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Del Carmen (120.49E 14.98N ) was a primitive dirt strip near the northern shores of Manila Bay in the Philippines. It had no facilities to speak of. The air and ground crews slept in tents and fuel was stored in barrels around the strip. However, the 18 P-35s of 34 Interceptor Squadron based here were spared in the initial Japanese raids because the Japanese did not know about the strip. The P-35s accomplished more than anyone had a right to expect (which was still very little.) The Japanese soon corrected their intelligence, and the field was heavily attacked on 9 and 13 December.
After occupying the Philippines, the Japanese began construction of a plant to ferment sugar
to alcohol and butanol for fuel. Had this been completed, it is claimed
(e.g. by Craven and Cate 1952) that it might have become the largest
such plant in the world.
References
Craven and Cate (1952; accessed 2013-7-5)
Morton (1952; accessed 2013-7-5)
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