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The Philippine Army Air Corps ( fil, Pulutong Himpapawid ng Hukbong Katihan ng Pilipinas; es, Cuerpo Aéreo del Ejercito Filipino) was created in 1935 as the air component of the
Philippine Army The Philippine Army (PA) (Tagalog: ''Hukbong Katihan ng Pilipinas''; in literal English: ''Army of the Ground of the Philippines''; in literal Spanish: ''Ejército de la Tierra de la Filipinas'') is the main, oldest and largest branch of the ...
. It was the predecessor of the
Philippine Air Force The Philippine Air Force (PAF) ( tgl, Hukbong Himpapawid ng Pilipinas, , Army of the Air of the Philippines) ( es, Ejército Aérea del Filipinas, , Ejército de la Aérea de la Filipinas) is the aerial warfare service branch of the Armed Fo ...
, created in 1947.


History

The Air Corps was created by the
Philippine National Assembly The National Assembly of the Philippines ( tl, Kapulungáng Pambansâ ng Pilipinas, es, Asamblea Nacional de Filipinas) refers to the legislature of the Commonwealth of the Philippines from 1935 to 1941, and of the Second Philippine Republic ...
's National Defense Act of 1935 in its first legislative act. General
Douglas MacArthur Douglas MacArthur (26 January 18805 April 1964) was an American military leader who served as General of the Army for the United States, as well as a field marshal to the Philippine Army. He had served with distinction in World War I, was ...
, convinced by his friend Philippine President-elect Manuel L. Quezon and with President Roosevelt's agreement to leave his position as Chief of Staff, become Military Adviser to the Commonwealth Government in 1935. MacArthur was given wide authority to deal directly with the United States
Secretary of War The secretary of war was a member of the U.S. president's Cabinet, beginning with George Washington's administration. A similar position, called either "Secretary at War" or "Secretary of War", had been appointed to serve the Congress of the ...
, his successor as the Army
Chief of Staff The title chief of staff (or head of staff) identifies the leader of a complex organization such as the armed forces, institution, or body of persons and it also may identify a principal staff officer (PSO), who is the coordinator of the supporti ...
and the United States Army Philippine Department and its commander Major General Lucius R. Holbrook who had been directed that his most important peacetime mission was assisting MacArthur in forming a Philippine force capable of defending the islands. MacArthur selected Majors Dwight D. Eisenhower and James B. Ord as his assistants who, with a special committee at the Army War College, prepared plans to form the national defense of the Philippine Commonwealth with a completion target of independence in 1946. That plan called for a small regular army with divisions of about 7,500 men, conscription with all men between twenty-one and fifty years of age eligible, with a ten-year training program to build a reserve army, a small air force and a fleet of
torpedo boat A torpedo boat is a relatively small and fast naval ship designed to carry torpedoes into battle. The first designs were steam-powered craft dedicated to ramming enemy ships with explosive spar torpedoes. Later evolutions launched variants of ...
s capable of repelling an enemy. The air corps was targeted to have by independence in 1946 approximately 100 bombers and additional tactical support aircraft to be used with the Off Shore Patrol of torpedo boats in coastal defense. When war came the corps had around 40 aircraft and 100 pilots, 500 personnel, and six squadrons. On 15 August 1941, the PAAC was inducted into the
United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, ...
and incorporated into the Far East Air Force, with 141 pilots, 17 ground officers, 1,200 enlisted men, and 64 aircraft, with Maj. Basilio Fernando as its Commanding Officer. No less than Gen. MacArthur himself was the inducting officer at the Nichols Airfield in
Pasay Pasay, officially the City of Pasay ( fil, Lungsod ng Pasay; ), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the National Capital Region of the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 440,656 people. Due to its location jus ...
outside Manila. The first Philippine Army
airfield An aerodrome (Commonwealth English) or airdrome (American English) is a location from which aircraft flight operations take place, regardless of whether they involve air cargo, passengers, or neither, and regardless of whether it is for publ ...
(Zablan Airfield) was built outside of
Manila Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populated ...
,
Luzon Luzon (; ) is the largest and most populous island in the Philippines. Located in the northern portion of the Philippines archipelago, it is the economic and political center of the nation, being home to the country's capital city, Manila, as ...
in 1935. At this time only three pilot trainers were available in the
Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...
. Courses in flying and technical training were given in the mainland United States to selected students. After the war the airfield was closed and became Camp Emilio Aguinaldo. On 31 July 1941 the corps consisted of 2,132 enlisted troops, under the command of 275
officers An officer is a person who has a position of authority in a hierarchical organization. The term derives from Old French ''oficier'' "officer, official" (early 14c., Modern French ''officier''), from Medieval Latin ''officiarius'' "an officer," fr ...
: *Headquarters (109) * U.S. 4th Composite Group (1,393) * U.S. 20th Air Base Group (842) *Tow Target Detachment (42) *Weather Detachment (21)


