Location
:Located on Stirling Island. The end of the runway terminates at the end of the island, with a large cliff at the far side.

Construction
American airfield was constructed here, to aid as a forward airstrip in the air campaign to neutralize Rabaul. Sterling was selected because the island was flatter than nearby Mono. The 87th Construction Battalion built the airfield on the island from as soon as it was secured. Before the airfield was completed, B-24D "Snow Job" 42-41230 crash landed at the strip.

American Units based at Stirling
347th FG 339th FS (P-38) Jan 15 - Aug 15, 1944 to Sansapor
347th FG HQ (P-38) Jan 15 - Aug 15, 1944 to Sansapor
42nd BG HQ (B-25) from Russells June 17 - Aug 1, 1944 to Hollandia
42nd BG 100 BS (B-25) ? - August 6, 1944 to Hollandia
42nd BS 75th BS (B-25) from Russells Jan 20 - Aug 27, 1944 to Hollandia
42nd BG 69th BS (B-25) from Russells Feb 19 - ?
42nd BG 390th BS (B-25) from Russells March 8 - August 23, 1944
Special Task Air Group STAG-1 (TDR) Sept 27 - Oct 1944
VBM-413 (PBJs)
VMD-254 (B-24) take off for Feb 4, 1944 single mission to Truk

Veteran Joe Deceuster of VBM-413 recalls:
"The South Pacific Natives from other islands believed that Stirling was like a table top placed on a single pedestal, and if it became unbalanced, it would tip, spilling everything into the sea. They would come and trade with us but they would be gone before nightfall."

Today
Aircraft were abandoned here at the end of the war, bent and bulldozed into the bush off the strip. Most since removed, there are still a few aircraft pieces in the sea and at the base of the cliff where they were dumped. The Stirling Airfield is still in use today by Solomons Airlines as an active airfield.

Chris Cowx reports:
"I did not take any pictures of the airfield at Mono in 2000 when I visited. There was not much to see. It was simply an overgrown strip of crushed coral. I landed at Mono and was there for about twenty minutes at most. I got off of the plane and was immediately surrounded by a huge crowd of local people. The pilot talked to a few people and then I was given a lift to the Shortland Islands which are about 20 miles away across open water."

Gareth Coleman adds:
"Unfortunaley [the wrecks] were stolen from the locals. There is a huge mistrust of white people in Mono, Stirling and Shortands now as most of the aircraft are gone."

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