Tam Sa, The Sansha (Paracel) Islands, Friday, 30 July 1948
Captain Rudy Fernandez merely affected the demeanor of brash fighter pilot – though he had scored four combat ‘kills’ in the last war with China. He was, in fact, one of the most incisive minds in the Philippine Air Force, something that had brought him to prominence as a staff officer at a young age. As he waited for his flight back to Saigon he updated his notes regarding the benefits offered by the Indochinese authorities in the use of their developing facilities.
“Land, refuel, and service fighter and maritime patrol aircraft at Tam Sa,” he noted. The facilities available at the moment were spartan, to say the least, but they were being expanded. They would be sufficient for occasional use.
“Equal access to the Indochinese/French air defense dradis data and plot at the Tam Sa control tower”. Such information would expand Philippine ability to monitor Chinese air movements across the strategic South China Sea, and complement the ‘civil’ network in the Kalayaans.
“Construction of a warehouse for maintenance and storage of supplies.” That would be vital for any long-term use of the facilities being offered at Tam Sa.
“Access to base facilities – desalinization plant, infirmary, etc.” Yes, that would be important as well in the long term. It would make Tam Sa much more than a mere emergency or diversion field.
An Indochinese officer interrupted his thoughts. “Captain Fernandez, we are ready to depart.”
“Very good,” Fernandez replied. He grabbed his flight bag and stuffed his notebook into it. It would be several flight hours back to Saigon, and then many more back to Manila.