, ▁where ▁he ▁was ▁appointed ▁adj ut ant ▁and ▁subsequently ▁led ▁the ▁school ' s ▁Cad et ▁Squadron . ▁In ▁the ▁latter ▁role ▁he ▁inaugur ated ▁the ▁college ' s ▁advent ure ▁training , ▁including ▁can oe ▁tri ps ▁on ▁the ▁Murray ▁River ▁in ▁boats ▁constructed ▁by ▁the ▁students . ▁ ▁Prom oted ▁to ▁wing ▁commander , ▁Sp ence ▁was ▁posted ▁to ▁Japan ▁to ▁take ▁command ▁of ▁No .   7 7 ▁Squadron ▁on ▁ 2 8   F ebru ary ▁ 1 9 5 0 . ▁Based ▁at ▁I w ak uni , ▁the ▁squad ron ▁operated ▁P - 5 1 ▁Must angs ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁British ▁Commonwealth ▁Occ up ation ▁Force ▁( B CO F ). ▁Origin ally ▁one ▁of ▁three ▁RA AF ▁f ighter ▁units ▁under ▁B CO F , ▁No . ▁ 7 7 ▁Squadron ▁had ▁since ▁late - 1 9 4 8 ▁been ▁Australia ' s ▁sole ▁air ▁component ▁in ▁Japan , ▁becoming ▁the ▁largest ▁flying ▁squad ron ▁in ▁the ▁Air ▁Force , ▁with ▁around ▁ 3 0 0 ▁officers ▁and ▁men , ▁forty ▁Must angs , ▁and ▁several ▁transport ▁aircraft . ▁Occ up ation ▁duties ▁had ▁been ▁une vent ful , ▁the ▁main ▁oper ational ▁task ▁being ▁surve ill ance ▁pat rol s , ▁but ▁the ▁RA AF ▁maintained ▁an ▁int ensive ▁training ▁regime ▁and ▁under to ok ▁combined ▁exer cis es ▁with ▁other ▁Al lied ▁forces . ▁On ▁ 2 3   J une , ▁No . ▁ 7 7 ▁Squadron ▁made ▁what ▁was ▁expected