How did Three Mile get its name? You might think it’s because of some geographical quirk, and you wouldn’t be entirely wrong. Three Mile, this suburb we’re standing in right now, earned its name because it was roughly three miles from Port Moresby. This proximity to the capital city made Three Mile a strategic location, especially during World War II. Before the war, Three Mile housed the Kila Drome, Port Moresby’s first civilian airfield built in 1933. When the Pacific War erupted, the airfield found new importance. The US Army expanded and fortified Kila Drome, using it as a base for fighter planes, light bombers, and service aircraft. Imagine the roar of engines as A-24 dive bombers and A-20 Havocs took flight, the air thick with anticipation and the fear of impending conflict. The airfield saw its share of action, with Japanese bombers targeting it in frequent raids. The 8th Fighter Group, flying P-39 Airacobras and later P-38 Lightnings, was stationed here. They were joined by the 49th Fighter Group’s 8th Fighter Squadron, equipped with P-40 Warhawks. These brave pilots took to the skies from Three Mile, engaging in fierce dogfights above the idyllic landscape. By mid-1943, with the construction of new airfields at Dobodura and Milne Bay, Kila Drome’s role diminished. Today, the echoes of war have faded, replaced by the sounds of everyday life. The airfield is no more, absorbed by the Kila Police Barracks, a golf course, and a technical school. However, remnants of the past linger. Look closely, and you might spot the outlines of wartime taxiways or stumble upon a crumbling revetment, silent witnesses to a time when Three Mile played a pivotal role in the Pacific War.
Центральный дом работников искусств
Step through the grand wooden doors of the Central House of the Workers of Art, and you’ll be transported to