Location
Located in the northern portion of Tinian Island.

Construction
Built by the Japanese, it was known as Ushi Point Airfield. 

Japanese Usage
Used by the Japanese, heavily damaged in the pre-invasion bombardment. Occupied until July 26, 1944.

Japanese Units based at Ushi Point Airifeld
121st Kokutai (C6M1 Myrt)

American Usage
Captured by Marines on July 26, 1944. When the airfield was captured, the wreckage of C6M1 Myrt 821 Tail 21-104, C6M1 Myrt 916 Tail 21-101 and C6M1 Myrt 21-103.

After capture, US Navy Seabees began repairing the strip, even before the fighting had ended. After 45 days and nights of continuous work, the airfield was ready eleven days ahead of schedule. In that time, the construction of the three 6000' runways involved the moving of nearly 1,000,000 cubic yards of earth and coral while 900,000 truck miles were absorbed.  A fourth runway was constructed in May 1945. Hardstands for 265 B-29 bombers were made as well.  The four parallel 8,000 foot runways are oriented nearly east-west.

This airfield was the base for B-29 Superfortresses bombing Japan, a 1,500 mile round trip flight from Tinian.

American Units based at North Field (Ushi Point)
505th BG, HQ USA December 19, 1944 - ?
313th BW, 504th BG HQ USA December 23, 1944
504th BG, 398th BS (B-29) USA December 23, 1944
504th BG, 421st BS (B-29) USA December 23, 1944
505th BG, 482nd BS (B-29) USA December 24, 1944
505th BG, 483rd BS (B-29) USA December 24, 1944
505th BG, 484th BS (B-29) USA December 24, 1944
6th BG, HQ USA December 28, 1944
6th BG, 24th BS (B-29) USA December 28, 1944 - first mission Jan 27, 45
9th BG, HQ USA December 28, 1944
9th BG, 1st BS, 5th BS, 99th BS (B-29) USA December 28, 1944 - first mission Jan 25, 45
509th Composite Group, Adv echelon USA May 18, 1945
509th Composite Group, HQ USA May 18, 1945
509th Composite Group, 320th TCS (C-47, C-54, B-29) USA May 30, 1945
509th Composite Group, 393th BS (C-47, C-54, B-29) USA May 30, 1945
509th Composite Group combat crews arrive (B-29) June 11, 1945
504th BG, 680th BS (B-29) USA June 15, 1945

Today
Disused since the war, the crushed coral runways are grayish and weathered-looking, but very derivable (only some weedy growth crawling out onto it here and there).   B-29's still existed at the field after the war but were melted for scrapped in 1950. These runways are still visible today.

The field is abandoned and overgrown, and easily accessible a few miles traveling north of "San Jose" on "Broadway". Other than the runways, nothing seemed to be left of the old facilities. No buildings were to be seen. The forest had grown right up to the edges of the runways and taxiways.

Atomic Bomb Pit #1 and Memorial
The No.1 bomb loading pit on Tinian where the atomic bomb, "Little Boy" was stored before being loaded onto the B-29 "Enola Gay" 44-86292. This area was heavily guarded and a tent erected over the bomb before this top secret weapon was loaded onto the bomber, and was dropped on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945.

Today, a single coconut palm and a plumeria tree grow in it. Locals have always observed misshapen coconuts on this tree, normal ones have never been produced on this tree. This hole is probably one of the most historically charged remain of the island's past.

Atomic Bomb Pit #2
Next to it is pit "No.2", where "Fat Man" atomic bomb was loaded into B-29 "Bockscar" 44-27297 and dropped over Nagasaki. Today, the two concrete lined pits are filled in with dirt.

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Last Updated
July 31, 2011

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