The airfield was built by the Dutch in the late 1920s or
1930s. It was the final stop for KLM airlines in Dutch New Guinea. After the
Pacific War with Japan broke out in December 1941, a Royal Australian Air Force
engineering party with the assistance of the Dutch upgraded the airstrip for
military use.
First attacked by Japanese H6K Emilys on December 30, 1941,
leaving 3 dead and 14 wounded, including a number of children. Three RAAF No.
13 Squadron Lockheed Hudson bombers were sent there to act as 'fighters', this
temporary duty was regarded to be against enemy flying boats while the Dutch
KNIL garrison of approximately 200 rushed to improve area defenses and create a
clearing for a second runway. The Japanese 2nd Detachment landed at Babo on
April 2, 1942 and occupied the town. Most of the Dutch soldiers escaped to
Australia.
The airfield was developed into a major base used by both
the Imperial Japanese Army and Navy units in the Vogelkop Peninsula, staging to
other airfields to the south Aru and Kai Islands or east to New Guinea. The
Japanese built a second 'hardtop' runway creating two strips of 4,530' and
2,660' respectively. Naval troops constructed 15 bomber and 24 fighters with
more under construction. The base largely escaped any Allied bombing until
mid-1943.
The aerial units based at Babo opposed the American landings
at Biak, but suffered heavy losses. The 24th Sentai lost 20 pilots and 40
planes while based at Babo in only 30 days then were withdrawn. The 202nd
Kokutai was temporarily withdrawn from Babo for defense of Truk, then returned
to Babo in June 1944. They lost 12 planes defending Biak, and were then disbanded.
By mid-1944, the base was in range of medium bombers and
strafers from the United States Army Air Force's 5th Air Force, and came under
heavy attack. Neutralized from the air around October 1944, and never liberated
by Allied forces. Tons of American and Australian bombs hit airfield. Many of
its aircraft were destroyed by parafrag bombs. Japanese ground crews even sawed
off the engines from wrecked planes, in a desperate attempt to ward off further
attacks, and used hulks to fill in bomb craters. Isolated from resupply or
rescue, the remaining Japanese occupied the area until the end of the war.
%20%26%20Hawkins%20(Runt's%20Roost%20B-25D%2041-29727%20)%20-%20Richard%20N.%20Davis%20Collection%20B.jpg)
