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 U.S. Army Aug 12, 1944   Robert Laessig 1944  USAAF 1944 |
Location Lat 0° 22' 0" S Long 132° 11' 30" E Middleburg Airfield is located on Middleburg Island spans the length of the island. Beyond to the south is Sansapor on the north coast of western New Guinea. Also known as Middleburg Island Airfield, Middleburg Drome, Klenso Drome. Prewar and during the Pacific War part of the Netherlands East Indies (NEI). Today located in Tambrauw Regency, West Papua Province in Indonesia. Construction On July 30, 1944 at 7:30am an amphibious force from Task Force Typhoon (TF Typhoon) comprised of U.S. Army 6th Cavalry Recon Troop with a mortar section and riflemen of 1st Bn, 163d Infantry Regiment lands on Middleburg Island without opposition. Middleburg Island was deemed to be a more suitable than locations on the Vogelkop Peninsula area of the western New Guinea to build an airfield. On August 1, 1944 Landing Craft Infantry (LCI) are shuttling aviation engineers and equipment to Middleburg Island where U.S. Army engineers begin construction of Middleburg Airfield with a single runway that will span the length of the island with taxiways and revetments on both sides of the runway. By August 15, 1944 Middleburg Airfield is fully operational. Wartime History On August 14, 1944 the first fighter aircraft land at Middleburg Airfield followed by F-7A "Patched Up Piece" 42-64047 with the no. 4 engine shut down after aborting a mission. On August 17, 1944 General Barnes of 13th Air Task Force reports Middleburg Airfield ready for use by fighters, a day ahead of schedule. Afterwards, based P-38 Lightnings from the 347th Fighter Group (347th FG) including the 67th Fighter Squadron, 68th Fighter Squadron and 339th Fighter Squadron (339th FS). On September 2, 1944 returning from a mission, two damaged B-25s from 345th Bombardment Group (345th BG) crash lands at Middleburg, one is repaired and the other is scrapped. American units based at Middleburg 198th Anti-Aircraft C Battery August 1944 347th FG, 67th FS (P-38) Russell arrives August 15, 1944 - Feb 12, 45 departs Morotai 347th FG, 68th FS (P-38) Torokina arrives August 17, 1944 347th FG, Headquarters (HQ) Sansapor arrives September 19, 1944–February 23, 1945 departs San Jose 347th FG, 339th FS (P-38) Sansapor arrives September 19, 1944–February 13, 1945 departs Morotai XIII FC, 419th NFS (P-61) Guadalcanal arrives August 21, 1944–December 31, 1944 departs Hollandia George T. Reed recalls: "I was in the 5th Army Airways Communications System (AACS), under Col. Nichols HQ Brisbane, and was "sent" up to Sansapor. I was on the island the moment the first plane landed. I think it was a P-38. We had a few raids when the moon was full. Zero's and Bettys. I positively remember the construction of the landing strip and when the first plane landed. All was quiet until about October 1944 when the first Japs came over. I would like to communicate with any one who was on Sansapor or Middleburg. I was NCOIC (T/SGT) in charge of 33 men with mission to establish AACS radio station on the island. I was operating the station one night when the shrapnel went through the radio shack. This was on the south side of the runway!" Today Disused as an airfield since the Pacific War and overgrown. Traces of the wartime runway, taxiways and road are visible from the air. References Airdromes Guide Southwest Pacific Area - 1 July 1945 Contribute
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