 vessels were using the inner and outer harbours at one and the same time, and in the fortnight ending 20th March, a total of 103 vessels, Naval and merchant, and mainly seeking refuge, arrived at the port. Until these vessels could be ordered to some other destination, acute conditions persisted at the port for some weeks.

On the 22nd March, an anti-aircraft regiment of the U.S. Army landed at the port from the vessel Monterey and established a number of posts in and around the harbour for the purpose of strengthening local defences against any enemy aircraft attacks that might be made upon the harbour and other vital objects situated nearby. After a lapse of about three months, this regiment was relieved by Australian Army anti-aircraft units. In charge of the U.S. regiment was Colonel Mann who, in conjunction with the Commander of the United States Naval Depot that was rapidly established in Fremantle, was required to supervise the landing of all American war stores and equipment. The working of all their vessels around the clock was introduced by the U.S.N. authorities and waterside workers, upon being exhorted to increase their efforts, responded very creditably, although they were faced with the position that with the younger members having joined the Armed Forces prior to and during the year, the brunt of the waterside work fell upon nearly all the older men.

At the North Wharf, accommodation had been provided for the submarine depot vessels Holland and Black Hawk, these vessels forming the base for a certain number of U.S.N. submarines that had also arrived and had commenced to operate against enemy shipping. Very fortunately for these operations, the construction of a 2,000 ton slipway at Fremantle had been commenced just after the outbreak of the European war, and whilst up to 1942 work had proceeded in a normal way, the rate of construction was then speeded up considerably, the original ways lengthened and alterations made to the cradle to bring vessels upon to a more even keel whilst on dry land.

The necessary additional manpower for the cradle work was largely provided by the U.S. Navy, and funds to meet the increased cost of the construction were provided by the Commonwealth Government through the Department of the Navy. The first vessel to be taken up on the slip was the Chungking, which docked on the 22nd September, 1942, and, upon effecting certain adjustments which were found to be required in the cradle, the slipway was then monopolised by Navy vessels right up until a few months ago, when the last of the Royal Navy submarines was given attention in preparation for final departure overseas.

In October, 1942, the U.S. Navy took over No. 1 Grain Shed, North Wharf, for the purpose of converting it into a submarine repair workshop, as it was intended to base a considerably greater number of submarines upon Fremantle. At the rear of the shed, a commencement was made on the construction of a barracks for the accommodation of the crews during the refitting of their vessels.

The submarine repair shop was intended to take the place of a large depot ship and, in the event of war circumstances necessitating any such vessels being sent to some other theatre of war, submarines would still be able to come to Fremantle and be given all necessary attention that under other circumstances would require the presence of a depot ship.

The toll taken of enemy war vessels and merchant shipping by U.S.N. submarines and by Royal Navy and Royal Netherlands Navy submarines, which became based at Fremantle at a later date, has already been revealed to the public, from which information it will have been realised that the availability of this port and its facilities represented a substantial contribution towards the defeat of the Japanese Empire. In view of this circumstance, it is thus a matter of extremely good fortune that no enemy attack was ever made upon the harbour.

Rear Admiral Lockwood, Commander United States Naval Forces, Western Australia, arrived in the State during the latter part of the year for the purpose of organising a large submarine base, the vessels of which were to play such a decisive part in the attack upon and the wholesale destruction of Japanese merchant shipping and vessels of war. The Admiral was afforded all possible co-operation in the matter of acquiring necessary space within the harbour for the activities of his unit and, prior to his departure for duty at Pearl Harbour, some few months later, was most unstinted in his praise of the co-operation which was afforded him by the harbour administration, enabling him to be spared any compliance with formalities that in any other circumstances would have required to be surmounted.

During the year, as well as in later years, Fremantle Harbour was extensively used for the necessary repair of merchant vessels which had either been damaged through enemy action at sea or had broken down through the strain of long service without receiving the usual periodical attention. The presence of these vessels often caused a considerable embarrassment in harbour management, particularly as repair work nearly always occupied lengthy periods.

In March, July and September, several convoys passed through the port, this time returning Australian troops from the Middle East for the defence of Australia against Japanese aggression. Hospital ships which regularly called at the port in the course of the year were the Maunganui, Wanganella, Manunda, and, on one occasion, Oranje.

