A/N: I don't know if you've made your research or you're reading this, but this chapter, I could promise, would be all about the researches I've found about Lt. César Basa (1915-1941) beyond the redundant short articles. Details of my assumptions, were enclosed in parenthesis.
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Source: Presidential Museum and Library PH (2010-2016). "Lt. Cesar Fernando Basa." Flickr, Yahoo!, 30 June 2015, https://www.flickr.com/photos/govph/19293063681/in/album-72157655193750366/.
* EARLY YEARS AND EDUCATION *
César Fernando María Tianko Basa was born on 21 June 1915 at Isabela, Negros Occidental to Fernando Basa and Rosario Tianko, reportedly to an ordinary middle-class family. He finished his primary education in his hometown, until their family moved to Manila, where his parents enrolled him at the Ateneo de Manila University.
Source: 1955 1st Day Issue Souvenir Album of Lt. Cesar Basa, Philippine Aviator and Hero
Source: "Ateneo Blue Eagles - Hall of Fame." Ateneo Blue Eagles - Hall of Fame | Hall Fame | Technology Trends, https://www.primidi.com/ateneo_blue_eagles/hall_of_fame.
Source: "Ateneo Blue Eagles." Ateneo Blue Eagles: Definition of Ateneo Blue Eagles and Synonyms of Ateneo Blue Eagles (English), http://dictionary.sensagent.com/ateneo%20blue%20eagles/en-en/#Hall_of_Fame.
Source: Olivares, Rick. "The Last of the Blue and Whites: A Story of the 1937-38 Ateneo Basketball Team ." Bleachers Brew, 16 Aug. 2008, https://bleachersbrew.blogspot.com/2008/08/last-of-blue-whites.html.
Source: "In Memoriam B." Ateneo De Manila University, 22 Sept. 2021, https://2012.ateneo.edu/alumni/memoriam-b.
He graduated secondary grade school in 1930, and high school in 1934. He took Bachelor of Science in Industrial Technology Major in Chemistry in Ateneo de Manila University still, and graduated with honors in the class of 1939.
In school, he was not only known for his intelligence, but as well as in being active in sports such as basketball, football, swimming, and track & field.
Felipe Buencamino III mentioned in his diary, dated 30 December 1941, that they used to swim together in Ateneo; and Ramón Alcaraz mentioned in his diary, dated 15 December 1941, that he was an Ateneo basketball star before he became a pilot. He was a 1988 Inductee of Ateneo Sports Hall of Fame for being a member of the 1937 NCAA Basketball Championship.
* PHILIPPINE ARMY AIR CORPS *
Upon graduating from the Ateneo de Manila University, Basa joined the Philippine Army Air Corps Flying School in Zablan Airfield in Camp Murphy, and received his commission as Lieutenant upon graduation in 6 April 1940. (There were contradictory records of him being noted as 3rd Lieutenant or 2nd Lieutenant.)
Source: Roster of Military Pilots page 422. Nemenzo, Eldon Luis G., and Guillermo Molina. The Philippine Air Force Story. The Office, 1992. From the collection of the Filipinas Heritage Library under Ayala Foundation, Inc.
(There was no record about his first assignment upon graduation.) According to a diary dated 15 December 1941 by Alcaraz, he was also a known star player of the PAAC Basketball Team; and mentioned that he knew him personally during the armed forces' basketball league rivalry.
Aside from that, he was included to be one of the pilots "pulled out" of Lahug Airfield by 1941 to be taught on "the art of fighter flying", before becoming part of Lt. Jesús Villamor's, then captain, 6th Pursuit Squadron by late July 1941. Lahug Airfield was used by PAAC's 6th Observation & Attack Squadron by 22 October 1940.
Source: Nemenzo, Eldon Luis G., and Guillermo Molina. The Philippine Air Force Story. The Office, 1992. From the collection of the Filipinas Heritage Library under Ayala Foundation, Inc.
He was also credited to be one of PAAC's ace pilot, and be part of the induction of the PAAC into the United States Armed Forces Far East (USAFFE) by Gen. Douglas MacArthur on 15 August 1941. Since then, all PAAC pilots underwent intense training.
