c1942



c1943-44

Justin Taylan 2004

Location
9°23'30"S 147°14'20"E  Located 12 miles inland from Port Mroesby.

Naming
Known as 12 Mile or Bomana Drome. Offically named 'Berry Drome' in honor of P-39D 41-7165 pilot Major Jack W. Berry on November 10, 1942.

Construction
Completed May 15, 1943, there was little or no room for expansion with out an extensive earth moving project being put into action. The strip had an 8 inch base of crushed rock and pit gravel for a single earth runwaay approximately 4,500' by 150'. It also had 40 dispersal bays, and 4 alert areas that would accomodate 15 fighter aircraft..

Units Based at 12 Mile Drome
8th FG, 80th FS (P-39) July 20, 1942 - November 8, 1942 Turbull

Air Raids Against 12 Mile
(Partial List)
May 18, 1942
16 Type 1 Rikko of the 4th Kokutai attack 7-Mile Drome. P-39s of 35th & 36th FS intercept 4th Kokutai before Zeros of Tainan Kokutai escort could reach them. One Betty was shot down and eight damaged. One of damaged planes crash landed at Lae while rest return to Rabaul.

18 Type 96's of Genzan Kokutai attack the new field at 12 Mile and 'severely damage' 12 Mile, attacking unmolested.

Today
The road from Port Moresby runs overtop the old man runway. The Bomana Police Training College is located at the site of the former strip, and the Bomana War Cemetery is at the far end of the strip. Some of the officer's and command tents for the airfield were located in the high ground around the former field. Some war debris are scattered around the area, including barrels, metal pieces, etc.

July 1943

Wartime Map

View in Google Earth