Editing Philippine Army Air Corps (section)

== History ==
The Air Corps was created by the [[Philippine National Assembly]]'s [[National Defense Act of 1935]] in its first legislative act.{{sfn|Morton|1993|p=10}}

General [[Douglas MacArthur]], convinced by his friend Philippine President-elect [[Manuel L. Quezon]] and with [[Franklin D. Roosevelt|President Roosevelt's]] agreement to leave his position as Chief of Staff, become Military Adviser to the Commonwealth Government in 1935.{{sfn|Morton|1993|p=9}} MacArthur was given wide authority to deal directly with the United States [[Secretary of War]], his successor as the Army [[Chief of Staff of the United States Army|Chief of Staff]] and the United States Army [[Philippine Department]] and its commander [[Lucius R. Holbrook|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.{{sfn|Morton|1993|p=9}} MacArthur selected Majors [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]] and [[James B. Ord]] as his assistants who, with a special committee at the [[United States Army War College|Army War College]], prepared plans to form the national defense of the Philippine Commonwealth with a completion target of independence in 1946.{{sfn|Morton|1993|p=9}} 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]]s capable of repelling an enemy.{{sfn|Morton|1993|pp=9–10}}

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.{{sfn|Morton|1993|p=11}}  When war came the corps had around 40 aircraft and 100 [[aviator|pilots]],{{sfn|Morton|1993|p=13}} 500 personnel, and six squadrons. On 15 August 1941, the PAAC was inducted into the [[United States Army]] and incorporated into the [[Far East Air Force (United States)|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 [[Colonel Jesus Villamor Air Base|Nichols Airfield]] in [[Pasay]] outside Manila.<ref name="Alcaraz">{{cite web |last1=Alcaraz |first1=Ramon |title=Diary of Ramon Alcaraz - August 15, 1941 |url=https://philippinediaryproject.com/1941/08/15/august-15-1941/ |website=The Philippine Diary Project |publisher=The Philippine Diary Project |access-date=6 May 2020}}</ref><ref name="Filipinas">{{cite web |title=The Philippine Air Force |url=https://www.filipinaslibrary.org.ph/articles/the-philippine-air-force/ |website=The Filipinas Heritage Library |publisher=Ayala Foundation, Inc. |access-date=6 May 2020}}</ref>

The first Philippine Army [[airfield]] (Zablan Airfield) was built outside of [[Manila]], [[Luzon]] in 1935. At this time only three pilot trainers were available in the [[Philippines]]. 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 Aguinaldo|Camp Emilio Aguinaldo]].

On 31 July 1941 the corps consisted of 2,132 enlisted troops, under the command of 275 [[commissioned officer|officers]]:
*Headquarters (109)
*[[4th Composite Group|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]] early in the morning, the [[United States Army Forces in the Far East]] (USAFFE) and its air component, [[Far East Air Force (United States)|Far East Air Force]] (FAEF), were caught by surprise by bombers and fighters of the [[Imperial Japanese Army]] from [[Kaohsiung International Airport|Takao Airfield]] and [[Imperial Japanese Navy|Navy]]'s [[Tainan Air Group]] from [[Tainan]], [[Formosa]], hitting targets in [[Baguio]], [[Iba Airfield]], and [[Clark Airbase|Clark Airfield]].<ref name="Bataan Legacy">{{cite web |title=World War II in the Philippines: Legacy of Two Nations |url=http://bataanlegacy.org/uploads/3/4/7/6/34760003/bataan_legacy_exhibition_panels.pdf |website=Bataan Legacy |publisher=The American Legion |access-date=12 May 2020}}</ref> 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.<ref name="Official Gazette">{{cite web |title=History of the Philippine Air Force |url=https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/featured/history-philippine-air-force/ |website=The Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines |publisher=Office of the President |access-date=7 May 2020}}</ref><ref name="Manchester">{{cite book |last1=Manchester |first1=William |title=American Caesar : Douglas MacArthur, 1880-1964 |url=https://archive.org/details/americancaesardo1964manc |url-access=limited |date=1978 |publisher=Little, Brown |isbn=978031654498-6 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/americancaesardo1964manc/page/n486 205]–212 |edition=1st}}</ref><ref name="Correll">{{cite web |last1=Correll |first1=John T. |title=Disaster in the Philippines |url=https://www.airforcemag.com/article/disaster-in-the-philippines/ |website=Air Force Magazine |publisher=US Air Force |access-date=7 May 2020}}</ref>

On 9 December, units of the PAAC attached to the Southern Luzon Force were ordered to do reconnaissance flight towards the [[South China Sea]] for any possible amphibious landing by the Japanese on the [[Batangas]] coastline.<ref name="Order of Battle">{{cite book |title=Order of Battle of the United States Army Ground Forces in World War 2 in Pacific Theater Operations |date=1959 |publisher=Office of the Chief of Military History, Department of the Army |page=16}}</ref>

