Nielsen Field came into existence in 1937 with roots firmly planted in civil and commercial domains. Initially, it wasn’t conceived as a military airbase. Instead, it was dedicated to Laurie Reuben Nielsen, a businessman from Manila. Born in New Zealand, he married an American woman. His vision included establishing an aviation training institution in Manila.
Mr. Nielson managed to secure a substantial piece of land through leasing from the Ayala Hacienda in Makati. This hacienda belonged to the Ayala family. Zobel de Ayala The family, who held significant wealth and power in the Philippines, owned land that was utilized for cultivating rice. The location of Nielson Field was situated fairly near to this area. Nichols Field .
The construction of the 42-hectare site was completed in just half a year. To expedite the building of the airport, the project utilized 80,000 gallons of asphalt and employed 1,000 laborers.
The airport featured two runways along with an imposing control tower. Following its completion in 1937, it became the biggest and most well-equipped facility of its kind across Asia. During this period, there was significant demand for global air commerce and shipping.
The recently built flight academy at the airstrip was named the American Far East School of Aviation. Two commercial carriers operated out of Nielsen; one was known as the Iloilo-Negros Express, and the second carrier was the Philippine Air Taxi Company. The latter evolved into what we now know as Philippine Airlines (PAL).
As Japanese aggression persisted across Asia and Southeast Asia during the early 1940s, Mr. Nielsen's business endeavor shifted and relocated in October 1941 under the jurisdiction of the Far East Air Force (FEAF), which came under the command of the United States Armed Forces of the Far East (USAFFE).
General Douglas MacArthur served as the Commander of USAFFE. Nielsen Field functioned as the base for FEAF. Upon his arrival at Nielsen Field on November 7, 1941, Major General Lewis Brereton took up his new role as the leader of FEAF.
On December 10, 1941, Nielson Field suffered an attack from the Japanese forces. The facility faced considerable destruction as a result. Soon after, Mr. Nielson was apprehended by the Japanese and transported to the University of Santo Tomas, also known as the Santo Tomas Internment Camp (STIC).
The STIC served as the internment site for American civilians during the Japanese occupation of the Philippines. Upon discovering that Mr. Nielson held British citizenship rather than being an American civilian, he was moved to Hong Kong. Sadly, his whereabouts remain unknown since then.
Today, Nielson Field no longer stands. The previous runways of the airbase now form part of an active commercial and business district in Metro Manila known as the Ayala Triangle area in Makati.
Parts of the former runways have been transformed into bustling city thoroughfares known as Ayala Avenue and Roxas Boulevard.
The Nielson Air Traffic Control Tower remains intact to this day. It stands as the sole building from before World War II still extant in Makati. Over the years, the Nielson control tower has served various functions, such as housing a museum and operating as a restaurant.
Dennis Edward Flake has authored three books on Philippine-American history. As a public historian and ex-park ranger with experience in interpretation for the National Park Service at the Eisenhower National Historic Site in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, he focuses on historical communication. For further contact, you may reach out to him directly. flakedennis@gmail.com