1944

March 1982


Phil Bradley 1997

Patricia Gaffney 1998

John Douglas 1998

John Douglas 2001

Justin Taylan 2006

Location
Located at Gusap.

Construction
Built by US Army engineers, the base was built around eight grass runways, with 180 revetments in the complex.

Units Based at Gusap
49th FG, 8th FS (P-47) from Tsili-Tsili Oct 29 - May 3, 1944 to Hollandia
49th FG, 7th FS (P-40) Dobodura Nov 16 - April 27, 1944 to Finschafen
49th FG, 9th FS (P-47) Dobodura Dec 16 - May 16, 1944 to Hollandia
49th FG, HQ from Dobodura Nov 20 - April 19, 1944 to Finschafen
41st FS (P-47) from Nadzab Jan 31 - June 9, 1944 to Nadzab
312th BG, 387th BS (A-20) POM Dec 25, 43 - June 10, 44 to Hollandia
312th BG, 386th BS (A-20) POM Dec 25, 43 - June 12, 44 to Hollandia
312th BG, HQ from USA Jan 1, 1944
312th BG, 388th BS (A-20) POM Jan 3 - June 10, 44 to Hollandia
312th BG, 389th BS (P-40, A-20) POM Jan 6, 1944
71st TRG, 110th TRS (P-39) POM Feb 7 - May 25, 1944 Tadji
35th FG, 39th FS (P-47) from Nadzab Jan 27 - June 9, 1944 to Nadzab
35th FG, HQ from Nadzab Feb 7 - July 22, 1944 to Owi
71st TRG, 25th TRS (L-5) det Feb 16, 1944 - ?
85th FW HQ from USA Feb 25 - July 24, 1944 to Hollandia
310th BW HQ activated Feb 1 - May 1, 1944 to Hollandia
5th FC, 460th FS ? - July 23, 1944 to Nadzab

Japanese Missions Against Gusap
November 10, 1944

Australians At Gusap
Australian 6 Machine Gun Battalion (Nov 11, 1943 - Feb 25, 1944) Later in the war, Gusap based RAAF aircraft. The 6 Australian Machine Gun Battalion were sent to protect the Gusap Aerodrome from ground attack. They were armed with .303 Vickers Machine Guns and Bren Guns. On their initial landing in the C-47s they were nervous as they had been told the airstrip was only suitable for fighter planes. From day one they were bombed and strafed. They nicknamed one Japanese pilot "The Milkman" was the bane of their existence there as be bombed them the same  time each morning. It was reported that he was later shot down near Shaggy Ridge. The 6MGB were camped about 2 miles from the Aerodrome. They completed numerous patrols in the nearby Finisterre Ranges to establish the presence of any Japanese. Thanks to John Campbell for this information.

Today
Abandoned after WWII, the airfield was scrapped by Arthur Scott. The runway is used only by light aircraft, and the area is a cattle ranch.  The wartime revetments are still visible from the air. Most aluminum has been salvaged, but plenty of concrete slabs, iron debris remain.

Gusap #1 Runway
Located to the south-east of the complex, running roughly NW to SE

Gusap #2 (Fighter Strip #2) Runway
Located to the east side of the complex, parallel to #4, running roughly north to south.

Gusap #3 Runway
Located to the east side of the complex, connected to #2 running roughly NW to SE.

Gusap #4 (Transport Strip #4) Runway
Located to the east of the complex, parallel to #2 strip, running roughly north to south

Gusap #5 Runway
Located in the center of the complex, running roughly NW-SE. This runway is still in use today by light aircraft.

Gusap #6 Runway
Located south of #5, running roughly NE to SW

Gusap #7 Runway
Located at the far west of the complex, running roughly E to W

Gusap #8 Runway
Located to the SE of #5, running roughly NE to SW

US Army Celtrac Bulldozers
11 small bulldozers all lined up along the old airstrip. They were brought in by gliders to build the airstrips.

Allison Engines
Mike Collins September 1999, "We found 4 Allison or Merlin engines. They are some miles apart ."

Marston Matting
Mike Collins September 1999: "There was plenty there as my father was in the area in the 1950's, however it is all gone now . All that is remaining is the clips that held them together , plenty of these.

Walter Seale of the 871st Airborne Engineer Battalion remembers:
"We were on the ground the day before the 503rd jumped. We watched them come down. I remember that the 312th Bomb Group with A-20's operated out of Gusap. Allot of cripples landed at Tsilli-Tsilli and later Gusap. They were wither low on fuel or shot-up and couldn't be sure of getting home safely."

Shoot Down Japanese Fighter 41st FS veteran James Hillburn   
"I was an armor, hanging and fusing bombs and putting in 50 cal ammo. About mid afternoon a Zero [actually a Ki-61 Tony] approached field at pattern altitude and slow speed. There was no alert sounded. He was down wind, made a left turn and lined up on strip before an alarm was sounded.  We had a P-47 up with a new engine getting solo time on it. This pilot was in the right place to get on his tail. One short burst and then the Jap tried to leave but it was too late. I am sure that he was lost and wanting down. There is no other reason he would have been alone and coming in so low and slow. It was a sad event that did not have to happen."

Phantom Fly-by 41st FS veteran James Hillburn
"I was in a little field hospital which was located in a beautiful coconut palm grove. We believed it was property of Palmolive Peat Co. The palm grove was somewhat higher ground and made visibility good. Anyway I was in the chow line for breakfast when 5 fighter planes [Ki-61 Tonys] came over heading for the airfield. They were not Zeros as they did not have radial engines. As they flew by people in the chow line wondered what they were. At that moment tracers filled the air around the airfield. The 5 planes went right on through it. AA guns were all around the field and as I remember each battery had 4 x 50s' on a platform that turned 360 deg. How they all missed is a miracle. I do not know if and damage was done but the 41st received none."

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Gusap 2001

Survey Map December 1944

Survey Map 1970s

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