With
Marilinan suitable only for C-47's, planners determined that a
suitable fighter field could be built about 35 miles to the north of
Marilinan at
Tsili Tsili.
The airfield building program in
support of the offensive on Lae
paid off in one quick series of missions when they became a staging
area for the striking force which, from August 17th through the
21st, destroyed or rendered wholly unserviceable 309 Japanese
aircraft at Wewak.
Tsili Tsili was one of the bases
which provided fighter cover for the 503d PIR
landing at Nadzab. |