US Reclaiming World War II Airfield for China War

The US Air Force is reactivating the World War II airfield, North Field, located on Tinian Island, which was the base for the atomic bombings of Japan.

Tinian, a remote island spanning less than 40 square miles, is unequivocally one of the three principal islands in the Northern Mariana Islands.

These sparsely populated islets in the Western Pacific Ocean constitute the US’s westernmost frontier. To the south, approximately 100 miles, is the major military hub of Guam.

The US Air Force has awarded Fluor Corporation a $409 million contract to restore North Field. This Tinian airfield played a significant role during World War II as a launch site for major air operations.

After years of neglect, the area had become overgrown and unfit for modern military use. The Air Force’s restoration project cleared the dense jungle growth and restored the airfield to full operational capacity.

The revitalization of Tinian’s airfield is crucial to the US Air Force’s strategy for Agile Combat Employment.

This strategy prioritizes the dispersal of forces across numerous smaller, more challenging-to-target airfields, with the ultimate goal of enhancing the adaptability and resilience of US forces in potential conflicts.

The US is expanding its presence in the Pacific to strengthen its military readiness and ensure rapid response capabilities. The North Field Airbase for the USAF played a critical role in one of the most controversial acts of World War II: the atomic bombings of Japan.

This airfield was the take-off point for the Enola Gay and the Bockscar B-29 bombers, which were responsible for the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945.

After the extensive Pacific campaign, the North Field base became the focal point for US Air Forces’ operational efforts against Japan.

The airbase’s strategic location near the Japanese mainland enabled long-range bombing missions. It was from this air base that the Enola Gay took flight with “Little Boy,” the atomic bomb that devastated Hiroshima.

The Bockscar, a US Air Force plane, flew from the same airbase to drop “Fat Man” on Nagasaki just three days after the atomic bombing of Hiroshima.

The activities at North Field, located in the Pacific Theater, were classified, and many of those stationed at North Island were unaware of the atomic bombings.

The bombings decisively marked the tragic final chapter of the war in the Pacific, prompting Japan’s surrender and ultimately ending World War II.

During World War II, the North Field Airbase comprised four expansive runways, each measuring approximately 8,500 feet in length and 200 feet in width.

The airport was designed to accommodate large B-29 bombers, with each runway and taxiway strategically planned to accommodate these massive aircraft.

Additionally, the concrete parking areas could accommodate up to 265 B-29 bombers, demonstrating the airport’s impressive scale and capacity.

The layout of North Field Airbase enabled the US Air Force to conduct fast loading, refueling, and uninterrupted air operations. Located approximately (1,500 miles from mainland China), North Field Airbase is a strategic asset for the US Air Force in the Pacific region.

James 1:2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.

Luke 21:9 But when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified: for these things must first come to pass; but the end is not by and by.

Luke 21:11 And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and diseases; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.

Luke 21:25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;

Luke 21:28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.