Berry Airfield

Military abandonment post-World War II. With the end of the war, the extensive network of dispersed military airfields around Port Moresby was no longer required. Operations were consolidated at the larger, more developed Jacksons Field (now Jacksons International Airport), and auxiliary fields like Berry were abandoned as Allied forces demobilized and withdrew from the area.

The site of the former Berry Airfield is now occupied by the Goldie River Training Depot, a primary training facility for the Papua New Guinea Defence Force (PNGDF). While the faint outline of the former runway and taxiways can still be discerned in satellite imagery, the area is completely redeveloped with military barracks, training grounds, roads, and other infrastructure. The original airfield is no longer intact or usable.

Berry Airfield, also known as 14-Mile Drome (or 14-Mile Airfield), was a significant Allied fighter and light bomber base during World War II. Constructed by the U.S. Army 808th Engineer Aviation Battalion starting in late 1942, it was part of the critical Port Moresby airbase complex that defended against Japanese advances and supported the Allied counter-offensive in the New Guinea Campaign. The airfield was named in honor of Major Jack W. Berry, commander of the 39th Fighter Squadron, who was killed in action. It primarily hosted units from the USAAF 5th Air Force, including the 35th and 49th Fighter Groups, which operated aircraft such as the P-39 Airacobra, P-40 Warhawk, and P-38 Lightning. It was also used by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), notably No. 4 Squadron flying CAC Wirraways and Boomerangs. Operations from Berry Airfield included defensive patrols, fighter sweeps, bomber escorts, and ground-attack missions against Japanese positions.

There are no plans or prospects for reopening Berry Airfield. The site is now a critical and active military installation for the PNGDF, making any aviation-related redevelopment infeasible. Furthermore, the modern aviation needs of Port Moresby are fully served by Jacksons International Airport (AYPY / POM), eliminating any requirement for a new airfield at this historical location.