Naguilian Airfield

Military Decommissioning. The airfield was a temporary combat airfield built and used by the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) during World War II. With the conclusion of the war in August 1945, the strategic need for the airfield ceased. The base was dismantled, and the land was returned to civilian control and agricultural use.

The site of the former Naguilian Airfield has been completely converted back to civilian use. Examination of satellite imagery at the coordinates reveals no visible remnants of the runway or military infrastructure. The land is now predominantly used for agriculture, primarily rice paddies, interspersed with small residential structures and local roads. The main road in Barangay Gusing Sur appears to follow the approximate alignment of the former runway, but the area is otherwise unrecognizable as an airfield.

Naguilian Airfield was a significant forward airbase during the final phase of World War II in the Philippines. Constructed by US Army engineers in early 1945 after the area was liberated from Japanese forces, it played a crucial role in the Luzon Campaign. The airfield supported tactical air operations against remaining Japanese positions in Northern Luzon and Formosa (Taiwan). It primarily hosted fighter and light/medium bomber units of the Fifth Air Force. Notable operations and units based at Naguilian included:
- **312th Bombardment Group:** Flew A-20G Havoc attack bombers from May to August 1945, conducting missions against Japanese infrastructure, supply depots, and troop concentrations.
- **348th Fighter Group:** Operated P-47 Thunderbolts and later P-51 Mustangs, providing air superiority, escort for bombers, and ground support.
- **460th Fighter Squadron (attached to 348th FG):** Also flew P-47s and P-51s from the airfield.
The airfield was instrumental in isolating and neutralizing Japanese forces in the mountainous regions of Luzon and was a staging point for operations in preparation for the planned (but ultimately unnecessary) invasion of Japan, Operation Downfall.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening Naguilian Airfield. The land is now privately owned and fully integrated into the local agricultural and residential landscape. The province of La Union is served by the San Fernando Airport (SFE/RPUS), making the development of a new airport at the historical Naguilian site economically and logistically unfeasible.