Wolfe Field

The airport did not physically close but was renamed. 'Wolfe Field' was the pre-World War II name given by the Americans. After its liberation from Japanese forces in March 1945, the U.S. Army rebuilt and renamed the airfield 'Moret Field' in honor of Lt. Col. Paul Moret, a USMC pilot killed in action. It was later turned over to the Philippine government and evolved into the current Zamboanga International Airport. Therefore, the 'closure' was a renaming and change in administration, not a cessation of flight operations.

The site of the historical Wolfe Field is the location of the fully operational Zamboanga International Airport (IATA: ZAM, ICAO: RPMZ). It is the third-busiest airport in Mindanao and serves as the primary air gateway to the Zamboanga Peninsula. The airport complex is also home to the Edwin Andrews Air Base (EAAB) of the Philippine Air Force, which plays a critical role in military logistics, air defense, and humanitarian operations in the region.

Wolfe Field was a significant pre-World War II American military airfield in the southern Philippines. During WWII, it was captured by the Japanese Imperial Army in 1942. In March 1945, it was recaptured by American forces during the Battle of Zamboanga. U.S. Army engineers rapidly repaired and expanded the airfield, renaming it Moret Field. It became a major operational base for the U.S. Thirteenth Air Force, hosting bomber and fighter groups that conducted missions against Japanese targets in the southern Philippines and Borneo until the end of the war. After the war, it was developed into the primary civilian airport for the Zamboanga Peninsula, while retaining a military presence.

The airfield is currently active and has never ceased operations since its establishment. However, there are long-standing plans by the Philippine government to close the current airport and relocate it to a new, larger site outside the city center (proposed locations have included Barangay Mercedes and Talabaan). The reasons for the planned relocation include the current airport's limited expansion capacity due to surrounding urban development, safety concerns, and to facilitate urban redevelopment. Once a new airport is constructed and operational, the current site of Zamboanga International Airport (the historical Wolfe Field) is slated for permanent closure and will be redeveloped into a new commercial and business district.