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Location
Located 30 miles north-west of Port Moresby by air, near Rorona (also spelled Rarona). Prewar, Rorona was a coconut palm plantation.
Construction
Built
by the US Army, construction was initiated during the middle of 1942. On 4 May 1942, US Army 43rd Engineering Regiment, Company E moves to this location begin construction of an airfield at this location, then called Rorona (or Rarona). Originally, the single runway was to be surfaced with marston matting, but the matting bound for this airfield was instead retained for use in Port Moresby. Without matting, this airstrip was not capable of handling heavy bombers. The first usage of the competed runway was during the first week of June, 1942.
The Name 'Rogers'
On November 15, 1942, the airstrip was named in honor
of Major Floyd "Buck" W. Rogers (C.O. of 3rd BG, 8th BS) who was KIA flying A-24
41-15797.
Shreveport Louisiana Times,
November 28, 1942 states:
"New Guinea Field Named for
Grant County Hero: Announcement of the establishment
of the 'Buck' Rogers airfield was on November 15, just two months
after Mrs. Rogers received official notice that her husband was
'missing in action.' "
Wartime Usage
This strip served as both a crash strip and also based
aircraft for short periods in the early stages of the war.
Units based at 30 Mile Drome (Rogers, Rorona)
49th FG, 7th FS (P-40) September 1942 - March 6, 1943 Dobodura
35th FG, 40th FS (P-30, P-400) ? - 1943
35th FG, 41st FS (P-30, P-400) ? - 1943
Gurden Barnett, 38th BG recalls:
"We would go thru 100 gallons of gasoline a week burning it off
to keep the mosquitoes away. We did not have our their planes
there, and then went to 17-Mile after
about a month there."
Herb Rosen, 41st
FS recalls:
"We
were told not to cut down or damage the palms near our strip, because the palm plantation that owned them would change the
U. S. Government $50 for each tree damage or ruined. We wondered
what about those hit by Jap bombs... I guess the government was
stuck paying for those! This
is a true account. After the war, the plantation's London Insurance
company paid for the ones damaged by the Japanese bombings.
Post War Usage
After the war, the coconut plantation at Rorona was resumed and expanded and owned by Sir Rupert Clarke and spanned to the Galley Reach area. This plantation was the largest estate in New Guinea at the time. The wartime airfield was used into the late 1960s by Air Nugini and other air operators. Used until at least 1971. Airport Code: RNA.
Albert H. Cross adds:
"In 1957 I worked for an oil exploration
company at Kaufana, on the other side of the Aroa River from
Rogers. We used Rogers continuously in 1957 and 1958. It
was also being used before we arrived and, as far as I recall it
is still being used. It was certainly in operation in 1960
when I was again working in the area. In
1957/8 there was a P-38 Lightning wreck at one end of the strip
and the wreck
of a B-25 Mitchell, with the name "Butch" on
the nose, lying alongside the road at the other end of the
strip. Just the fuselage section. Yes, there was a large
plantation at the side of Rogers airstrip. It was not used
in the 1950's as there were very few tops on any of the palms
and certainly no nuts on any of them. I believe they would
have been used by the locals for various things."
Ray Fairfield adds:
"I did land at Rogers on July 30, 1966, but it was only to drop a px & head back to Moresby. Did you ever hear the burning DC3 story? I'm pretty sure that was at Rogers, I think in late 50's. It would have been an MAL plane at that time. Anyway, they took off from Moresby with a load of cargo for Goroka, including hospital supplies. On the climb-out the plane filled with smoke, so they descended rapidly and planted it on the ground. the crew got out the cockpit windows & watched it burn to the ground. Seems packing of ether etc. left something to be desired."
Bruce Hoy
recalls from the 1970's
"At Rogers, there were P-39 fuselages, one P-47D
and a B-25. Maybe these are long gone now by those scrap-metal
mongrels."
Today
Disused as an airfield since the early 1970s, it is today overgrown with kunai grass. A scrap metal
drive occured in the late 1990's, and the two remaining P-39 fuselages at the airfield were removed to Port Moresby.
Justin Taylan visited in 2004:
"The
area where the airfield was built is overgrown with kunai,
it is hard to distingusih the area of the runway, aside from
two post-war poles used for wind socks. There is no trace
of the coconut plantation mentioned near the strip, according
to locals, the palms were were cut down sometime in the early
1970s, and
the area
used
for cattle
instead. Aside from some earthworks - trenches, L shapped shelters
and the wreckage of the B-25 and P-47 engine, there was
little left."
B-25D "Butch" Serial
Number 41-30163
Piloted by Cather, force landed August 26, 1943 center section only, the rest
has been scrapped
P-38G Lightning Serial
Number 42-12857
Piloted by Wilson, force landed April 12, 1943 scrapped or otherwise missing
P-47D Serial
Number 42-22501
Engine
and small pieces only remain, rest scrapped
P-39 Airacobra Serial
Number ?
Scrapped
in mid-1990's
P-39 Airacobra Serial
Number ?
Scrapped
in mid-1990's
Rorona
Bombing Range
Located to
the east of Rogers, near the Rorona Creek, possibly including the Galley Reach and Redscar area also. This bombing
range was used for American practice bombing exercises.
Albert Cross adds:
"I never heard of 'Raona Range' although I did hear that the air force
used a bombing range in the Rogers area. The only name similar
that comes to mind is Rouna Range but that is just 20 miles from
Moresby
on the Rouna/Sogeri Road."
Charles Darby adds:
"Regarding the "Rorona Bombing Range", I don't know the answers to your question. It was Bill [Champman] who called the area a "Bombing Range", and I simply followed his practice --- after all, he was the guru!"
B-25D "The
Little Gem" Serial
Number 41-30321
Pilot Henderson crashed September 17, 1943 on a practice bombing mission at Rorona
B-25C "Daisy May" Serial Number 42-32262
Pilot Campbell crashed October 18, 1943
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Last Updated
October 1, 2009
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