World War 2

On 8 December 1941, despite receiving the news on the
attack on Pearl Harbor The attack on Pearl HarborAlso known as the Battle of Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service upon the United States against the naval base at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii ...
early in the morning, the United States Army Forces in the Far East (USAFFE) and its air component, Far East Air Force (FAEF), were caught by surprise by bombers and fighters of the
Imperial Japanese Army The was the official ground-based armed force of the Empire of Japan from 1868 to 1945. It was controlled by the Imperial Japanese Army General Staff Office and the Ministry of the Army, both of which were nominally subordinate to the Emper ...
from Takao Airfield and
Navy A navy, naval force, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions. It in ...
's
Tainan Air Group was a fighter aircraft and airbase garrison unit of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) during the Pacific campaign of World War II. The flying portion of the unit was heavily involved in many of the major campaigns and battles of the first year o ...
from
Tainan Tainan (), officially Tainan City, is a special municipality in southern Taiwan facing the Taiwan Strait on its western coast. Tainan is the oldest city on the island and also commonly known as the "Capital City" for its over 200 years of his ...
,
Formosa Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is an island country located in East Asia. The main island of Taiwan, formerly known in the Western political circles, press and literature as Formosa, makes up 99% of the land area of the territori ...
, hitting targets in
Baguio Baguio ( , ), officially the City of Baguio ( ilo, Siudad ti Baguio; fil, Lungsod ng Baguio), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the Cordillera Administrative Region, Philippines. It is known as the "Summer Capital of the Philippines", ...
, Iba Airfield, and Clark Airfield. By the end of the day, the FAEF's aircraft inventory was reduced by half, with only a few squadrons surviving the initial raid, including the PAAC 6th Pursuit Squadron. On 9 December, units of the PAAC attached to the Southern Luzon Force were ordered to do reconnaissance flight towards the
South China Sea The South China Sea is a marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean. It is bounded in the north by the shores of South China (hence the name), in the west by the Indochinese Peninsula, in the east by the islands of Taiwan and northwestern Ph ...
for any possible amphibious landing by the Japanese on the
Batangas Batangas, officially the Province of Batangas ( tl, Lalawigan ng Batangas ), is a province in the Philippines located in the Calabarzon region on Luzon. Its capital is the city of Batangas, and is bordered by the provinces of Cavite and L ...
coastline. The PAAC had its baptism of fire on 10 December. While the officers and men of the 6th Pursuit Squadron was having lunch,
general quarters General quarters, battle stations, or action stations is an announcement made aboard a naval warship to signal that all hands (everyone available) aboard a ship must go to battle stations (the positions they are to assume when the vessel is ...
was sounded. Capt. Jesus Villamor, along with Lieutenants Godofredo Juliano, Geronimo Aclan, Alberto Aranzaso, and Jose Gozar met another wave of
Mitsubishi G3M The was a Japanese bomber and transport aircraft used by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service (IJNAS) during World War II. The Yokosuka L3Y (Allied reporting name "Tina"), was a transport variant of the aircraft manufactured by the Yokosu ...
"Nell" bombers and
Mitsubishi A6M Zero The Mitsubishi A6M "Zero" is a long-range carrier-based fighter aircraft formerly manufactured by Mitsubishi Aircraft Company, a part of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, and was operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy from 1940 to 1945. The A6M w ...
fighters over the skies of Zablan Airfield and
Pasig Pasig, officially the City of Pasig ( fil, Lungsod ng Pasig), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the National Capital Region of the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 803,159 people. It is located along the ...
with their
Boeing P-26 Peashooter The Boeing P-26 "Peashooter" was the first American production all-metal fighter aircraft and the first pursuit monoplane to enter squadron service with the United States Army Air Corps. Designed and built by Boeing, the prototype first flew in ...
s. The 6th Pursuit Squadron claimed 4 kills, one Mitsubishi Nell and 3 Zeros. Two of these were to the credit of Capt. Villamor. Another notable pilot was Lt. Jose Gozar. When his guns jammed, he instead attempted an
aerial ramming Aerial ramming or air ramming is the ramming of one aircraft with another. It is a last-ditch tactic in air combat, sometimes used when all else has failed. Long before the invention of aircraft, ramming tactics in naval warfare and ground warf ...
of a Mitsubishi Nell. Lt. Albert Aranzaso followed suit. The following day, 11 December, the 6th Pursuit Squadron moved to Batangas Airfield north of
Batangas City Batangas City, officially the City of Batangas ( fil, Lungsod ng Batangas), is a 1st class component city and capital of the province of Batangas, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 351,437 people. Batangas City ...
. On 12 December, a force of 27 bombers and 17 fighters targeted Batangas Airfield, and on this day in Philippine military history a Filipino military aviator died in the line of duty. Lt. Cesar Basa was on patrol has been flying for two hours and only had 15 minutes of fuel left when the Japanese arrived. Despite being outnumbered 7–1, Lt. Basa engaged the enemy and was still able to land his damaged aircraft in Nichols Airfield. However he was fatally wounded due to ground strafing by a Mitsubishi A6M Zero. Lt. Victor Osias tried to help his wingman, but Lt. Basa died in his arms. The 6th Pursuit Squadron returned to Nichols Airfield on 13 December with 4 remaining P-26s, and on the following day another Japanese raid came, and Lt. Gozar was the only pilot who was able to meet the Japanese bombers and fighters. Lt. Gozar was able to survive the encounter against three Japanese Zeros with one unconfirmed kill, and land his battered aircraft. While greatly outclassed and outnumbered, the accomplishment of the 6th Pursuit Squadron has become of a legend and a source of encouragement among the ground forces and the civilians who witnessed their defense over the skies of
