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| Location Lat 2° 2' 60N Long 128° 17' 45E Pitoe Airfield was located at an elevation of 3' above sea level at Daruba on the southwest of Morotai Island (Moratai) in the Maluku Islands (Moluccas Islands). Also known as Pitu Airfield or simply Moratai (Morotai). Prewar and during World War II located in the Netherlands East Indies (NEI). Today located in North Maluku Province (Provinsi Maluku Utara) in Indonesia. Further to the east is U.S. Army built Pitu Airfield (Pitoe) that is still in use today. Construction Built by the Japanese as a single runway oriented roughly southwest to northeast with one end at the edge of the southwest coast and ran inland into the Doroeba Plain. Wartime History By September 1944, abandoned by the Japanese. On September 15, 1944 the U.S. Army 167th Infantry Regiment made an amphibious landing on Red Beach to the west. By 1:00pm they captured the forner airfield and established a perimeter in the area. Originally, U.S. Army engineers intended to repair this runway and have it operational by September 17, 1944 for use as a fighter strip. Instead, they found the locaiton unsuitable for bombers and their contruction equipment was delayed landing and began searching the area for a better location. The need for a fighter strip was less urgent due to the meager Japanese air raids against the invasion and the fact that U.S. Navy carrier planes aboard escort carriers remained in the vicinity for a week to fly local patrols. On September 18, 1944 an alternateive location at Gotalalamo village was selected as more suitable and the next day construction began of Wama Airfield (Guama). Meanwhile, engineers did work to repair this runway that was ready by September 29, 1944. When Wama Airfield (Guama) was completed on October 5, 1944 and Pitu Airfield (Pitoe) to the east. Afterwards, this runway became an emergency strip known as Pitoe Crash Strip. Today Disused since the Pacific War. Today, Daruba is located at the former runway area. References U.S. Army in World War II The Approach to the Philippines Chapter XIX The Palaus and Morotai: Strategic and Tactical Planning pages 476 (map), 477 U.S. Army in World War II The Approach to the Philippines Chapter XX The Morotai Operation pages 487-488, 490, 491 Contribute
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 Map Sept 15, 1944 Map Fallingrain |
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