Editing Nichols Field (section)

===Battle of Nichols Field===
After their defeat in the [[Battle of Leyte Gulf]], the Japanese Navy reconstituted itself as a land force and positioned their naval guns in Fort Mckinley to halt the Allied advance on Luzon. The Japanese had transformed Fort Mckinley into one of the most heavily armed fortification of the Pacific War. The Japanese deployed their veteran Japanese Imperial Marines, naval troops and some kempeitai to muster some 3,000 troops to defend Fort Mckinley and Nichols Field.<ref name="BNF">{{Cite web |url= http://www.kagitingantour.com/the-battle-of-mckinley-nichols-field.html |title= The Battle of Fort Mckinley and Nichols Field |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20161109230650/http://www.kagitingantour.com/the-battle-of-mckinley-nichols-field.html |archive-date= November 9, 2016 |access-date= August 24, 2024 |url-status= dead |work= Kagitingan Cycling Tour 2014 |publisher= [[Hunters ROTC]] Historical Society |location= [[Angono]], [[Rizal (province)|Rizal]] |via= [[Weebly]] }}</ref>

The [[Fifth Air Force]] flew air attacks against Nichols Field in late January and during February 1945.  During the [[Battle of Luzon]], Nichols Field was recaptured by elements of the [[Sixth United States Army]] when paratroopers of the [[11th Airborne Division]] attacked the base on 4 February.  Four days' effort had effected little reduction in the amount of Japanese fire originating from the Nichols Field defenses. Support fires of Mindoro-based A-20s and the division's light artillery (75&nbsp;mm pack howitzers and the short 105&nbsp;mm howitzers) had not destroyed enough Japanese weapons to permit the infantry to advance without taking unduly heavy casualties. In fact, the volume of fire from Japanese naval guns of various types was still so great that one infantry company commander requested: "Tell Halsey to stop looking for the Jap Fleet. It's dug in on Nichols Field".<ref name="AONF">{{cite web|location=[[Norfolk, Virginia]] |publisher=[[MacArthur Memorial]] |title=The Attack on Nichols Field |url=https://battleofmanila.org/Smith_XIV/htm/xiv_07.htm |work=Battle of Manila}}</ref>

When direct communication began, the 11th Airborne Division and the XIV Corps quickly co-ordinated artillery fire plans and established a limit of fire line to demark their support zones about midway between Nichols Field and the Manila city limits. Under the provisions of this plan XIV Corps Artillery fired sixteen 155&nbsp;mm and 8-inch howitzer concentrations in support of the airborne division's attack at Nichols Field before the division passed to XIV Corps control about 1300 on 10 February.  For the time being, Griswold directed Swing, the 11th Airborne Division would continue to exert pressure against the Japanese at Nichols Field but would mount no general assault. Instead, the division would ascertain the extent and nature of the Japanese defenses at and east of the airfield and prepare to secure the Cavite naval base area, which the division had bypassed on its way north from Nasugbu. Further orders would be forthcoming once XIV Corps itself could learn more about the situation south of Manila.<ref name="AONF"/>

The attack was preceded by artillery and mortar concentrations and by an air strike executed by Marine Corps SBD's from the Lingayen Gulf fields, support that succeeded in knocking out many Japanese artillery positions. The 2d Battalion, 187th Infantry, attacked generally east from the northwest corner of the field; the 188th Infantry and the 1st Battalion, 187th Infantry, drove in from the south and southeast. By dusk the two regiments had cleared most of the field and finished mopping up the next day.<ref name="AONF"/>

Nichols Field was, however, by no means ready to receive Allied Air Force planes. Runways and taxiways were heavily mined, the runways were pitted by air and artillery bombardments, and the field was still subjected to intermittent artillery and mortar fire from the Fort McKinley area. At the airfield, many wrecked Japanese Navy and Army aircraft were captured, including several intact examples.<ref name="PW2"/>