Post by Hounddog on Jul 16, 2024 22:17:57 GMT 8
There seems to be a big discrepancy about the death of this heroic Filipino pilot. Maybe others can comment and help me understand better? Some Background:
After collage, César Basa joined the Philippine Army Flying School in Zablan Airfield in Camp Murphy, and received his commission as 2nd Lieutenant upon graduation in 1940. Around noon time of December 12, 1941, a force of 27 bombers and 17 fighters targeted Batangas Airfield. The Philippine Army Air Corps flight group of 5 P-26s headed by (the now much honored) Capt. Villamor, scrambled to meet the closer flight of enemy bombers heading south. Lt. Cesar Basa two hours prior was sent on a reconnaissance mission, joined the flight as Capt. Villamor's wingman. Swooping from a higher elevation, Capt. Villamor and the PAAC flight attacked the lead aircraft of the Japanese Mitsubishi G3M "Nell" bombers, scoring his second kill for the war. The Japanese Zeros pursued the defenders, and in the ongoing melee the PAAC relied on cloud cover and outmaneuvered the faster Zeros through tighter turns. Lt. Basa meanwhile kept on Capt. Villamor's tail, but was soon pounced on by a Japanese Zero, and he became the first Filipino casualty from aerial combat.
How exactly? Well, interestingly, at this point in my research, I encountered two very different stories about 2nd Lt. Basa's demise. According to some accounts, Basa's P-26 was damaged and its wings had broken off, but he was able to bail out. Then, his bullet riddled body was found later, presumably shot up by Japanese fighters while he was parachuting down. But in a diary entry of Ramon A. Alcaraz, Lt. Basa met a different fate. Alcaraz writes: “Unfortunately, during the enemy strafing's of Nichols Field, Lt. Cesar Basa who had just landed his plane and was running for cover was fatally hit in the head. Lt. Victor Osias who was nearby came to the rescue to no avail. Lt. Basa died in the arms of Osias. I knew Lt. Basa personally during our O’s basketball league rivalry. He was the star of the PAAC Team while I played for the OSP Team. Lt. Cesar Basa was an Ateneo basketball star before he became a pilot. He died a star and a hero.”
Lt. Basa was posthumously awarded the Silver Star, and an air base in Florida-blanca, Pampanga, Philippines was named in his honor, so no matter how he died, his life and legacy is still honored today. My question is, which account do you believe is the correct one? It seems to me, the 'shot while helplessly parachuting down' account is the more embellished, dramatic one, but maybe it's true? Either way, 2nd Lt. César Basa is still a hero in my mind.
-Hounddog
After collage, César Basa joined the Philippine Army Flying School in Zablan Airfield in Camp Murphy, and received his commission as 2nd Lieutenant upon graduation in 1940. Around noon time of December 12, 1941, a force of 27 bombers and 17 fighters targeted Batangas Airfield. The Philippine Army Air Corps flight group of 5 P-26s headed by (the now much honored) Capt. Villamor, scrambled to meet the closer flight of enemy bombers heading south. Lt. Cesar Basa two hours prior was sent on a reconnaissance mission, joined the flight as Capt. Villamor's wingman. Swooping from a higher elevation, Capt. Villamor and the PAAC flight attacked the lead aircraft of the Japanese Mitsubishi G3M "Nell" bombers, scoring his second kill for the war. The Japanese Zeros pursued the defenders, and in the ongoing melee the PAAC relied on cloud cover and outmaneuvered the faster Zeros through tighter turns. Lt. Basa meanwhile kept on Capt. Villamor's tail, but was soon pounced on by a Japanese Zero, and he became the first Filipino casualty from aerial combat.
How exactly? Well, interestingly, at this point in my research, I encountered two very different stories about 2nd Lt. Basa's demise. According to some accounts, Basa's P-26 was damaged and its wings had broken off, but he was able to bail out. Then, his bullet riddled body was found later, presumably shot up by Japanese fighters while he was parachuting down. But in a diary entry of Ramon A. Alcaraz, Lt. Basa met a different fate. Alcaraz writes: “Unfortunately, during the enemy strafing's of Nichols Field, Lt. Cesar Basa who had just landed his plane and was running for cover was fatally hit in the head. Lt. Victor Osias who was nearby came to the rescue to no avail. Lt. Basa died in the arms of Osias. I knew Lt. Basa personally during our O’s basketball league rivalry. He was the star of the PAAC Team while I played for the OSP Team. Lt. Cesar Basa was an Ateneo basketball star before he became a pilot. He died a star and a hero.”
Lt. Basa was posthumously awarded the Silver Star, and an air base in Florida-blanca, Pampanga, Philippines was named in his honor, so no matter how he died, his life and legacy is still honored today. My question is, which account do you believe is the correct one? It seems to me, the 'shot while helplessly parachuting down' account is the more embellished, dramatic one, but maybe it's true? Either way, 2nd Lt. César Basa is still a hero in my mind.
-Hounddog