Cesar Fernando Basa was a Filipino pilot and hero of World War II. Born in 1915, he was one of the pioneer fighter pilots in the Philippine Air Force and the first Filipino casualty during World War II.

Death

Basa's fight took place at Batangas Field on the morning of December 12, 1941 when fifty four Japanese bombers and fighter escorts raided the base. Five Filipino fighter pilots, led by Captain Jesus Villamor, gallantly engaged the numerically superior enemy in aerial combat at 12,000 feet. Lieutenant Basa arrived on the scene from an air patrol mission with only 15 minutes of fuel left in his tanks. Without a second thought, he throttled his aircraft to full speed; joining his comrades in the fight. While still half the distance away, he was intercepted by seven Japanese fighters and shot down. Although he bailed out, he was mercilessly strafed with machine-gun fire by the A6M Zero fighters. Captain Villamor and his fighters won the battle with the only casualty being Lieutenant Basa, leading to Captain Villamor being awarded the Distinguished Service Cross a second time, earning him an Oak Leaf Cluster. In recognition of his heroism, Lieutenant Basa was posthumously awarded the Silver Star.

Honors

Basa Air Base in Floridablanca, Pampanga is named in his honor.

External links

• Bio of Cesar Basa on Philippine Air Force website