Location
Located at Aparri in Cagayan Province at the northern tip of Luzon.

Construction
Pre-war airstrip, located on the northern tip of Luzon used as an emergency airstrip. There were two airfields: Aparri I (east) and Aparri II (south, Camalaniugan).

Wartime History
Used by the Japanese Army Air Force aircraft from Formosa as early as mid-December 1941. The Japanese flew exiled Filipino Revolutionary, General Artemio Ricarte to Aparii on December 21, 1941, to assist with Japanese occupation

Tony Feredo adds:
"US gliders at Calamaniugan, a short distance fom the Japanese airfield, atlthough it was said that Calamaniugan was also used as the airstrip."

Japanese Units Based at Aparri
60th Sentai (Ki-21)
14th Sentai (Ki-21)

American Mission Against Aparri
January 14 - August 7, 1945

Liberation
The  last US Army paratrooper assault in the Philippines. Seven gliders were used, to land troops for the first (and last) time in the Pacific Theater by the 188th Glider Infantry Regiment and 511th PIR on  June 23, 1945. They landed at the mouth of the Cagayan River, without incident. They linked up with a large force of Filipino guerrillas. The combined force advances southward to make contact with the US Army's 37th Division. It was expected more glider landings would have to be made during later for the expected invasion of Japan. Wartime photo via 'Ken' Barber.

Today
Disused since the war?

References
Thanks to Tony Feredo for additional information

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Last Updated
October 22, 2009

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