Lingayen Airport
Encyclopedia
Lingayen Airport is the airport serving the general area of Lingayen
, the capital of the province of Pangasinan
in the Philippines
. It is one of two airports in the province: the other being Rosales Airport
. It is classified as a community airport by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines.
, "Lingayen Airfield" was located at the town of Lingayen, parallel to the beach running roughly east to west along Lingayen Gulf
. The airfield was also known as "Lingayen Aerodrome" or "Lingayen Field".
The airfield was built prior to the war by the Americans (possibly Philippine Army). It was used as a landing field by US pilots flying familiarization flights in North Luzon. A Philippine Army contingent (most likely the troops of the 21st Division) was also stationed in the area. When the Japanese struck Clark and Iba Fields on December 8, 1941, some of the USAAC pilots landed their P-40s at Lingayen.
The airfield was sized by the Japanese army when they landed at Lingayen Gulf on 25 December 1941. During the Japanese occupation of the Philippines, the airfield was extensively used by Japanese Army and Navy aircraft, flying from the Formosa and Japan.
After the American landing at Lingayen Gulf on 9 January 1945, this area was liberated on the first day. The airfield was repaired and improved, including a portion on the beach built by the 836th Engineer Aviation Battalion, and Filipino labor, using 'sawali' (woven palm fronds) with marston matting over top to form the surface of the runway, to keep the sand down. The repairs were completed in late February 1945 and it was immediately put into use by fighter and tactical reconnaissance squadrons, and was capable of handling B-25 and larger aircraft. Lingayen Airfield was also used as an emergency field for damaged bombers returning from strike on Formosa that were too damaged to reach Clark Field.
With the end of the war, the runways of the airfield were shortened, and it became the small regional airport which it is today.
Lingayen, Pangasinan
Lingayen is a 1st class municipality in the province of Pangasinan on the island of Luzon in the Philippines. It is the capital municipality and the seat of government of the province of Pangasinan. According to the latest census, it has a population of 95,773 people in 16,467 households.Lingayen...
, the capital of the province of Pangasinan
Pangasinan
Pangasinan is a province of the Republic of the Philippines. The provincial capital is Lingayen. Pangasinan is located on the west central and peripheral area of the island of Luzon along the Lingayen Gulf, with the total land area being 5,368.82 square kilometers . According to the latest census,...
in the 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 is one of two airports in the province: the other being Rosales Airport
Rosales Airport
Rosales Airport is an airfield located in Barangay Carmen, Rosales, Pangasinan, in the Philippines. During the World War II era, before and after the occupation of Clark Air Base by the Japanese, Rosales Airport acted as a secondary airfield for U.S. Air Force aircraft stationed there...
. It is classified as a community airport by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines.
History
During World War IIWorld 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...
, "Lingayen Airfield" was located at the town of Lingayen, parallel to the beach running roughly east to west along Lingayen Gulf
Lingayen Gulf
The Lingayen Gulf is an extension of the South China Sea on Luzon in the Philippines stretching . It is framed by the provinces of Pangasinan and La Union and sits between the Zambales Mountains and the Cordillera Central...
. The airfield was also known as "Lingayen Aerodrome" or "Lingayen Field".
The airfield was built prior to the war by the Americans (possibly Philippine Army). It was used as a landing field by US pilots flying familiarization flights in North Luzon. A Philippine Army contingent (most likely the troops of the 21st Division) was also stationed in the area. When the Japanese struck Clark and Iba Fields on December 8, 1941, some of the USAAC pilots landed their P-40s at Lingayen.
The airfield was sized by the Japanese army when they landed at Lingayen Gulf on 25 December 1941. During the Japanese occupation of the Philippines, the airfield was extensively used by Japanese Army and Navy aircraft, flying from the Formosa and Japan.
After the American landing at Lingayen Gulf on 9 January 1945, this area was liberated on the first day. The airfield was repaired and improved, including a portion on the beach built by the 836th Engineer Aviation Battalion, and Filipino labor, using 'sawali' (woven palm fronds) with marston matting over top to form the surface of the runway, to keep the sand down. The repairs were completed in late February 1945 and it was immediately put into use by fighter and tactical reconnaissance squadrons, and was capable of handling B-25 and larger aircraft. Lingayen Airfield was also used as an emergency field for damaged bombers returning from strike on Formosa that were too damaged to reach Clark Field.
With the end of the war, the runways of the airfield were shortened, and it became the small regional airport which it is today.
Units assigned to Lingayen Airfield
- 309th Bombardment Wing309th Air DivisionThe 309th Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Continental Air Command, assigned to Twelfth Air Force, being stationed at Hensley AFB, Texas. It was inactivated on 27 June 1949....
(29 May-12 October 1945) - 38th Bombardment Group38th Bombardment GroupThe 38th Bombardment Group is an inactive unit of the United States Air Force. It was most recently assigned as the operational component of the 38th Bombardment Wing, stationed at Laon-Couvron Air Base, France, where it was inactivated on 8 December 1957.During World War II the 38th Bomb Group...
(30 January-25 July 1945) - 35th Fighter Group35th Fighter WingThe 35th Fighter Wing is an air combat unit of the United States Air Force and the host unit at Misawa Air Base, Japan. The 35 FW is part of Pacific Air Forces Fifth Air Force.-Mission:...
(10–19 April 1945) - 49th Fighter Group49th Fighter WingThe 49th Wing is an air combat unit of the United States Air Force and the host unit at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico. The 49 WG is part of the Air Combat Command Twelfth Air Force....
(25 February-16 August 1945) - 475th Fighter Group475th Air Base WingThe 475th Air Base Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last duty station was at Yokota Air Base, Japan, where it was inactivated on 1 April 1992....
(20 April-8 August 1945) - 547th Night Fighter Squadron547th Night Fighter SquadronThe 547th Intelligence Squadron is an active United States Air Force unit. It is currently responsible for intelligence support for all Red Flag-Nellis exercises.-History:...
(18 January-13 August 1945)
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....