Location
Located in a meadow of the Del Monte Pineapple Corporation
Plantation at Del Monte.
Construction
Construction began on November 9, 1941. At the time, it was a secret American airfield. Two runways were built: #1 (main runway) and #2 (fighter).
Wartime History
The field, although sparse in equipment and facilities
based the 19th BG and 7th BG as they evacuated from Clark Field,
and later as a staging point for their move down to Batchelor
Field.
There were three airfields within the Del Monte complex, plus additional auxilliary airstrips at Malaybalay (Maramag), Dalirig and Valencia. Discovered by the Japanese on December
18, 1941 and attacked the following day by Zeros, and
the next day
by bombers.
Evacuation of General MacArthur
By President F.D. Roosevelt's orders, General MacArthur, hist family and senior staff were evacuated
by PT-Boat from Corregidor Island and taken to Mindanao. On March 16, 1942 four B-17s
from Australia flew up to Del Monte: B-17E 41-2408, B-17E
41-2429, B-17E 41-2434 and B-17E 41-2447 and evacuated them to Batchelor
Field.
Royce Mission
In April 1942, a group of 7 B-25's and 3 B-17s from Australia
returned to Del Monte for the Royce
Mission,
to attack the Japanese on three missions. They then returned
to
Australia
without
loss. They brought
out a number of important military and diplomatic personnel who had
gathered at Del Monte to await evacuation.
Royce Mission #1: April 12, 1942
Australia-based B-25's, staging through Mindanao,
hit the harbor and shipping at Cebu, while B-17's
carry out single-bomber strikes from Mindanao against
Cebu harbor and Nichols Field on Luzon.
Royce Mission #2: April 13, 1942 (Morning)
Australia-based B-25's hit targets in the Philippine Islands for the second
consecutive day. Staging through Del Monte Airfield,
the B-25's take off just after midnight during 12/13 Apr and bomb shipping
at Cebu on Cebu Island and installations at Davao on Mindanao.
Royce Mission #3: April 13, 1942 (Afternoon)
Later in the day the B-25's again attack Davao, bombing the dock
area.
Today
The present day airstrip of the Del Monte company which was built in the last 30 years for their light aircraft. It is about two miles east of the old airstrip.
Elpie Paras adds:
"There is hardly any sign of the Del Monte Airfields today since both #1 (Main) and #2 (Fighter) have become rice and corn fields. I have taken comparative shots of the present day The site is where we are building a memorial. We had started this as a project of the Rotary Club of Northern Bukidnon; but we have not completed it due to lack of funds."
References
Doomed From The Start by Bill Barsch
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