History
Sentani Airport was a part of the large American facilities at Hollandia, which was liberated from the Japanese by an American amphibious task force Code named Operation Reckless on 22 April 1944.
The area was occupied by the Japanese in April 1942, and by October 10, 1943, the Japanese had built a large complex with two runways: a western runway of 4,500 ft and a second southern runway was 6,200 ft x 340 ft. There were 24 larger bomber revetments to the west of the strip, and an additional 27 to the east of the field, connected by taxiways to the two runways. Anti-aircraft defenses included 4 light guns that were later upgraded. The airfields were badly cratered by American bomber raids.
Once controlled by the Americans the airfields were rebuilt and it became a command and control base with large numbers of operational units flying combat missions with fighters and heavy bombers operating out of the area. The American facilities consisted of three large military airfields: Hollandia, Sentani and Cyclops Aerodromes.
At the end of the war the Hollandia airfield was abandoned but remains in good condition to this day. Part of the complex was the Cyclops airfield, which was a single runway facility, built by the Japanese. It is notable because it functioned as MacArthur's HQ at Hollandia. Today Cyclops Airfield is overgrown, being abandoned since the war. It has been partially developed into the town of Sentani.
Sentani Airfield is the only part of the complex still in use as an airfield today. It is used as the principal entry point into the Indonesian half of the island.
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