By October 1941, he received his assignment as a member of the 15th Fighter Group's 6th Pursuit Squadron, under the command of Capt. Jesús Villamor, to Batangas Airfield. By 15 November 1941, notice was received that the tension between the United States and Japan escalated that all pursuit aircraft on the flight line would be placed on alert 24 hours each day, be armed, and fully fueled with pilots available on 30 minutes' notice.
Source: Wyllie, Arthur. "15th Fighter Group." WWII Victories of the Army Air Force, Arthur Wyllie, United States, 2005, pp. 43–47.
* WORLD WAR II *
When news of the attack on Pearl Harbor was received, the Philippines was simultaneously under the attack of the Japanese. As the northern airfields such as Clark Air Base, Iba Airfield and Del Carmen Airfield were being bombed, it took a day before bombers attacked Zablan, Nichols and Nielson Airfields. The 6th Pursuit Squadron was recalled to Zablan to accompany the US 20th Pursuit Squadron in reconnaissance mission that by 10 December 1941, led by Capt. Jesús Villamor, they've fought against sighted Japanese bombers heading toward Zablan Airfield and Pasig. (There's inconsistency about this, too, as Basa wasn't mentioned to be part of this, but there were records that he was also involved with it; as there were also two contradictory fights on that day which happened at 8 in the morning and another at 12 noon, with the latter having more supporting records.)
Source: Reich, Michel. Tempest in the Tropical Paradise. Xlibris Corporation LLC, 2011.
The 6th Pursuit Squadron. The only named and recognized people in the photo were Lt. Manuel Conde (second from the left), Capt. Jesús Villamor (fifth from the left) and Lt. César Basa (behind Capt. Villamor, the one without the flight cap and goggles). (A wild guess of mine was that the first from the left was Lt. Salvador Manlunas, and the one at the rightmost was Lt. Antonio Mondigo, both due to the initials on their goggles' strap.)
The above picture was noted at the Philippine Air Force Aerospace Museum at Villamor Air Base to be the last known photograph of Basa.
Source: Diano, Eduardo. "The Air Battle over Batangas Airfield, Batangas City on December 12, 1941." Pinoy Aviators, 27 Aug. 2019, https://www.facebook.com/PinoyAviators13/photos/a.629572590410317/2551041041596786/. Photograph by Carl Mydans for LIFE.
The fight had been successful, with the group being credited with four kills—one Mitsubishi G3M bomber and three Mitsubishi A6M Zeros—two of which were by Villamor himself. However, it cost the PAAC with only six remaining outdated Boeing P-26A Peashooters to count.
Once again, the following day, the 6th Pursuit Squadron was moved to Batangas Airfield with a few of its men left behind as Zablan Airfield became a target of Japanese bombers, too.
* DEATH *
On the morning of 12 December 1941, at 0830 in the morning, with six in their flight group, Capt. Jesús Villamor dispatched Lt. César Basa for a reconnaissance mission to areas where the enemy would most probably launch their attacks. However, two hours passed and Batangas Airfield hadn't received any word from him of enemies arriving that led for tension to ease.
Source: Villamor, Jesus A., and Gerald S. Snyder. They Never Surrendered: A True Story of Resistance in World War II. Vera-Reyes, 1982. From the collection of the Filipinas Heritage Library under Ayala Foundation, Inc.
Few minutes after 1100 in the morning, Lt. Geronimo Aclan, officer of the day, saw a big formation approaching from the north; at the same time that the distant church bells signal an ominous ring of danger. 54 Japanese bombers and its fighter escorts attacked Batangas Airfield. In response, Villamor, along with Aclan, Lt. Antonio Mondigo, Lt. Godofredo Juliano, and Lt. Manuel Conde engaged the enemies over Batangas area.
Basa, returning from patrol over Ragay Gulf, sighted the aerial combat at 12,000 feet. (It was explainable that he didn't see the Japanese approaching from the north; as at the time that they've arrived, he was en-route to Ragay Gulf.) Seeing his comrades struggling to stop the fighters from reaching and bombing Batangas Airfield, he dared to help them with only fifteen minutes of fuel left in his tanks. However, he was intercepted by seven Japanese Zeroes.