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]] was sounded.<ref name="Nemenzo">{{cite book |last1=Nemenzo |first1=Eldon |title=The Philippine Air Force story |date=1992 |publisher=Philippine Air Force |pages=74–80}}</ref><ref name="They Never Surrendered">{{cite book |last1=Villamor |first1=Jesus |last2=Snyder |first2=Gerald |title=They Never Surrendered |date=1968 |publisher=Vera-Reyes, Inc. |location=Quezon City |page=32}}</ref> Capt. [[Jesus Villamor]], along with Lieutenants Godofredo Juliano, Geronimo Aclan, Alberto Aranzaso, and Jose Gozar met another wave of [[Mitsubishi G3M]] "Nell" bombers and [[Mitsubishi A6M Zero]] fighters over the skies of Zablan Airfield  and [[Pasig]] with their [[Boeing P-26 Peashooter]]s.  The 6th Pursuit Squadron claimed 4 kills, one Mitsubishi Nell and 3 Zeros. Two of these were to the credit of Capt. Villamor.<ref name="Yenne">{{cite book |last1=Yenne |first1=Bill |title=MacArthur's Air Force : American airpower over the Pacific and the Far East, 1941-51 |date=2019 |publisher=Barnes & Noble |isbn=9781472833235|page=46}}</ref><ref name="Official Gazette" /><ref name="Smith">{{cite book |last1=Smith |first1=Peter C. |title=Mitsubishi Zero : Japan's Legendary Fighter |date=2014 |publisher=Pen & Sword Aviation |isbn=9781781593196 |page=73}}</ref><ref name="PAF 50th">{{cite web |title=Speech of President Corazon Aquino at the 50th Anniversary of the Philippine Air Force |url=https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/1986/05/02/speech-of-president-corazon-aquino-at-the-50th-anniversary-of-the-philippine-air-force/ |website=The Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines |publisher=Office of the President |access-date=7 May 2020}}</ref> Another notable pilot was Lt. [[Jose Gozar]].  When his guns jammed, he instead attempted an [[aerial ramming]] of a Mitsubishi Nell. Lt. Albert Aranzaso followed suit.<ref name="Alcaraz 2">{{cite web |last1=Alcaraz |first1=Ramon |title=The Diary of Ramon Alcaraz - December 15, 1941 |url=https://philippinediaryproject.com/1941/12/15/december-15-1941-2/ |website=The Philippine Diary Project |access-date=6 May 2020 |date=15 December 1941}}</ref>

The following day, 11 December, the 6th Pursuit Squadron moved to Batangas Airfield north of [[Batangas City]].  On 12 December, a force of 27 bombers and 17 fighters targeted Batangas Airfield, and on this day in [[Military history of the Philippines|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 [[Villamor Air Base|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.<ref name="LOC">{{cite web |title=Fighting Filipino pilot. |url=https://www.loc.gov/item/2017697148/ |website=Library of Congress|access-date=7 May 2020}}</ref><ref name="Alcaraz 12151941">{{cite web |last1=Alcaraz |first1=Ramon |title=Diary of Ramon Alcaraz - December 15, 1941 |url=https://philippinediaryproject.com/1941/12/15/december-15-1941-2/ |website=The Philippine Diary Project |publisher=The Philippine Diary Project |access-date=7 May 2020 |date=15 December 1941}}</ref><ref name="Smith" /><ref name="Quezon">{{cite web |last1=Quezon |first1=Manuel L. |title=A Record of Heroic Deeds |url=http://www.ibiblio.org/pha/policy/1943/1943-01-16a.html |website=www.ibiblio.org |publisher=Ibiblio |access-date=11 May 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|author=John Toland|title=But Not in Shame: The Six Months After Pearl Harbor|publisher=Random House Publishing Group|isbn=978-1-101-96929-8|pages=110–113}}</ref><ref name="Filipinas 2">{{cite web |title=Jesus Villamor: Soldier, Spy |url=https://www.filipinaslibrary.org.ph/articles/jesus-villamor-soldier-spy/ |website=www.filipinaslibrary.org.ph |publisher=Filipinas Heritage Library |access-date=6 May 2020}}</ref><ref name="Alcaraz 12301941">{{cite web |last1=Alcaraz |first1=Ramon |title=Diary of Ramon Alcaraz - December 30, 1941 |url=https://philippinediaryproject.com/1941/12/30/december-30-1941-2/ |website=The Philippine Diary Project |access-date=12 May 2020 |date=30 December 1941}}</ref>

