Manggar Airfield

Last updated
Manggar Airfield
War flag of the Imperial Japanese Army (1868-1945).svg
Manggarbesar Airfield
Manggar, Indonesia
Near Balikpapan in Indonesia
Manggarbesar Airfield.jpg
Aerial reconnaissance photograph of Manggar Airfield, taken in 1944.
Site information
TypeAirfield
OperatorJapanese Army
Controlled byJapanese Imperial Army, later Australian Army
Open to
the public
No
ConditionDemolished
Location
Indonesia location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Manggar Airfield
Manggar Airfield
Coordinates 1°12′37″S116°58′31″E / 1.21028°S 116.97528°E / -1.21028; 116.97528
Site history
Built1942 (1942)
Built forJapanese Army Air Force
Built bySakatuchi Detachmnet
In use1945 (1945)
FateCaptured by Australian Forces
Battles/warsBattle of Manggar Airfield
Garrison information
Occupants23rd Air Flotilla, No. 18 Squadron RAAF

Manggar Airfield, also known as Mangar Airfield or Manggarbesar Airfield was a military airfield which was operational during the Pacific War in World War II. It was operational from 28 January 1942 to 10 July 1945, and has been redeveloped into an urban area since. The airfield was located in Manggar in Balikpapan area of Indonesia.

Contents

History

Manggar Airfield was originally built in 1936 under Dutch colonial administration to transport oil and tin. [1] During World War II, Japan had planned to capture the Dutch East Indies, in order to utilize its existing oilfields and also construct an airfield at Manggar, which would be critical for Japan’s occupation of Southern Borneo. Following the fall of Tarakan, from 20 to 23 January, 1942, the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army Air Force deployed three Lockheed Lodestars to Manggar Airfield for evacuation and resupply flights. BPM personnel and civilians who were still left behind were airlifted to Surabaya. [2]

Japanese Capture

Following the Japanese victory in the Battle of Balikpapan, the Sakaguchi Detachment began the re-construction of Manggar Airfield on 26 January, 1942. Following a bombardment by allied forces, the airfield had to be repaired on 27 January. The next day, nine Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighters of the 23rd Air Flotilla landed at Manggar Airfield, and later set up a headquarters by the 30th. [3] Manggar Airfield was first photographed on 10 October, 1944, and was operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy and Japanese Army Air Force. It consisted of two airstrips, and was a major landing ground as it was the largest airfield in the Balikpapan area. [4] On February 1944, the 23rd Air Flotilla relocated the 381st Kokutai to Manggar Airfield, recently equipped with Mitsubishi J2M Raiden Interceptors. The 381st Kokutai stationed two Hikotais at max strength, equipped with 36 front-line fighters and 12 aircraft in reserve. One of these squadrons, S602 had slowly converted to Raidens in the ensuing months, operating less than 10 aircraft during the Balikpapan air battles. The 381st Kokutai also commanded one Hikotai equipped with 8 J1N1-S Gekkos, with 6 aircraft in reserve. The U.S. Strategic Bombing Survey characterized 381 as one of the best fighter groups in the Japanese Navy. [5]

Battle of Manggar Airfield

On 2 July, 1945, the 2/14th Battalion began to advance from the Balikpapan beachhead, and captured a smaller airfield in Sepinggang with little difficulty. On the next day, it continued towards Manggar facing small amounts of resistance before finally arriving on the morning of 4 July. Initially, it appeared undefended as the 2/14th was able to advance a kilometer, however, the Japanese were entrenched in the hills overlooking the airfield. They were armed with two 6-inch coastal guns north of the airfield. The Japanese army had been caught off guard by the Australian army’s speed, and their positions were bombarded by artillery and naval gunfire for two days. On the afternoon of 6 July, an attack was ordered and a 13 man patrol was able to seize the heavily fortified coastal guns. In the meantime, other Japanese positions were being heavily bombarded. On the afternoon of 9 July, all Japanese positions were captured with the support of 3 tanks. Manggar Airfield was heavily bombed by liberator aircraft from the United States Air Force. [6] Over 500 rounds of naval gunfire and 12,000 rounds of artillery ammunition had been used for this operation. [7]

Aftermath

On 10 July, Manggar Airfield was liberated by the Australian Army. Several Japanese aircraft were captured including both Imperial Japanese Navy and Japanese Army Air Force aircraft. In the wreckage included the Mitsubishi Ki-51, and Nakajima Ki-84 presumably from the 7th Air Division HQ, a Kawasaki Ki-48, and a G4M1. Following this, Manggar Airfield was repaired to be used by the Allies, and the No. 18 Squadron RAAF from Batchelor Airfield arrived on 17 July. [4]

Control tower in Manggar Airfield, taken in 1945. Manggar Airfield ACT.jpg
Control tower in Manggar Airfield, taken in 1945.

American Missions in Manggar Airfield

Present

In present day, Manggar Airfield has been redeveloped into an urban area, with no wartime remnants remaining. [4]

References

  1. "The road to drain or gain: Dutch private investment and economic development in late colonial and early independent Indonesia". Scholarly Publications - Universiteit Leiden. Retrieved 2025-04-15.
  2. Boer, P.C. (1987). De Luchtstrijd Rond Borneo December 1941 – Februari 1942 [The Air Battle Around Borneo, December 1941 – February 1942] (in Dutch). Houten: Van Holkema & Warendorf. p. 171. ISBN   90-269-4253-2.
  3. Remmelink, William (2018). The Operations of the Navy in the Dutch East Indies and the Bay of Bengal. Leiden, Netherlands: Leiden University Press. ISBN   978-90-8728-280-6.
  4. 1 2 3 "Manggar Airfield". Pacific Wrecks. Retrieved 2025-04-15.
  5. Brunnel, John G. (June 2005). The Army Air Force's Operations Against Ploesti and Balikpapan (PDF) (Report). Defense Technical Information Center. Retrieved 2025-04-15.
  6. "111286: MANGGAR, BORNEO, 9 JULY 1945. BOMBS FROM LIBERATOR AIRCRAFT OF THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE". Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 8 April 2025.
  7. "Battle of Manggar Airfield". Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 8 April 2025.
  8. "American missions against Manggar and Manggar Airfield, October 10, 1944–July 9, 1945". Pacific Wrecks. Retrieved 8 April 2025.