According to the 6th Pursuit Squadron in the aerial combat, Basa was able to bail out but was riddled with bullets as he dangled helplessly from his parachute.
Source: Sigaya, Nemesio. "The Story of the Crazy Pilot." Pinoy Aviators, 30 July 2021, https://www.facebook.com/PinoyAviators13/photos/a.629572590410317/4583036471730556/.
Source: Diano, Eduardo. "The Air Battle over Batangas Airfield, Batangas City on December 12, 1941." Pinoy Aviators, 27 Aug. 2019, https://www.facebook.com/PinoyAviators13/photos/a.629572590410317/2551041041596786/.
But, according to Lt. Victor Osias, one of the 6th Pursuit Squadron left in Nichols Airfield, Basa was able to crash land his fighter on the said airfield and was running away from the wreckage when a Japanese fighter came down and ground strafed him. Osias, being the one closest on site, ran to help but found him mortally wounded with a bullet in the head and stomach, and Basa expired in his arms, making him the first Filipino fighter pilot casualty in aerial combat and of World War II.
Source: McCoy, Alfred W. Closer Than Brothers: Manhood at the Philippine Military Academy. Anvil Publishing Inc, 2002. From the collection of the Filipinas Heritage Library under Ayala Foundation, Inc.
Source: Alcaraz, Ramon A. "December 15, 1941." The Philippine Diary Project, 7 Dec. 2021, https://philippinediaryproject.com/1941/12/15/december-15-1941-2/.
Source: Buencamino, Felipe, and Victor Buencamino. Memoirs and Diaries of Felipe Buencamino III, 1941-1944. CopyCat, 2003. From the collection of the Filipinas Heritage Library under Ayala Foundation, Inc.
The 6th Pursuit Squadron won the battle despite the loss of two planes out of the remaining six before the clash, with the only casualty of the aerial combat being Basa. He was only twenty-six years old when he died.
Lt. Salvador Manlunas, a member of the 6th Pursuit Squadron, assigned for the anti-aircraft guns, also died during the encounter after being hit by a shrapnel.
* LEGACY *
In recognition for his heroism, Basa was posthumously awarded the Silver Star by the United States on 16 February 1942, and of the Gold Cross Medal by the Armed Forces of the Philippines on 21 August 1948. His next of kin, as mentioned on the latter's general orders, was his mother.
Source: General Orders of Awards No. 27 of the United States Army Forces in the Far East. Dated 16 February 1942.
Source: Annex S page 166. Catalan, Primitivo M. A Brief History of the 71st Infantry Division, PA. Office of the Chief of Military History, Armed Forces of the Philippines, Camp General Emilio Aguinaldo, 1973. From the collection of the Filipinas Heritage Library under Ayala Foundation, Inc.
On 20 April 1948, Floridablanca Airfield was renamed Cesar Basa Air Base, in his honor.
On 12 December 1955, fourteen years after his death, the Bureau of Posts issued a set of stamps in his honor.
Source: 1955 1st Day Issue Souvenir Album of Lt. Cesar Basa, Philippine Aviator and Hero
A Level II Historical Marker could be found at the site of the former Batangas Airfield. The marker was erected on 1 May 1968, wherein it was written:
PALIPARANG BATANGAS, P.A.A.C.
SA POOK NA ITO, NA PUNONG HIMPILAN NG 6TH PURSUIT SQUADRON, NOONG IKA-12 NG DISYEMBRE 1941, AY PUMASAHIHIMPAPAWID ANG ANIM NA PILOTO NG HUKBO NG PILIPINAS SA KANILANG EROPLANONG ZERO NG MGA HAPON. ANG MGA PILOTO AY SINA KAPITAN JESUS VILLAMOR, PUNO NG SQUADRON, TENYENTE CESAR BASA, GODOFREDO JULIANO, GERONIMO ACLAN, ANOTONIO MONDIGO, AT MANUEL CONDE. NAMATAY SA LABANAN SI TENYENTE BASA.
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A/N: Due to the limit of pictures allowed per chapter, I've made a secondary chapter featuring a collection of his credited photos. If one would notice, it hadn't been a lot, hence the redundancy to feature his portraits in one chapter alone than just on this biographical chapter.