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This blog shares my stamp collections and highlights individual items which I feel might be of interest to others.

While my focus is on the stamps of the Philippines, you will find classic stamps, aviation covers, postal history, and many others included.

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Dedicated to Almira and our children, Jimmy, Ana, Lance, and Isabella.

Friday, June 4, 2010

THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM - THE 28th BOMBARDMENT SQUADRON, CLARK FIELD, PAMPANGA, PHILIPPINES, 13 JULY 1941

28th BOMBARDMENT SQUADRON
CLARK FIELD, PAMPANGA, PHILIPPINES
Cover sent by Private First Class Bernard E. Preston
Postmarked at Fort Stotsenburg, July 13, 1941
"The calm before the storm!"

The second incarnation of the 28th Bombardment Squadron was mobilized at Mather Field, California for duty in the Philippine Islands on September 20, 1921.  The squadron became active in the Philippine Islands at Clark Field on October 21, 1922.

The squadron was initially equipped with B-2 and B-3 bombers.  Later, the squadron received B-10 and B-18 medium bombers. By June 24, 1941, there were  approximately fifteen B-18 and six B-10 medium bombers in operation at Clark Field.

In his article about the 28th Bombardment Squadron (available on the "Philippine Defenders" website at http://philippine-defenders.lib.wv.us/pdf/rosters/28th_bombardment_squadron), veteran Edward Jackfert describes a serviceman's life at Clark Field was at that time beyond one's fullest expectations. Duty hours were brief, leaving much time for the pursuit of personal pleasures.  On weekends the barracks would empty, some going to the local barrios, some trotting off to Manila, and the remainder pursuing their pleasure in “Angeles”.

By September 1941, the atmosphere began to change at Clark Field, as storm clouds formed and the winds of war start to blow from Japan.  Anti-aircraft guns, searchlights, and tanks began to arrive and were dispersed near the perimeter of the air field.  Fox holes were dug around the field and duty hours were extended.   The 19th Bombardment Group was formed and thirty four B-17s were flown from other U.S. bases to Clark Field.  The 28th Bombardment Squadron became a part of the 19th Bombardment Group, with the anticipation of becoming a heavy bombardment squadron. However, because of conditions beyond their control, the 28th became a heavy bombardment squadron in name only. 

On December 8, 1941, the Japanese Air Force attacked Clark Field and destroyed the U.S. Army Air Corps capability of conducting any offensive action against the enemy. Damage to the physical structures at Clark Field was immense. This included the barracks which housed the personnel of the 28th.  On Christmas Eve, the 28th evacuated Clark Field and traveled by train to Bataan.  The squadron was bivouacked approximately two miles east of Corregidor.

On December 29th, the 28th received orders to travel to the port of Mariveles. Arriving there, they were instructed to board the inter-island steamer, the S.S. Mayon. They travelled at night, and at daylight, anchored off the Island of Mindoro in an attempt to keep away from the Japanese naval forces.  That night, the ship sailed once more and arrived at the port of Bugo, Mindinao.

At Bugo, Mindinao, the 28th were issued rifles since they could no longer serve as air force personnel.   On April 16, 1942, the 28th was ordered north to Maramag, Mindinao.  Maramag was the site of a secret air field which was hopefully to be used by the U.S. Army Air Corps. However, this part of the Philippine Island's defense plans were never fully executed due to enemy action.

On May 7, 1942, most of the personnel of the 28th, along with servicemen from other air corps units of the 19th Bomb Group, were ordered to embark for an area in central Mindinao known as Alanib. At Alanib, the entire group started on a twenty three kilometer hike to another area in the center of Mindanao named Bosok.

On May 10, 1942. all U.S. and Filipino armed forces in the Philippine Islands were ordered to surrender. Remaining personnel of the 28th and 19th Bomb Group were transported back to Maramag and then to a prisoner of war camp at Malaybaly, Mindinao.  Many of the 28th died in Japanese prisoner of war camps and on the Japanese "hell ships" enroute to Japan. 

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