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 USAAF c944-45  Sigurd Lasa 2005 |
Location Lahug Airfield was located to the north of Cebu (Cebu City) on Cebu Island in Cebu Province in the Philippines. Also known as "Lahug Field". Lahug Airfield was one of two airfields in the Cebu City area, the other is Opon Airfield (Mactan, Cebu International). Construction Built prewar by Bureau of Aeronautics and Bureau of Public Works for use of the Philippine Army Air Corps (PAAC) as a dual civilian and military. Completed by October 1940 with a paved runway surfaced with gravel, sand and dirt oriented from northwest to southeast and was 700-800 meters long and approximately 60-70 meters wide. The facilities included a hangar, gas dump, and a two-story barracks. PAAC units based at Lahug On October 22, 1940 the Philippine Army Air Corps (PAAC) 6th Observation & Attack Squadron commanded by 1st Lt Oscar Sales moved from Clark Field to Lahug equipped with thirteen O-1 observation planes, a Stinson Reliant and a Stearman 17 trainer aircraft. Wartime History On April 10, 1942 occupied by the Japanese and used by both the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) and Japanese Army Air Force (JAAF) but was primarily used by the Army until March 1945. Japanese units based at Lahug 1021 Kokutai (G4M transport) Nichols and Cebu (Lahug/Opon) American missions against Lahug October 23, 1944–March 15, 1945 On March 28, 1945 the U.S. Army Americal Division advanced to Lahug Airfield and encountered the first significant Japanese resistance including machine gun and mortar fire. That same day the 182nd Infantry Regiment attacked two strongly defended hills to the west: Hill 30 and Go Chan Hill. Because of Japanese fire from these positions the airfield is unable to be repaired until early April 1945 and Opon Airfield was repaired. and manage to capture Hill 30. On March 29, 1945 they assaulted Go Chan Hill the Japanese detonated an ammunition dump on the second hill and Company A, already under strength, lost 20 KIA and 30 WIA plus one tank lost and two tanks damaged from the 716th Tank Battalion due to the explosion. On March 30, 1945 the 182nd Infantry Regiment resumed their attack supported by all available artillery, tanks and mortars plus anti-aircraft guns from the 478th Antiaircraft Automatic Weapons Battalion added support and by dusk captured Go Chan Hill. Lahug Airfield was quickly repaired and used by the U.S. Army for light aircraft. On April 2, 1945 the 159th Liaison Squadron, 3d Air Commando Group, based at Mangaldan with UC-64s and L-5s, sent a detachment to operate from Lahug (Cebu) until June 25, 1945. Today Disused since the war. Postwar, the former airfield area was developed into real estate. Today the former airfield area is Asiatown IT Park (Cebu IT Park) developed by Cebu Property Ventures and Development Corporation, a subsidiary of Cebu Holdings, Inc. References U.S. Army in World War II - Triumph in the Philippines Chapter XXXI The Central Visayan Islands pages 611 (map), 613 (Page 613) "While maneuvering to take the [Lahug] airfield, the Americal Division encountered its first strong, organized resistance. Initially, this took the form of machine gun and mortar fire directed against the left of troops moving toward the airfield, but during the afternoon forward elements discovered that Hill 30 and Go Chan Hill, close together a mile north of Cebu City, were infested with Japanese." Thanks to Tony Feredo, Jose Moreno and Sigurd Lasa for additional information Contribute
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