Bataan Airfield

Bataan Airfield
Part of Fifth Air Force
Luzon, Philippines
A shelter near Bataan Field, 1942
Type	Military Airfield
Coordinates	14°27′14.81″N 120°34′06.63″E / 14.4541139°N 120.5685083°E / 14.4541139; 120.5685083 (Approximate)
Built	1941
In use	1941-1942
Controlled by	United States Army Air Forces
Battles/wars	Battle of the Philippines (1942)

Bataan Airfield was a former wartime United States Army Air Forces airfield on Luzon in the Philippines. It was overrun by the Imperial Japanese Army during the Battle of the Philippines (1942). The airfield was located near the village of Lucanin, south Lamao in Bataan Provience

History

The airfield was a temporary field located several miles from the southern tip of the Bataan peninsula built about 20 December 1941. Bataan Field consisted of a dirt runway, hacked out of the jungle by Army engineers. However, it was well camouflaged.

The airfield was used by whatever surviving aircraft were left on Luzon, mostly P-40s from the 24th Pursuit Group, but also a variety of observation aircraft and Navy planes.

During the Battle of Bataan, the airfield was attacked and strafed daily by the Japanese, however no aircraft were lost on the ground as a result of the attacks. Bataan Field, along with airfields at Cabcaben and Mariveles were kept in operation for several months during the Battle of Bataan.

Surviving aircraft were sent to Del Monte Airfield on Mindanao about 8 April 1942 to carry on the fight. Bataan Field was captured as part of the American surrender on 9 April 1942.

See also

• Geography of the Philippines
• Military History of the Philippines
• Military History of the United States
• United States Army Air Forces in the South West Pacific Theatre

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.

• Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-89201-092-4.
• Mauer, Mauer (1969), Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II, Air Force Historical Studies Office, Maxwell AFB, Alabama. ISBN 0-89201-097-5
• The Army Air Forces in World War II, Chapter 6, Pearl Harbor and Clark Field

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