North Field (Ushi Point Airfield)

Click For Enlargement
Click For Enlargement
Click For Enlargement
1945

Click For Enlargement
2000

 

Location
Located in the northern portion of Tinian.

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

Japanese Usage
Heavily damaged in the pre-invasion bombardment.

American Usage
After the Marine landing, Seabees began repairing the strip, even before the fighting had ended. After 45 days and nights of continuous work, a field was made ready 11 days ahead of schedule. In that time the construction of the three 6000' runways involved the moving of nearly 1,000,000 cu. yds 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.

Probably one of the most historically important airfields in the Pacific. This field was the base for B-29 Superfortress raids on Japan. Bombers from Tinian flew 1,500 mile round trip flights to Japan and back.  

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.

 

Google Earth
Wartime Map

Google Earth
View in Google Earth

Click For Enlargement
2000

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.

 

 

 

© 1997-2008 All rights reserved
Pacific Wreck Database
Pacific Wrecks Incorporated is a non-profit charity 501(c)(3)  Donate Now