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 USAAF c1944 |
Location Mokerang Airfield was located at an elevation of 25' above sea level on Mokerang Point at the northwest tip of Los Negros in the Admiralty Island Group (Admiralty Islands). Borders the Bismarck Sea to the north and Seeadler Harbor to the south. Prewar and during the Pacific War part of the Manus District in the Territory of New Guinea. Today Manus Province is part of Papua New Guinea (PNG). Prewar Mokerang Plantation was established at this location and planted with coconut palm trees for harvesting copra. Construction After the completion of Lorengau Airfield, the Japanese built a single runway was built at this location. In early March 1944, after the U.S. Army occupied the Mokerang area, the Japanese built runway was deemed to be unsuitable for use by American aircraft. At the same location, the U.S. Army built a pair of parallel coral surfaced runways oriented roughly northwest to southeast measuring 8,000' x 100' with taxiways and revetments on the northern side of the runway. and a smaller taxiway loop with revetments on the northwest end on the southern side f the runway. Nearby was a storage area for 30,000 barrels of fuel. Along the northern side of the runway and southwest corner of the runway were taxiways with revetments. Designated US Army APO #324 (APO 324). The control tower was code named "Fanfare". American units based at Mokerang 13th Air Force (13th Air Task Force) 307th BG HQ Munda / Guadalcanal arrives April 29, 1944–August 25, 1944 departs Wakde 307th BG, 424th BS (B-24s) Munda / Guadalcanal arrives May 13, 1944–August 22, 1944 departs Wakde 307th BG, 370th BS (B-24s) Munda / Guadalcanal arrives May 13, 1944–August 22, 1944 departs Wakde 307th BG, 371th BS (B-24s) Munda / Guadalcanal arrives May 13, 1944–August 22, 1944 departs Wakde 307th BG, 372th BS (B-24s) Munda / Guadalcanal arrives May 13, 1944–August 22, 1944 departs Wakde 13th Bomber Command HQ Guadalcanal arrives June 1, 1944–September 13, 1944 departs Hollandia 13th AF, 868th BS (SB-24 Snooper) Munda arrives March 20, 1944–August 29, 1944 departs Noemfoor United States Navy (USN) VPB-137 (PV-1) Kaneohe / Midway arrives October 15, 1944–January 1, 1945 departs Tacloban Postwar After the war, the vast Mokerang Airfield was dismantled and lots of U.S. equipment was destroyed or abandoned. Landing barges were run aground or sunk. Villagers remember how bulldozers were pointed towards the ocean an driven into the water until they stalled. Extensive salvage and scrap operations existed on Manus for years after the war. There are still stories about about pits full of wartime cargo, but their locations are now well guarded secrets. Contribute
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