Nichols Field was a U.S. military airfield located south of Manila in Pasay and Parañaque, Luzon, the Philippines. <!-- The complex is located at Andrews Avenue by the north, Domestic Road by the west, NAIA Road and Ninoy Aquino Avenue by the southwest, Multinational Avenue by the south (the future C-5 Extension), South Luzon Expressway and the Metro Manila Skyway by the east, and Sales Street by the northeast. -->

History

Origins

thumb|left|Nichols Field runway construction

Camp Nichols was established by the Air Service, United States Army in 1919. Located near Fort William McKinley, south of Manila, it initially was the home of the 1st Group (Observation), being activated on 14 August 1919, Nichols Field became the headquarters of the Philippine Department Air Force, under the Army Philippine Department.

The 1st Group (later 4th Composite Group) consisted of the 2d, 3d and 28th Aero Squadrons in 1919. The 2d Aero Squadron (2d Observation Squadron), having served in the Philippines beginning in 1915, was transferred back from Rockwell Field, California in 1920 after training duties in the United States during the war. The 3d Aero Squadron (3d Pursuit Squadron), also a stateside training unit during the war, was transferred from Mitchel Field, New York in 1920. The 28th Aero Squadron (28th Bombardment Squadron), which had served in combat on the Western Front during the war, was transferred to the group in 1922. The 3d Pursuit Squadron was moved to Clark Field upon its arrival in 1920 and Nichols became home of Air Park No, 11 (later 66th Service Squadron, which supported the group logistically with equipment, supplies and vehicles both at Nichols and Clark Fields).<!-- Possible citation from

Meixsel, Richard B. (2002). "Chapter 4: The Third Pursuit Squadron". Clark Field and the U.S. Army Air Corps in the Philippines, 1919-1942. Quezon City, Philippines: New Day Publishers. ISBN 978-971-10-1078-2. p. 28 --> It also became the home of the Manila Air Depot, which provided maintenance support for all Army and Navy aircraft in the Philippines.

The primary operational mission of Nichols Field was tactical training for coastal defense of Luzon. Due to its proximity to Manila, it also was the primary command and control base for the Philippine Department Air Force. Exercises and maneuvers with Army ground forces and Naval forces were a regular and important part of its mission. Another mission of Nichols Field during the 1920s was aerial mapping of the Philippines; the topography of many of the islands were largely unknown. The aerial mapping mission was the primary mission of the 2d Observation Squadron, which moved between Clark and Nichols during the 1920s and 1930s. In May 1941, the 17th and 20th squadrons were re-equipped with Seversky P-35As that were manufactured for the Swedish Air Force. On 24 October 1940, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed an executive order requisitioning all the undelivered P-35s sold to Sweden and impressing them into the USAAC. Forty of the planes arrived at the Manila Air Depot in Swedish markings, with Swedish language technical orders and Swedish-marked instrumentation. These planes all required modification at the depot before being turned over to the squadrons for operational use. The 28th Bombardment Squadron also received some Douglas B-18 Bolos.

Notice was received by the group on 15 November that due to the tense international situation between the United States and the Empire of Japan, all pursuit aircraft on the flight line would be placed on alert 24 hours each day, be armed, fully fueled with pilots available on 30 minutes' notice. From 30 November to 6 December all squadrons underwent intensive training in day and night enemy interception and air-to-air gunnery.

Again at approximately 11:30 a large formation of bombers was reported over the China Sea heading towards Manila. P-40 Warhawks took off from Nichols Field to intercept enemy aircraft spotted on radar, but failed to make contact. In the afternoon, P-40s again took off from Nichols Field to patrol over Bataan and Manila. On 9 December shortly after midnight, telephonic communications were re-established with Headquarters, FEAF. Intelligence reported that an unidentified number of enemy aircraft were approaching from the north. A flight of six P-40s from the 17th Pursuit Squadron was dispatched from Del Carmen Field to intercept. However, two of the aircraft were demolished on takeoff due to an accident. The remaining planes proceeded to Nichols Field but were unable to accomplish any interception of enemy aircraft in the dark and the night bombing of Nichols Field began at 03:15. In order to try to bring some of the units up to strength, FEAF ordered the remainder of the 3d sent to Nichols Field to bring the 34th with its P-35s up to strength.

After the capitulation of American forces in the Philippines, on 19 May 1942 the Japanese had American prisoner of war (POW) pilots fly two P-40 Warhawks and a PT-17 Stearman biplane from Davao Airfield to Nichols. One of the P-40s was delayed due to bad weather and landed at a small airstrip en route. It was used as a Prisoner of War Camp ("Philippine Military Prison Camp 306") and also used as a combat airfield by the IJNAS 1021st Kōkūtai flying Mitsubishi G4M medium bombers.

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".

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.

During 1945–1946 the 6th Troop Carrier Squadron (Jan-May 1946); 13th Troop Carrier Squadron (June–October 1946) and 22d Troop Carrier Squadrons (October 1946-April 1947) operated C-47 Skytrains from Nichols Field. Also a NATS detachment of six officers operated DC-3 transports was based at Nichols.