 Complete the following phrase:  Promoted to group captain, Murdoch was appointed senior air staff officer SASO at Eastern Area Command, Sydney, in July 1943. In January 1944, he became SASO at North-Western Area Command, which controlled thirteen Australian, British, Dutch, and American squadrons from its headquarters in Darwin, Northern Territory. Murdoch planned many of the commands bombing and mining operations in the South West Pacific Theatre, and was mentioned in despatches for his distinguished service in the role. He was posted as SASO to the Australian First Tactical Air Force No. 1 TAF in April 1945, replacing Group Captain William Gibson after the latters dismissal in the wake of the Morotai Mutiny, when the threatened resignations of eight of the RAAFs leading fighter aces caused a crisis in the formations leadership. Delegated operational responsibility by No. 1 TAFs new commander, Air Commodore Frederick Scherger, Murdoch received much of the credit for the planning of the RAAFs role in Operation Oboe Six, the 