Matsuyama Airfield
| Type | 28 Air Base | |
| Historical Name of Location | Taihoku, Taihoku, Taiwan | |
| Coordinates | 25.069444000, 121.551667000 |
Contributor: C. Peter Chen
ww2dbaseMatsuyama Airfield was built in Taihoku (now Taipei), Taiwan in 1936. Starting in 1937, Type 96 G3M bombers of Japanese Navy's Kanoya Air Group had based in Matsuyama for the purpose of bombing Chinese positions along the Chinese coast. On 14 Aug 1937, an 18-bomber sortie launched from Matsuyama targeting Jianqiao Airfield in Zhejiang Province and Guangde Airfield in Anhui Province (both in China) was intercepted by Chinese fighters, resulting in 4 bombers shot down without any losses on the Chinese side, and the date was proclaimed as Air Force Day by the Chinese. In 1944, Japanese Army's 37th Kyoiku Hikotai, a training outfit equipped with Ki-61 fighters, was established at Matsuyama; many of the instructors would participate in combat against the Americans over Taiwan and Japan in the final months of the war. US Army Far East Air Forces bombed Matsuyama several times between Mar and Aug 1945, with the final mission having taken place on 12 Aug 1945 using B-24 heavy bombers.
ww2dbaseAfter the war, the airfield was renamed Songshan, which was simply the Chinese pronunciation of the Japanese kanji writing for Matsuyama. Songshan became a base of the Chinese Air Force in 1946. Beginning in 1950, it saw mixed military and civilian use, which would remain so through today. It is now the secondary civilian international airport serving the city of Taipei, while it is also the headquarters of the Chinese Air Force Songshan Base Command whose mission is to serve the transportation needs of the President and Vice President of the Republic of China.
ww2dbaseSources:
pacificwrecks.com
Wikipedia
Last Major Update: Oct 2013
Matsuyama Airfield Interactive Map
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Matsuyama Airfield Timeline
| 30 Mar 1936 | Matsuyama Airfield in Taihoku (now Taipei), Taiwan began its operations. |
| 1 Apr 1936 | Japan Air Transport's Fukuoka-Naha-Taihoku air route began, transporting passengers between southern Japan, Okinawa, and Taiwan. |
| 23 Feb 1938 | 40 SB bombers of the Soviet Volunteer Group of the Chinese Air Force took off from Hankou, Hubei Province, China (28 bombers, all Soviet crews) and Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, China (12 bombers, mixed Soviet and Chinese crews) to attack Matsuyama Airfield in Taihoku (now Taipei), Taiwan. Only the 28 bombers from Hankou reached the target area; those from Nanchang turned back after failing to identify the target due to cloud cover. Having arrived without being detected, the crews turned off their engines and glided with stealth, releasing over 200 bombs at high altitude. The crews reported 40 Japanese aircraft destroyed on the group, while Japanese reports noted 12 aircraft destroyed. A number of hangars and fuel tanks were also destroyed or damaged. Song Meiling (Madam Chiang Kaishek) hosted a victory banquet after the Soviet airmen returned to China. |
| 12 Oct 1944 | Carrier aircraft from USS Bunker Hill attacked Matsuyama Airfield in Taihoku (now Taipei), Taiwan. |
| 23 Oct 1944 | A Japanese passenger transport plane that had just taken off from Matsuyama Airfield (now Songshan Airport) in Taihoku (now Taipei), Taiwan lost control and crashed atop the mountain where the Taiwan Grand Shrine was located. The accident and resulting fires destroyed the Torii ceremonial archway, stone toro lanterns, and other structures. |
| 2 Mar 1945 | US B-24, B-25, and A-20 aircraft attacked Matsuyama Airfield in Taihoku (now Taipei), Taiwan. |
| 12 Apr 1945 | Avenger aircraft from HMS Victorious attacked Matsuyama Airfield in Taihoku (now Taipei) and shipping off Tamsui in northern Taiwan; Sub-Lieutenant Daniel McAleese was shot down, rescued, but would later die of his wounds. |
| 13 Apr 1945 | Avenger aircraft from HMS Victorious attacked Matsuyama Arifield in Taihoku (now Taipei), Taiwan, damaging runways, and barracks; one ammunition dump or oil storage tank exploded. |
| 16 Apr 1945 | US B-24 and P-51 aircraft attacked Matsuyama Airfield in Taihoku (now Taipei), Taiwan. |
| 5 May 1945 | US B-25 bombers attacked Matsuyama Airfield in Taihoku (now Taipei), Taiwan. |
| 6 May 1945 | US B-24 bombers attacked Matsuyama Airfield in Taihoku (now Taipei), Taiwan. |
| 17 May 1945 | B-24 bombers of US 380th Bomb Group attacked Matsuyama Airfield in Taihoku (now Taipei), Taiwan. |
| 7 Jul 1945 | US B-24 bombers attacked Matsuyama Airfield in Taihoku (now Taipei), Taiwan. |
| 18 Jul 1945 | US B-24 bombers attacked Matsuyama Airfield in Taihoku (now Taipei), Taiwan. |
| 9 Aug 1945 | US B-24 bombers attacked Matsuyama Airfield in Taihoku (now Taipei), Taiwan. |
| 12 Aug 1945 | US B-24 bombers from Okinawa, Japan attacked Matsuyama Airfield in Taihoku (now Taipei), Taiwan. |
| 18 Aug 1945 | Subhash Chandra Bose boarded a Japanese passenger aircraft at Matsuyama Airfield (now Songshan Airport) at Taihoku (now Taipei), Taiwan for a trip to Japan. The aircraft crashed immediately after takeoff and Bose was seriously burned. He was rushed to a military hospital near the airfield, but the doctors were not able to save him. |
| 5 Sep 1945 | USMC Major Dick Johnson, flying a TBM-3 Avenger aircraft, landed at Matsuyama Airfield in Taihoku (now Taipei), Taiwan. He was the first US airman to arrive on Taiwan after the cease of hostilities. |
| 16 Apr 1950 | Songshan Airport in Taipei, Taiwan began serving civilian traffic. |
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Visitor Submitted Comments
30 Mar 2022 06:38:50 AM
US Navy Task Force 38 planes, from Task Group 38.1, attacked the airfield and the surrounding areas on January 3,4, 9, and 21st, 1945.
All visitor submitted comments are opinions of those making the submissions and do not reflect views of WW2DB.
| WW2-Era Place Name | Taihoku, Taihoku, Taiwan |
| Lat/Long | 25.0694, 121.5517 |
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Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, 16 Mar 1945
13 Apr 2020 10:14:34 AM
As per verfied reports of the Taiwanese Government, no plane took of on the 18th of August 1945. Nor did any crash take place there on that day. The question of Subhas Chandra Bose dying that day does not arise.