Mactan–Benito Ebuen Air Base

Mactan–Benito Ebuen Air Base, originally known as Mactan Air Base, is an active military airbase of the Philippine Air Force (PAF). It is located on the island of Mactan, Cebu, in the Visayas region of the Philippines. It shares its single runway with the civilian Mactan–Cebu International Airport. Mactan Air Base was originally built by, and was a facility of the United States Air Force (USAF), until the American military units left the country in 1991, whereby full and total control was handed over to the Philippine Air Force. Mactan–Benito Ebuen Air Base is located on Mactan island, in Lapu-Lapu City, in the province of Cebu in the Central Visayas region of the Philippines. Mactan island is best known as being the location where the Spanish explorer, Ferdinand Magellan was killed by the forces of Lapu-lapu during his circumnavigation of the earth. In 1945, Acorn 51 was assigned as the development unit for an airfield at Cebu. The Seabees of the 54th Naval Construction Battalion were tasked with constructing the runway and support facilities. After World War II, the American Strategic Air Command (SAC) were allocated Mactan as an emergency landing field in the event of a war. The airfield was basically barren, with only a few permanent structures and a concrete runway. By 1965, the only permanent structures at the airfield were a Philippine Air Force (PAF) operations building; which also doubled as an airport terminal, and the PAF barracks. There was also a squadron of PAF F-86s on base. As the Vietnam War escalated, the base was rapidly built up. At its height, it became a permanent C-130 base, housing at least the 772nd and 774th Troop Carrier Squadrons of the 463rd Troop Carrier Wing (later renamed as 'Tactical Airlift' Squadrons and Wing), as well as becoming a crew rest stop for C-124 and C-133 crews, in order to relieve congestion at Clark Air Base. The C-124 Operations Squadron was the 606th Military Airlift Support Squadron (606th MASS). After the end Vietnam War, the base was handed over to the Philippine Air Force.