Falalop Airfield: Difference between revisions
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Revision as of 13:45, 2 June 2013
| Falalop Airfield | |
|---|---|
| Falalop, Ulithi Atoll, Caroline Islands, Federated States of Micronesia | |
 Aerial view of Falalop Airfield in 2008 | |
| Coordinates | 10°01′00″N 139°47′23″E / 10.01667°N 139.78972°E |
| Typ | Military Airfield |
| Site information | |
| Controlled by | United States Navy |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1942 |
| Built by | Imperial Japanese Naval Air Service/Seebees |
| In use | 1942-present |
| Materials | Coral |
Falalop Airfield or Naval Air Base Ulithi (NAB Ulithi) is a former World War II airfield on the island of Falalop, part of Ulithi Atoll in the Caroline Islands.
History
World War II
Ulithi Atoll was captured unopposed on 20 September 1944. On 8 October the 51st Naval Construction Battalion began to improve the abandoned Japanese airfield on Falalop creating a coral-surfaced 3,500ft by 150ft runway, 6 taxiways, hardstands, lighting, a traffic-control tower, operations buildings, tank farm and a seaplane ramp. The airfield was fully operational by 1 December 1944.[1]
Marine Air Group 45 (MAG-45) deployed to Falalop in late September to establish base operations.
Units stationed at Falalop included VMD-354 operating photo-reconnaissance F4Us, VPB-23 operating PBYs and VMF(N)-542 operating F6F-3N night-fighters.
Postwar
The airfield remains in use today.
See also
References
- ^ Building the Navy's Bases in World War II History of the Bureau of Yards and Docks and the Civil Engineer Corps 1940-1946. US Governement Printing Office. 1947. p. 332-4.