Location
Located at Del Monte on the Del Monte Pineapple Corporation Plantation central Mindanao.

Construction
Concieved as a secret American airfield, to allow aircraft to be moved to the southern Philippines, out of range of any enemy aircraft. Construction began on November 9, 1941 in a meadow of the Del Monte Pineapple Corporation Plantation.

There were three airfields within the Del Monte complex, plus additional auxiliary airstrips at Malaybalay Airfield (Maramag), Dalirig Airfield and Valencia Airfield.

Wartime History
Although sparse in equipment and facilities based the 19th Bombardment Group and 7th Bombardment Group as they evacuated Clark Field, and later as a staging point for their evacuation to Batchelor Field in Australia.

Discovered by the Japanese on December 18, 1941. Del Monte was attacked the following day by A6M2 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 seven B-25's and three 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 Philippines for the second consecutive day. Staging through Del Monte Airfield on Mindanao, 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.

References
Doomed From The Start by Bill Barsch

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Last Updated
November 11, 2009