Type Military airfield In use 1940-1945 Year built 1940 | Owner Town of San Marcelino Past
commanders Capt. Ramon Magsaysay Past commander Ramon Magsaysay | |
 | ||
Occupants Elements of the US 38th Division Controlled by United States Army Air Forces | ||
San Marcelino Airfield is a World War II airfield located in Zambales province of the Philippines located in the Central Luzon region. It was closed after the war.
History
San Marcelino Airfield was built before the war by the Americans. On the morning of 29 January 1945 nearly 35,000 U.S. troops landed just northwest of San Marcelino. Elements of the US 38th Division immediately dashed inland to take the airstrip, but found that Filipino guerrillas under the command of Capt. Ramon Magsaysay, later president of the Republic of the Philippines, had secured the field three days earlier.
After the liberation by combined Filipino-American troops on Zambales in 1945, it was developed into a Fifth Air Force command facility as well as an operational airfield. With the end of the war, the airfield was closed and is now part of the town of San Marcelino. Units assigned were: