Location
Located at the eastern side of Los Negros Island in a coconut grove, The airfield spanned from Hyane Harbor in the north to the Bismarck Sea to the south. To the west is jungle and mangrove swamps. Known to the Japanese as 'Hyane Airfield".

Construction
The Japanese built single runway running roughly NNW to SSE. The airfield was 4,100' x 300' with three taxiways, and twelve ravetments under construction (as of October 14, 1943).

Japanese Units Based at Momote
63rd Sentai, 3rd Chutai (Ki-43) January 44 Hollandia
(Lost twelve fighters on the ground on January 24, 1944)
14th Sentai (Ki-21) 1943

American Missions Against Momote
January 25 - March 2, 1944

American Occupation, Repair & Development
After American occupation on March 2, 1944. By 16 March 1944, Momote airstrip was in use and the airdrome well on its way to completion. The airstrip was quickly repaired so that by May 18th, fighters could operate from it. Momote Airdrome was surfaced with coral and equipped with taxiways, hard stands, and storage areas. By the end of the campaign over 7,000 barrels of bulk petroleum fuel were stored at at Momote for operations. Also, a causeway was built spanning a swampy area, linking the airfield on Los Negros with Manus Island. In 1945, the runway was 7,000' in length.

The airfield based 5th AF, 13th AF aircraft. 7th AF B-24 taking off from Kwajalein attack Guam and land at Los Negros to refuel and arm, then return to Kwajalein.

American Units based at Momote
USN
VR-13 (R4D) spring 1945 - ?

In 1945, NATS (Naval Air Transport Service) operated R4D's and C-54s at the center of the airfield, with flights to Southern Philippines.

Wrecks Evaluated at Momote
Wrecks were found on Negros there included Ki-43 Oscars Manufacture Numbers:  Ki-43 5807 (5907), 6132, 6139, 6145, 6150, 6153, 6155, 6150 (had old style leak proofing). The others had more modern self-sealing tanks.

Richard Dunn adds:
"Interestingly Japanese documents contradict this evidence somewhat. They show 6131 left at Hyane but 6132 turned into the Branch Depot at Hollandia. Looks like either the Americans or Japanese made a typo. Ki-43 6136 being turned into the 209 Branch Depot salvage dump "completely damaged" in Jan 44. Another interesting tidbit the 28 (apparently) fighters arrived by January 44 were equipped with one "fixed machine cannon model 3" and one 'experimental 12.7mm'.

Units Based at Momote
USAAF 13th Air Force (13th Air Task Force)
5th BG HQ Guadalcanal / Munda April 12, 1944 - Aug 17, 44 Wakde
5th BG, 72nd BS (B-24s) Munda April 15 - Aug 19, 44 to Wakde
5th BG, 23rd, 31st BS (B-24s) Munda Apr 16 - Aug 20, 44 to Wakde
5th BG, 394th BS (B-24s) Guadalcanal April 13 - Aug 25, 44 to Wakde
RAAF
79 Squadron (Spitfires) Kiriwina March 16 - Nov 24, 44 Darwin
RNZAF
19 Squadron (F4Us) ? - mid July 45 to Jacquinot Bay
USN
VR-13 (R4D) NAAS Oakland, CA Spril 1945 - ?

Units Based at Los Negros (Unsure which: Momote or Mokerang)
403rd TCG, 63rd TCS, 70th TCS (C-47) ? - Oct 1, 1944 Hollandia
403rd TCG HQ (C-47) Espiritu Santo Aug 30 - Oct 4, 1944 Biak
403rd TCG, 13th TCS (C-47) Espiritu Santo Aug 16 - Oct 4, 1944 Wakde
13th AF, 868th BS Munda (B-24 snooper) March 20, 1944 - Aug 29, 44 Noemfoor
18th FG, 419th NFS (P-61 det) Guadalcanal June 27, 44 - Aug 18, 44 Guadalcanal

Today
Momote is still in use today as Manus Province's airport.

1st Calvary Division Memorial
Located near the airfield is a simple white monument with a brass plaque and inscription made of 50 caliber shell casings built during the war.

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Last Updated
December 1, 2011

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