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.<ref name="Neri">{{cite web |last1=Neri |first1=Francis Karem Elazegui |title=PAF History: Lt. Jose Gozar |url=https://www.facebook.com/search/str/jose+gozar/keywords_blended_posts?f=Abo7z-D9nFFZRnw9hFZzCrY_zHIxdhuQD0zBeoyNRZj3m9_2vulFvHCTmHXvgQ6ileervEYJe4uomceDoVBdS9z8eHmtkmlJUSV9yCcLCWifyux8cylypRwjvS_qUV3qBtg&filters=eyJycF9hdXRob3IiOiJ7XCJuYW1lXCI6XCJteV9ncm91cHNfYW5kX3BhZ2VzX3Bvc3RzXCIsXCJhcmdzXCI6XCJcIn0ifQ%3D%3D&epa=SEE_MORE |website=Armed Forces of the Philippines - AFP on Facebook |publisher=Facebook |access-date=7 May 2020}}</ref><ref name="Craven">{{cite book |last1=Craven |first1=Wesley |last2=Cate |first2=James Lea |title=The Army Air Forces in WWII: Vol. I--Plans & Early Operations [Chapter 6] |date=1979 |publisher=University of Chicago Press |isbn=9780405121357 |page=219 |url=http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/AAF/I/AAF-I-6.html |access-date=11 May 2020}}</ref>

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]]. On 15 December Capt. Villamor, Lt. Gozar, and Capt. [[Colin Kelly]] of the [[14th Bombardment Squadron]] posthumously, were awarded by Gen. MacArthur the [[Distinguished Service Cross (United States)|Distinguished Service Cross]] for their defense of the airspace above [[Manila]]. Lt. Godofredo Juliano on the other hand received a Gold Cross, and Lt. Aranzaso was awarded with the [[Silver Star]].<ref name="Alcaraz 12171941">{{cite web |last1=Alcaraz |first1=Ramon |title=December 17, 1941 |url=https://philippinediaryproject.com/1941/12/17/december-17-1941/ |website=The Philippine Diary Project |publisher=The Philippine Diary Project |access-date=7 May 2020 |date=17 December 1941}}</ref><ref name="Baclagon">{{cite book |last1=Baclagon |first1=Uldarico |title=Filipino Heroes of World War II |date=1980 |publisher=Agro Printing & Publishing House |page=310}}</ref>
[[File:Philippine air corps p-26 peashooter.jpg|thumb|Former P-26 Peashooter used by the Philippine Air Corps (1941)]]
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 joined the rest of the USAFF on a strategic retreat to [[Bataan]] and transformed their mission to [[air defense]]. The PAAC from hereon would take up infantry and air defense roles.  Villamor would join Gen. MacArthur and Pres. [[Manuel L. Quezon]] on the ferry to [[Fort Mills]] on [[Corregidor Island]] on 24 December 1941. Capt. Villamor and his unit were still hoping to receive new aircraft from Australia.<ref name="Alcaraz 01071942">{{cite web |last1=Alcaraz |first1=Ramon |title=January 7, 1942 |url=https://philippinediaryproject.com/1942/01/07/january-7-1942/ |website=The Philippine Diary Project |publisher=The Philippine Diary Project |access-date=7 May 2020 |date=7 January 1942}}</ref> However, the shipment of the [[Pensacola Convoy]] never came through.<ref name="Filipinas" />

On 9 February 1942, Capt. Villamor conducted a reconnaissance mission over occupied [[Cavite]] in a [[Boeing-Stearman Model 75|PT-13]] escorted by four American [[P-40 Warhawk]]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.<ref>{{cite book|author=John Gordon|title=Fighting for MacArthur: The Navy and Marine Corps' Desperate Defense of the Philippines|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XnDzMR47AXQC&pg=PT188|date=1 September 2011|publisher=Naval Institute Press|isbn=978-1-61251-062-0|page=188}}</ref><ref name="Morton">{{cite web |last1=Morton |first1=Louis |title=US Army in WWII: Fall of the Philippines [Chapter 27] |url=https://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USA/USA-P-PI/USA-P-PI-27.html |website=www.ibiblio.org |access-date=10 May 2020}}</ref><ref name="Lee">{{cite book |last1=Lee |first1=Clark |title=They Call it the Pacific |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.509127 |date=1943 |publisher=Vicking Press |isbn=9781163381984 |page=[https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.509127/page/n59 45]}}</ref>

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 60 mile march ended at the [[Prisoner-of-war camp|POW Camp]] in [[Camp O'Donnell]], Tarlac.  Some of the members of the PAAC who were assigned to [[Corregidor Island]] were attached to the [[4th Marine Regiment]], and met the Japanese at the beaches during the [[Battle of Corregidor]].<ref name="Hough">{{cite book |last1=Hough |first1=Frank |last2=Ludwig |first2=Verle |last3=Shaw |first3=Henry Jr. |title="Pearl Harbor to Guadalcanal: History of U. S. Marine Corps Operations in World War II, Volume I," |date=2013 |publisher=CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform |isbn=978-1481969253 |page=191 |url=https://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USMC/I/USMC-I-IV-3.html}}</ref>

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 [[Second Philippine Republic|Japanese-sponsored Philippine government]], or joined the underground [[Philippine resistance against Japan|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.{{fact|date=April 2022}}