Danilo Atienza
Encyclopedia
Filipino people
The Filipino people or Filipinos are an Austronesian ethnic group native to the islands of the Philippines. There are about 92 million Filipinos in the Philippines, and about 11 million living outside the Philippines ....
pilot
Aviator
An aviator is a person who flies an aircraft. The first recorded use of the term was in 1887, as a variation of 'aviation', from the Latin avis , coined in 1863 by G. de la Landelle in Aviation Ou Navigation Aérienne...
in the Philippine Air Force
Philippine Air Force
The Philippine Air Force is the air force of the Republic of the Philippines, and one of the three main services of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Its official name in Filipino is Hukbong Himpapawid ng Pilipinas....
.
Atienza started out as a Philippine Air Force cadet at Fernando Air Base
Fernando Air Base
Fernando Air Base was originally constructed by the Japanese Imperial Army over an area of a wide sugar cane plantation before the Second World War. It is 1,220 feet above sea level and is situated on a plateau overlooking Taal Volcano with an area of 288 hectares of land, about 45...
in Lipa City
Lipa City
The Lipa City /Li-pâ/ is a first class city in the province of Batangas, Philippines. It is one of the three component cities of Batangas province...
, where he was commissioned a second lieutenant in 1974. After assignments with the 5th Fighter Wing at Cesar Basa Air Base
Basa Air Base
Basa Air Base , is a Philippine Air Force base located at Floridablanca, Pampanga in the Philippines....
, Pampanga
Pampanga
Pampanga is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Luzon region. Its capital is the City of San Fernando, Pampanga. Pampanga is bordered by the provinces of Bataan and Zambales to the west, Tarlac and Nueva Ecija to the north, and Bulacan to the southeast...
, Atienza became Squadron Commander of the 6th Tactical Squadron.
On December 1, 1989, Air Force officers had joined an anti-government revolt. Atienza turned his F-5 fighter against the rebels who established a stronghold at Sangley
Sangley
Sangley , is an archaic term used in the Philippines to describe and classify a person of pure Chinese ancestry, while mestizo de sangley was used to refer to a person of mixed Chinese and indigenous ancestry Sangley (Sangleye, Sangley Mestizo, Mestisong Sangley, Mestizo de Sangley or Chinese...
Field. In bombing and strafing runs, amid heavy rebel ground fire, he and two other combat pilots destroyed one Sikorsky
Sikorsky Aircraft
The Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation is an American aircraft manufacturer based in Stratford, Connecticut. Its parent company is United Technologies Corporation.-History:...
helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
, seven T-28
T-28 Trojan
The North American Aviation T-28 Trojan is a piston-engined military trainer aircraft used by the United States Air Force and United States Navy beginning in the 1950s...
's and a fuel depot, depriving the rebel soldiers of air power. This action turned the tide of battle to the government's favor.
However, Atienza lost his life that day. President Corazon C. Aquino awarded him the Medal of Valor
Philippine Medal of Valor
The Philippine Medal of Valor is the highest military award given to members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and allied military personnel. It is awarded by the President of the Republic of the Philippines to military personnel of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, including recognized...
. On May 5, 1992, by an act of Congress, the airfield at Sangley Point Naval and Air Training Station was renamed Danilo Atienza Air Base
Danilo Atienza Air Base
- Overview :On 1 September 1971, the base was turned over the Philippine Navy and Air Force, with the facility being renamed Sangley Point Air Base. The two services jointly operated the facility....
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