Nukufetau Airfield
 | |
|---|---|
| Part of Seventh Air Force | |
| Nukufetau, Gilbert and Ellice Islands | |
| Coordinates | 08°03′54″S 178°22′38″E / 8.065°S 178.37722°E (Approximate) |
| Type | Military airfield |
| Site information | |
| Controlled by |
United States Army Air Forces United States Marine Corps |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1943 |
| In use | 1943 |
Nukufetau Airfield is a former wartime airfield on the south-eastern side of Nukufetau on Motulalo Island.
History
Built by United States Navy Seabees on Motulalo island as an alternative strip to Nanumea and Funafuti airfields and allow for further dispersal of aircraft in the region. Two intersecting runways formed an "X" shape.
United States Army Air Forces using the base included:
- 26th Bombardment Squadron operating B-24s from 11 November 1943 – 25 January 1944
- 98th Bombardment Squadron operating B-24s from 11 November 1943 – 20 January 1944
Operational before November 1943 to aid in the Battle of Tarawa.
Abandoned after the war and has been totally overgrown by natural vegetation.
See also
References
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.
- Maurer, Maurer, ed (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556. http://www.airforcehistory.hq.af.mil/Publications/fulltext/combat_sq_of_the_af_wwii.pdf.
- Pacific Wrecks index: Nukufetau Airfield
External links
The original article can be found at Nukufetau Airfield and the edit history here.