Sansapor Airfield
Encyclopedia
Sansapor Airfield is a former World War II
airfield located in the village of Mar, in West Irian Jaya Province, Indonesia
. The airfield was abandoned after the war and today is almost totally returned to its natural state.
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 in the village of Mar, in West Irian Jaya Province, Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
. The airfield was abandoned after the war and today is almost totally returned to its natural state.
History
The US Army landed unopposed in the area on 31 July 1944. the airfield was built soon after the landing as a forward operational facility.USAAF units assigned to Sansapor
- 86th Fighter Wing (19 August 1944-16 January 1945)
- 42d Bombardment Group, (16 September 1944-22 February 1945)
- Headquarters, 69th, 75th75th Bombardment SquadronThe 75th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last was assigned to the 4039th Strategic Wing, stationed at Griffiss Air Force Base, New York. It was inactivated on 1 February 1963.-History:...
, 100th, 390th Bombardment Squadron390th Bombardment SquadronThe 390th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last was assigned to the 42d Bombardment Group, stationed at Puerto Princesa Airfield, Palawan, Philippines Commonwealth...
s, B-25 MitchellB-25 MitchellThe North American B-25 Mitchell was an American twin-engined medium bomber manufactured by North American Aviation. It was used by many Allied air forces, in every theater of World War II, as well as many other air forces after the war ended, and saw service across four decades.The B-25 was named...
- 12th Fighter Squadron12th Fighter SquadronThe 12th Fighter Squadron was part of the 3d Wing at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska until its decommission in September 2006. The squadron operated the F-15 Eagle aircraft conducting air superiority missions.-Mission:...
(18th Fighter Group), (23 August-13 January 1945), P-38 LightningP-38 LightningThe Lockheed P-38 Lightning was a World War II American fighter aircraft built by Lockheed. Developed to a United States Army Air Corps requirement, the P-38 had distinctive twin booms and a single, central nacelle containing the cockpit and armament... - 70th Fighter Squadron70th Fighter SquadronThe 70th Fighter Squadron was most recently part of the 347th Wing at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia. It operated OA-10 Thunderbolt aircraft conducting air superiority missions.-History:...
(18th Fighter Group), (23 August-19 January 1945), P-38 LightningP-38 LightningThe Lockheed P-38 Lightning was a World War II American fighter aircraft built by Lockheed. Developed to a United States Army Air Corps requirement, the P-38 had distinctive twin booms and a single, central nacelle containing the cockpit and armament...
- 374th Fighter Group, (15 August-19 September 1944)
- Headquarters, 339th Fighter Squadron, P-38 LightningP-38 LightningThe Lockheed P-38 Lightning was a World War II American fighter aircraft built by Lockheed. Developed to a United States Army Air Corps requirement, the P-38 had distinctive twin booms and a single, central nacelle containing the cockpit and armament...
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....