Luzon Luzon (; ) is the largest and most populous island in the Philippines. Located in the northern portion of the Philippines archipelago, it is the economic and political center of the nation, being home to the country's capital city, Manila, as ...
. On 15 December Capt. Villamor, Lt. Gozar, and Capt.
Colin Kelly Colin Purdie Kelly Jr. ( ; July 11, 1915 – December 10, 1941) was a World War II B-17 Flying Fortress pilot who flew bombing runs against the Japanese navy in the first days after the Pearl Harbor attack. He is remembered as one of the first ...
of the 14th Bombardment Squadron posthumously, were awarded by Gen. MacArthur the
Distinguished Service Cross The Distinguished Service Cross (D.S.C.) is a military decoration for courage. Different versions exist for different countries. *Distinguished Service Cross (Australia) *Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom) *Distinguished Service Cross (U ...
for their defense of the airspace above
Manila Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populated ...
. Lt. Godofredo Juliano on the other hand received a Gold Cross, and Lt. Aranzaso was awarded with the
Silver Star The Silver Star Medal (SSM) is the United States Armed Forces' third-highest military decoration for valor in combat. The Silver Star Medal is awarded primarily to members of the United States Armed Forces for gallantry in action against an e ...
. Upon activation of War Plan Orange, the 6th Pursuit Squadron and the rest of the PAAC were ordered to destroy their aircraft inventory. Capt. Villamor and his unit were ordered to a strategic retreat to
Bataan Bataan (), officially the Province of Bataan ( fil, Lalawigan ng Bataan ), is a province in the Central Luzon region of the Philippines. Its capital is the city of Balanga while Mariveles is the largest town in the province. Occupying the enti ...
and transformed their mission to
air defense Anti-aircraft warfare, counter-air or air defence forces is the battlespace response to aerial warfare, defined by NATO as "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action".AAP-6 It includes surface based ...
. Capt. Villamor ordered his unit to rally in Bataan and take up infantry and air defense roles. He would join Gen. MacArthur and Pres. Manuel L. Quezon on the ferry to Fort Mills on
Corregidor Island Corregidor ( tl, Pulo ng Corregidor, ) is an island located at the entrance of Manila Bay in the southwestern part of Luzon in the Philippines, and is considered part of the Province of Cavite. Due to this location, Corregidor has historically b ...
on 24 December 1941. Capt. Villamor and his unit were still hoping to receive new aircraft from Australia. However, the shipment of the
Pensacola Convoy The Pensacola Convoy is a colloquialism for a United States military shipping convoy that took place in late 1941 as the Pacific War began. The name was derived from that of its primary escort ship, the heavy cruiser . ''Pensacola'' was officiall ...
never came through. On 9 February 1942, Capt. Villamor conducted a reconnaissance mission over occupied
Cavite Cavite, officially the Province of Cavite ( tl, Lalawigan ng Kabite; Chavacano: ''Provincia de Cavite''), is a province in the Philippines located in the Calabarzon region in Luzon. Located on the southern shores of Manila Bay and southw ...
in a PT-13 escorted by four American
P-40 Warhawk The Curtiss P-40 Warhawk is an American single-engined, single-seat, all-metal fighter and ground-attack aircraft that first flew in 1938. The P-40 design was a modification of the previous Curtiss P-36 Hawk which reduced development time and ...
s. No sooner, 6 Japanese Zeros appeared and tangled with the FAEF aircraft. Capt. Villamor's aircraft was damaged but he was still able to land it safely. One P-40 was lost at the cost of 4 Zeros. Capt. Villamor's mission proved to be a success as the films were delivered to G-2 Intelligence. The information was collated with the ground observers' reports, and counterbattery fire was put into effect. The four months siege of Bataan culminated on 9 April 1942, and about 80,000 emaciated and sick Filipinos and American POWs, including the surviving men of the PAAC, were committed to the infamous
Bataan Death March The Bataan Death March ( Filipino: ''Martsa ng Kamatayan sa Bataan''; Spanish: ''Marcha de la muerte de Bataán'' ; Kapampangan: ''Martsa ning Kematayan quing Bataan''; Japanese: バターン死の行進, Hepburn: ''Batān Shi no Kōshin'') ...
. The 60 mile march ended at the
POW Camp A prisoner-of-war camp (often abbreviated as POW camp) is a site for the containment of enemy fighters captured by a belligerent power in time of war. There are significant differences among POW camps, internment camps, and military prisons. ...
in
Camp O'Donnell Camp O'Donnell is a former United States military reservation in the Philippines located on Luzon island in the municipality of Capas in Tarlac. It housed the Philippine Army's newly created 71st Division and after the Americans' return, a Unit ...
, Tarlac. Some of the members of the PAAC who were assigned to
Corregidor Island Corregidor ( tl, Pulo ng Corregidor, ) is an island located at the entrance of Manila Bay in the southwestern part of Luzon in the Philippines, and is considered part of the Province of Cavite. Due to this location, Corregidor has historically b ...
were attached to the
4th Marine Regiment The 4th Marine Regiment is an infantry regiment of the United States Marine Corps. Based at Camp Schwab in Okinawa, Japan, it is part of the 3rd Marine Division of the III Marine Expeditionary Force. Mission Close with and destroy the enemy b ...
, and met the Japanese at the beaches during the
Battle of Corregidor The Battle of Corregidor (; ), fought on May 5–6, 1942, was the culmination of the Japanese campaign for the conquest of the Commonwealth of the Philippines during World War II. The fall of Bataan on April 9, 1942, ended all organized ...
. The Filipino POWs in Capas, Tarlac were released by August 1942, and the former members of the PAAC either transitioned back to civilian life, collaborated with the Japanese-sponsored Philippine government, or joined the underground guerilla movement. Famous of this was Capt. Villamor's escape to Australia and finding himself assigned to the Allied Intelligence Bureau as one of its operatives.


