| Falalop Airfield | |
|---|---|
| Falalop, Ulithi Atoll, Caroline Islands, Federated States of Micronesia | |
 Aerial view of Falalop Airfield in 2008 | |
| Coordinates | 10°01′14″N 139°47′23″E / 10.02056°N 139.78972°E |
| Type | Military Airfield |
| Site information | |
| Controlled by | United States Navy |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1942 |
| Built by | Imperial Japanese Naval Air Service/Seebees |
| In use | 1942-present |
| Materials | Coral |
Falalop Airfield or Naval Air Base Ulithi (NAB Ulithi) is a former World War II airfield on the island of Falalop, part of Ulithi Atoll in the Caroline Islands.
History[]
World War II[]
Ulithi Atoll was captured unopposed on 20 September 1944. On 8 October the 51st Naval Construction Battalion began to improve the abandoned Japanese airfield on Falalop creating a coral-surfaced 3,500 feet (1,100 m) by 150 feet (46 m) runway, 6 taxiways, hardstands, lighting, a traffic-control tower, operations buildings, tank farm and a seaplane ramp. The airfield was fully operational by 1 December 1944.[1]
Marine Air Group 45 (MAG-45) deployed to Falalop in late September to establish base operations. Units stationed at Falalop included VMD-354 operating photo-reconnaissance F4Us and VMF(N)-542 operating F6F-3N night-fighters.
Fleet Air Wing One (FAW-1) was based at Falalop from 15 October until 30 December 1944 when it was relocated to Saipan.[2]
On 7 December 1944 a detachment of two PBYs of VPB-23 was deployed to Falalop for air-sea rescue missions. A further 3 aircraft were deployed on 20 June 1945. All VPB-23 aircraft were transferred to Tanapag Harbor on Saipan on 13 December 1945.[3]
Marines walk past a flight line of SB2Cs on Falalop December 1944
Postwar[]
The airfield remains in use today.
References[]
- ↑ Building the Navy's Bases in World War II History of the Bureau of Yards and Docks and the Civil Engineer Corps 1940-1946. US Government Printing Office. 1947. pp. 332–4.
- ↑ Dictionary of American Naval Aviation Squadrons - Volume 2. Naval Historical Center. p. 811.
- ↑ Dictionary of American Naval Aviation Squadrons - Volume 2. Naval Historical Center. pp. 431–2.
External links[]
The original article can be found at Falalop Airfield and the edit history here.