During World War II it became a military storage area, and as a consequence was targeted by aerial bombardment toward the end of the war. On 9 February 1945, it was at the Philippine Racing Club grounds that the Americans, advancing from Wack Wack golf club and crossing the Pasig River using amtracs, returned to Makati. Afterward, they built a pontoon bridge (photo) which was one of two such temporary bridges they had to build after the last remaining bridges spanning the Pasig River—Banzai (Jones) and Santa Cruz (MacArthur)—were blown on 5 February. This pontoon bridge was damaged and knocked out by artillery fire on 10 and 11 February and was reported as having been repaired (photo). The Art-deco buildings of the racetrack were later used as a headquarters by US General MacArthur and also by Allied translators and interpreters.