Aircraft


As of 8 December 1941

Numbers in parentheses indicate number of aircraft that were usable, where records are available.


Fighters

* Boeing P-12E: 2 * Boeing P-26A: 12 *
Seversky P-35A The Seversky P-35 is an American fighter aircraft built by the Seversky Aircraft Company in the late 1930s. A contemporary of the Hawker Hurricane and Messerschmitt Bf 109, the P-35 was the first single-seat fighter in United States Army Air Co ...
: 48


Bombers

* Martin B-10B monoplane bomber: 3 (2) * Keystone B-3A light bomber: 1


Noncombatant

* Beechcraft 18D trainer and utility transport aircraft: 2 *
Douglas O-46 The Douglas O-46 was an observation aircraft used by the United States Army Air Corps and the Philippine Army Air Corps.
observation aircraft: 4 *Other (mainly trainers): 50 ** Boeing-Stearman 76D-4 ** Consolidated PT-1 Trusty trainers (73L-3) **
Stinson Reliant The Stinson Reliant is a popular single-engine four- to five-seat high-wing monoplane manufactured by the Stinson Aircraft Division of the Aviation Manufacturing Corporation of Wayne, Michigan. Design and development The Reliant is a high-wi ...
** Curtiss O-1 observation/attack biplane ** probably Thomas-Morse O-19 observation biplane


Organization of The Philippine Army Air Corps as of 8 December 1941

* Philippine Army Air Corps Headquarters ** 1st Training Squadron ** Zosa's Depot Detachment ** Ramos' Depot Detachment ** Sebastian's Airbase Detachment ** 5th Photo Detachment ** 6th Interceptor Squadron ** Ebuen's Instruction Squadron ** de Leon's Airbase Detachment ** 9th Observation Squadron ** 10th Bombardment Squadron ** Aya-ay's Airbase Detachment ** Primary Flying School ** Basic & Advanced Flying School ** Philippine Army Air Corps Supply


See also

* Military history of the Philippines during World War II


References


Bibliography

* * *{{cite book , last=Morton , first=Lewis , year=1993 , title=The War in the Pacific: The Fall of the Philippines , series=United States Army in World War II , publisher=Center of Military History, United States Army , location=Washington, D.C. , lccn=53063678 , url=http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USA/USA-P-PI/ , access-date=4 November 2014


External links


History of the Philippine Air Force
Military units and formations of the Philippine Army Military units and formations of the Philippine Army in World War II Aviation in the Philippines Military units and formations established in 1935 Army aviation units and formations Commonwealth of the Philippines Philippine Air Force