| Enewetak (Enewetok,
Eniwetok) Atoll |
|
 Lat
9° 1' 0N Long 167° 43' 0E Thirty small
islands, 326 miles northwest of Kwajalein. Alternate spellings include: Enewetak, Enewetok or Eniwetok.
History
First hydrogen bomb Test - November
18, 1952.
Eniwetok
Island
Mail
island in the group, two miles long and a quarter mile wide. Wide
passage into the atoll's lagoon is to the west of the island. Code
named 'privilege' by the Americans, and captured as part of Operation Catchpole, landing on the island on February 19, 1944. The island is secured on February 21,
1944.
Enewetak Airfield (Stickell Field)
Buitl by Americans Seabees
Tank Farm
A tank farm of twelve 1,000-barrel
tanks, with piping, a floating pipe-line, 1,200 feet long, and
a tanker mooring, was completed for aviation gasoline on Eniwetok
Island by May 1944. Completion had been delayed by the explosion
of an LCT in March, which reduced the status of completion of
the farm from 80 to 30 percent.
Peirs
Two coral-fill piers, one 80 and the
other 150 feet long, were built on Eniwetok Island, and two
beaches were developed for LCTís. Small-boat-repair
ships were also built, and a floating dock for small ships
was assigned to the base.
Parry
Island
Located just to the north of Eniwetok, it was code named
'Heartstrings' by the Amreicans. The Japanese peir was improved
by Americans and used. At the end of the war, it was developed
into a recreation area for 35,000 men.
| Parry
Island Seaplane Base |
Construction
A seaplane ramp was built here by the Japanese. After American occupation,
the 110th Battalion developed a seaplane base,
using the existing Japanese ramp, and coral-surfaced
parking area, and engine overhaul area.
This base was capable of supporting one squadron of patrol
bombers, but activities were limited by the eistence of only
one ramp and by tides which were unfavorable to beaching activities.
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Engebi
Island
Located at the northern tip of that atoll. Code
named 'Fraggile' by Americans, it was captured after a swift
six hour battle on February 18, 1944. An infamous photograph
of a burning Japanese soldier crawling out of a hole was taken
by an unknown photographer during the battle.
Engebi (Wrigley Airfield)
Built by the Japanese, occupied and expanded by Americans
Tank Farm
An aviation-gasoline tank farm,
with a capacity of 146,000 gallons and all appurtenances, was
also erected on Engebi.
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