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 5th AF August 12, 1942  5th AF Nov 25, 1942  49th FG c1942  Justin Taylan 2004 |
Location 30 Mile Drome was located near Rorona (Rarona) roughly 30 miles to the northwest of Port Moresby in New Guinea. Also known as Rorona and renamed Rogers Field. Prewar and during the Pacific War located in Central District in the Territory of Papua. Today located in Central Province in Papua New Guinea (PNG). Prewar At this location, Rorona Plantation was established planted with coconut palm trees harvesting copra. Construction On May 4, 1942 construction began by the U.S. Army 43rd Engineering Regiment, Company E. Initially, the airfield was known as Rorona or Rarona as a secret runway built further away from Port Moresby. Originally, the single runway was to be surfaced with marston matting (PSP), but the matting bound for this location was instead retained for use at airfields closer to Port Moresby. Without matting, the runway was not capable of handling heavy bombers. By early June 1942, the completed runway was ready for operations. When completed, known to the Americans as 30 Mile Drome because it was roughly 30 miles northwest of Port Moresby. Wartime History While the runway was still under construction, on May 17, 1942 damaged P-39 Airacobra piloted by 1st Lt. Paul G. Brown made the first landing and was repaired and flown back to 12 Mile Drome (Bomana). Afterwards, 30 Mile Drome was used to base fighter aircraft and as a crash strip for damaged planes making emergency landings. After early 1943, this airfield was used soley as a crash strip for emergency landings. Naming On November 15, 1942 officially named "Rogers Drome" in honor of pilot Major Floyd W. Rogers Missing In Action (MIA) piloting A-24 41-15797 on July 29, 1942. American units based at 30 Mile Drome (Rogers, Rorona) 49th FG, 7th FS (P-40) September 1942–March 6, 1943 departs Dobodura 35th FG, 40th FS (P-39, P-400) ?–1943 35th FG, 41st FS (P-39, P-400) ?–1943 Gurden Barnett, 38th Bombardment Group (38th BG) recalls: "We would go through 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 Fighter Squadron (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. Postwar 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 Niugini 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 occurred 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 distinguish 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 shaped shelters and the wreckage of the B-25 and P-47 engine, there was little left." B-25D "Butch" 41-30163 Piloted by Cather, force landed August 26, 1943 center section only, the rest has been scrapped P-38G Lightning 42-12857 Piloted by Wilson, force landed April 12, 1943 scrapped or otherwise missing P-47D Thunderbolt 42-22501 Engine and small pieces only remain, remainder scrapped P-400 Airacobra BW-117 Nose 43 Pilot Gignac force landed July 11, 1942 wreckage remained into 1970s, likely scrapped P-400 Airacobra Nose 54 Pilot Kirtland MIA July 11, 1942 P-39 Airacobra (Rogers No. 1) Remained at the airfield until the late 1990s when trucked to Port Moresby P-39 Airacobra (Rogers No. 2) Remained at the airfield until the late 1990s when trucked to Port Moresby References Shreveport Louisiana Times, November 28, 1942 "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." Contribute
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