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    Rosales Airfield (Carmen) Pangasinan Province | Luzon Philippines
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U.S. Army May 22, 1945

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Justin Taylan 2005
Location
Lat 15° 53' 3N Long 120° 36' 7E  Rosales Airfield was located at 95' / 28m above sea level in Carmen a barangay to the west of Rosales near the north-south MacArthur Highway in Pangasinan Province on Luzon in the Philippines. Also known as Carmen Airfield or Carmen Rosales Airport.

Construction
The land used to build the runway was owned by an American sugar cane farmer living in the area, who turned the land over to the U.S. Army. He also built a perimeter fence around the airfield to keep his cattle from wandering onto the runway. Later, a Philippine Army camp was established near the airfield. The strip was also used as the parade ground as no planes were based there on a permanent basis.

Prewar, used as an auxiliary airfield with a single grass runway. Fuel and supplies were stored at the airfield. Rosales was the auxiliary airfield for the 3rd Pursuit Squadron based at Iba Airfield.

Wartime History
On December 8, 1941 at the start of the Pacific War when the Japanese attacked Luzon, several American planes including on B-18 Bolo and several P-40 Warhawks landed at Rosales to escape the Japanese air raid against Clark Field. These aircraft used the fuel stores at Rosales to refuel and return to base the next day.

When the Japanese occupied this area, it is is unclear and unlikely that the Japanese used it as an landing ground On January 19, 1945 the U.S. Army liberated the area and Rosales Airfield was again used by American liaison aircraft and for armed reconassiance mission.

Today
Postwar remained in use as Carmen Rosales Airport as a single runway for light aircraft. Airport code: ICAO: RPLR. By the early 2000, disused and overgrown with grass.

References
December 8, 1941 mentions this airfield's use on December 8, 1941
Thanks to Tony Feredo for additional information

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Last Updated
July 31, 2023

 

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