Guiuan Airfield
Encyclopedia
Guiuan Airfield is a World War II
airfield located near Guiuan
in the province of Eastern Samar, Samar, Philippines
. It was closed after the war.
(January 20 – March 12, 1945), and a few PB4Ys were stationed at the airfield.
Today, the runway of the wartime airfield is known as Guiuan Airport, but it is infrequently used.
The runway was built by the 61st Naval Construction and actually two side by side runways were built through the jungle and were built of coral. The strip was used by corsairs of the marines stationed there as well as the 22nd and 5th bomb groups of the Army Air Force. On one day the two strips hosted the most airplanes of any base in the Pacific. On that day over a thousand Navy Airplanes landed at the base. It was the main carrier force of the Navy as a Typhoon was coming and the carriers got rid of their aircraft. The Navy planes were parked among the B-24s and C-47s. The crews were put into the four-man tents during the Typhoon with half a dozen Navy Airmen sleeping with the Air force crews.
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
airfield located near Guiuan
Guiuan, Eastern Samar
Guiuan is a 2nd class municipality in the province of Eastern Samar, Philippines. As of year 2004, it has a population of 43,647 people in 7,618 households....
in the province of Eastern Samar, Samar, Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. It was closed after the war.
History
The airfield was built by the United States Navy Seebees, 42nd Battalion in January 1945. A single runway made of crushed coral was constructed running ENE to WSW. The runway was 1.5 miles long. Minor repair facilities were available at the airfield. It was used for the duration of the war by Army Air force and Navy aircraft. MAG fighters, B-24s of the 22d Bombardment Group22d Air Refueling Wing
The 22d Air Refueling Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Mobility Command's Eighteenth Air Force. It is stationed at McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas and also functions as the host wing for McConnell AFB....
(January 20 – March 12, 1945), and a few PB4Ys were stationed at the airfield.
Today, the runway of the wartime airfield is known as Guiuan Airport, but it is infrequently used.
See also
- USAAF in the Southwest PacificUnited States Army Air Forces in the South West Pacific TheatreDuring World War II, the United States Army Air Forces engaged in combat against the air, ground and naval forces of the Empire of Japan in the South West Pacific Theatre....
The runway was built by the 61st Naval Construction and actually two side by side runways were built through the jungle and were built of coral. The strip was used by corsairs of the marines stationed there as well as the 22nd and 5th bomb groups of the Army Air Force. On one day the two strips hosted the most airplanes of any base in the Pacific. On that day over a thousand Navy Airplanes landed at the base. It was the main carrier force of the Navy as a Typhoon was coming and the carriers got rid of their aircraft. The Navy planes were parked among the B-24s and C-47s. The crews were put into the four-man tents during the Typhoon with half a dozen Navy Airmen sleeping with the Air force crews.