In May, 1942, the Trust made available for the use of the Naval Department its Signal Station at Cantonment Hill, the activities of that establishment being transferred in June, 1944, to its own signal station, which had then been provided at the top of the wheat silo erected some time previously by the Australian Wheat Board.

On the 29th June, 1942, peace officers, appointed by the Commonwealth Government, were engaged to man all the entrances to the wharves which, since 1st June, 1940, had been closed under National Security Regulations, and access only obtained by means of a special permit. Prior to the peace officers being so appointed, the Trust had, with the assistance of a Military guard, undertaken the whole of the work affecting the security of the wharves by its own augmented patrol staff.

As from the outbreak of war until June 1940, a partial closing of the wharves had been independently affected by the Commissioners, who instituted their own system of passes which, however, were only used in other than ordinary working hours of the port and when all entrances other than the main entrance to the quays were closed to vehicular and pedestrian traffic.

For the financial year ended 30th June 1942, the revenue of the Trust increased by nearly 109,000 over the previous year. Due to the large increases in the imports of coal, volatile and fuel oils, imports exceeded the previous years figures by 53,000 tons, but on the other hand, only 47,000 tons of superphosphate and sulphur were landed as compared to the quantity of 179,000 tons received in 1938-9.

In the case of exports, there was a considerable decline in the shipments of wheat in bulk, but at the same time there was a partial reversion to the method of shipping wheat in bags, there being an increase of 75,000 tons in this traffic, as compared with the previous year. Shipments of flour declined by 31,000 tons, but there was a revival in the wool export trade, as some 63,000 tons were shipped as compared with 19,000 tons in 1940-41.

Excluded from the foregoing figures is the large tonnage of war equipment and stores landed and shipped during the year on behalf of the United States armed forces based in the State. Under the policy enunciated by the State Government, all such material was permitted to be landed or shipped free of wharfage charges, whilst handling charges were raised on the basis of actual cost, plus an overhead percentage, instead of being assessed at the scheduled rates. The vessels carrying such material were also exempted from the payment of tonnage rates.

The number of warships of varying description using the port during the calendar year 1942 was considerable, being mostly units of the U.S. Navy that had been withdrawn consequent upon the fall of the Philippine Islands, and the presence of these vessels naturally served as a forcible reminder of the closeness of the enemy to the Australian shores and the acute state of national emergency.

The question of providing against the contingency of enemy air raids upon the harbour received serious consideration shortly after the outbreak of hostilities and, although preliminary measures were taken long before Japan's entry into the war, it was not until the appointment of the Civil Defence Council and the subsequent promulgation of regulations under the Civil Defence (Emergency Powers) Act that more concrete plans could be formulated. Firstly, as an internal sector within Fremantle A.R.P. district, and latterly as a separate harbour division, the Trust took prompt steps to train employees who were willing to undertake A.R.P. duties in a purely voluntary capacity, ultimately allocating them to the various sections of an organisation which acted in close co-operation with civil defence forces operating throughout the metropolitan area.

At the same time, the fire-fighting equipment was by up-to-date automotive machinery, the strength of the Trust's volunteer fire brigade was trebled and the personnel thoroughly trained, emergency lighting plants secured, increased telephone communications installed, and "black-out" and "anti-fracture" protective measures initiated. So far as limited manpower would permit, air raid shelters of the "slit trench" and "bund" types were constructed, while four fully equipped and well-protected first aid posts were provided.

As a means of perfecting the organisation, and at the same time giving the personnel more practical training in mobilising at short notice, dealing with casualties, etc., A.R.P. practice exercises were conducted in collaboration with the Civil Defence Council on numerous occasions.

Fortunately, an enemy attack did not eventuate, and the services of the A.R.P. personnel were not required, but it must be recorded that on two separate occasions when a warning of impending attack was given by the public alarm sirens, a good manning of personnel in prompt time was reported.

During the latter part of 1942, a very heavy volume of military traffic was required to be handled upon the wharves, the traffic comprising the whole of the sea-borne war material, equipment and motor vehicles sent to Fremantle for the purposes of the defence of Western Australia. The availability of the heavy lift crane upon Victoria Quay proved to be of inestimable value for this work, as it was in the case of the considerable quantity of heavy cargo that was continuously being landed by the United States armed forces.

(extracts from the 1946 Fremantle Harbour Trust Annual Report)