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Wakde Airfield
Part of Fifth Air Force
Wakde Island, Papua, Indonesia
Wakde AirfieldLocation in PapuaShow map of Papua (province)Wakde AirfieldLocation in IndonesiaShow map of Indonesia
Coordinates	01°56′20.38″S 139°00′51.44″E / 1.9389944°S 139.0142889°E / -1.9389944; 139.0142889
Type	Military airfield
Site information
Controlled by	United States Army Air Forces
Site history
Built	1943 (Japanese) Rebuilt by US Army (1944)
In use	1944-1945

Wakde Airfield is a World War II airfield located on Wakde Island, off the northern coast of New Guinea in Papua, Indonesia. The airfield was abandoned after the war and today is almost totally returned to its natural state.

History

The airfield was constructed by the Japanese and was first noted by the Americans in February 1943. By June 1943, a single coral–surfaced 5,400' x 390' runway, with dispersal areas off the northern side was identified, and a barracks area on the south side was visible. By September, the Japanese had expanded the base further with a radio station and quarters for 1,000 personnel.

Wakde Airfield was seized by the United States Army on 15 May 1944. Construction work was begun to repair the airstrip once the battle was over on 18 May. The airfield was repaired and put into use by the Fifth Air Force as a forward operations base. From Wakde, the first American reconnaissance mission of the Philippines since the fall of Corregidor in 1942 was undertaken, over Mindanao.

Allied units stationed at Wakde Airfield

• XIII Bomber Command (3 September–17 October 1944)
• 5th Bombardment Group (17 August–22 September 1944)

Headquarters, 394th Bomb Squadron, B-24 Liberator

• 307th Bombardment Group (24 August–18 October 1944)

Headquarters, 370th, 371st, 372d, 424th Bomb Squadrons, B-24 Liberator

• 348th Fighter Group (22 May–26 August 1944)

Headquarters, 340th, 341st Fighter Squadrons, P-47 Thunderbolt

• 100th Service Squadron
• 13th Troop Carrier Squadron (403d Troop Carrier Group), (4–19 October 1944), C-47 Skytrain
• 63d Troop Carrier Squadron (403d Troop Carrier Group), (4–29 October 1944), C-47 Skytrain
• 64th Troop Carrier Squadron (403d Troop Carrier Group), (2–29 October 1944), C-47 Skytrain

See also

• Naval Base Hollandia
• USAAF in the Southwest Pacific

References

Citations

1. ^ "Wakde Airfield". Pacific Wrecks. 27 June 2017. Retrieved 26 September 2017.
2. Maurer 1983, p. 451.
3. Maurer 1983, p. 39.
4. Maurer 1983, p. 182.
5. Maurer 1983, p. 227.

Bibliography

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

• Maurer, Maurer (1983) . Air Force Combat Units Of World War II (PDF). Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-89201-092-4.

v t e USAAF Fifth Air Force in World War II
Previously: Philippine Department Air Force (1941); Far East Air Force (1941-1942)
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Units	Commands V Bomber V Fighter 5th Interceptor (Provisional) Wings 54th Troop Carrier 85th Fighter 86th Fighter 91st Reconnaissance 308th Bombardment 309th Bombardment 310th Bombardment Groups Air Commando 3d Air Commando Bombardment 3d Bombardment 7th Bombardment 19th Bombardment 22d Bombardment 27th Bombardment 38th Bombardment 43d Bombardment 90th Bombardment 312th Bombardment 345th Bombardment 380th Bombardment 417th Bombardment Combat Cargo 2d Combat Cargo Fighter 8th Fighter 24th Pursuit 35th Fighter 49th Fighter 58th Fighter 348th Fighter 475th Fighter Reconnaissance 6th Reconnaissance 71st Reconnaissance Troop Carrier 317th Troop Carrier 374th Troop Carrier 375th Troop Carrier 433d Troop Carrier Squadrons Bombardment 31st Bombardment Night Fighter 418th Night Fighter 421st Night Fighter 547th Intelligence Reconnaissance 2d Observation 8th Photographic Reconnaissance 36th Photographic Reconnaissance Troop Carrier 21st Troop Carrier 22d Troop Carrier 65th Troop Carrier 66th Troop Carrier
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