Location
Located on Canton Island. The
airstrip was located at the north-east corner of the island.
Construction
During 1938
and 1939 Pan American Airways laid out and developed the
airport, deepened and cleared the lagoon, and initiated flights to
New Zealand using Canton as one of the ports of call.
Wartime History
This airfield was an important refueling stop for aircraft being ferried from Hawaii to Australia, via Fiji or Nouméa. Remembered for having only one tree and one
runway.
Veteran Ken Barber adds:
"I
suspect that B-25 we lost December 5, 1944 is in that lagoon
somewhere. As I recall he would have been headed south as
I was going in the opposite direction when I saw him buzzing
the strip."
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