| NORTH FIELD |
Almost before the island was declared
secure, the navy's Seabees began turning
Tinian into yet another "super aircraft
carrier" for the Army Air Forces. The
20th Air Force, head- quartered on Guam
at Harmon Field, fire bombed the
daylights out of the Japanese homelands
for nearly a year.
Left: North Field before the completion
of the 4th runway. Official U.S. Gov't
Photo.
Below: B-29 bombers massed on North
Field. U.S. Gov't photo.
secure, the navy's Seabees began turning
Tinian into yet another "super aircraft
carrier" for the Army Air Forces. The
20th Air Force, head- quartered on Guam
at Harmon Field, fire bombed the
daylights out of the Japanese homelands
for nearly a year.
Left: North Field before the completion
of the 4th runway. Official U.S. Gov't
Photo.
Below: B-29 bombers massed on North
Field. U.S. Gov't photo.
Although some modern scholars would debate
the "morality" of the massed fire-bombing of
Japan, much less the use of atomic weapons,
the answer to these issue is not a simple one.
The modern thinker must place themselves
back in the Pacific War, when U.S.
reacted with horror and befuddlement during
massed the Japanese banzai charges (which
they had been experiencing since the Pacific
War started), and the mass suicides of enemy
the "morality" of the massed fire-bombing of
Japan, much less the use of atomic weapons,
the answer to these issue is not a simple one.
The modern thinker must place themselves
back in the Pacific War, when U.S.
reacted with horror and befuddlement during
massed the Japanese banzai charges (which
they had been experiencing since the Pacific
War started), and the mass suicides of enemy
soldiers and civilians alike, as witnessed on Saipan and Tinian. If you are fighting an enemy who will not admit defeat,
but rather suicidally charge into massed fire or leap with children into the sea, how do you win? If the enemy believes in
death before (or instead of) capture with a religious fervor, what do you have to do to end the conflict? This question
was faced by the Allies in the 1940's, and it is being faced still today in other conflicts.
but rather suicidally charge into massed fire or leap with children into the sea, how do you win? If the enemy believes in
death before (or instead of) capture with a religious fervor, what do you have to do to end the conflict? This question
was faced by the Allies in the 1940's, and it is being faced still today in other conflicts.
North Field as seen in March of
2006. The large, clear runway
straight out from the camera is
Runway Able, from which the
atomic missions were launched in
1945.
With a possible U.S. military
buildup in the next decade, this
field, still leased to the Navy from
the CNMI, might again see
warplanes taking off to defend
American interests.
Photo at left: March 2006.
2006. The large, clear runway
straight out from the camera is
Runway Able, from which the
atomic missions were launched in
1945.
With a possible U.S. military
buildup in the next decade, this
field, still leased to the Navy from
the CNMI, might again see
warplanes taking off to defend
American interests.
Photo at left: March 2006.
Runway Able, the northern-most runway
of old North Field. Both the Enola Gay
and the Bock's Car thundered down this
strip on the atomic missions.
Left: Mike on Runway Able, looking west.
This and the above photo were shot in
March of 2005. The heavy tropical
weather Mike and I were soaked by is
clearly evident!
of old North Field. Both the Enola Gay
and the Bock's Car thundered down this
strip on the atomic missions.
Left: Mike on Runway Able, looking west.
This and the above photo were shot in
March of 2005. The heavy tropical
weather Mike and I were soaked by is
clearly evident!
Tinian had four airfields built by the
Japanese. American forces rebuilt
two after the battle, West Field and
the Ushi Point Airfield here became
the famous North Field.
At its height of operations in
Japanese. American forces rebuilt
two after the battle, West Field and
the Ushi Point Airfield here became
the famous North Field.
At its height of operations in
The service apron in the heart of old Ushi Field has a few of the distinctive Japanese air-raid shelters. These shelters were
designed to be gas-tight in the event of a chemical attack. In the upper left photo, you can get an idea of the cramped
interior of the shelter. These shelters were not air conditioned, and dozens of Japanese soldiers could be crowded inside
during a raid. In the lower left photo, Steve strolls across the old apron. March 2006.
designed to be gas-tight in the event of a chemical attack. In the upper left photo, you can get an idea of the cramped
interior of the shelter. These shelters were not air conditioned, and dozens of Japanese soldiers could be crowded inside
during a raid. In the lower left photo, Steve strolls across the old apron. March 2006.
At one corner of the old service apron is the Japanese Air Operations Building.
This building is identical to the one up on Saipan. Like its counterpart there, this
one was used by the American forces as an Air Ops building after its capture. The
Japanese had a control tower atop this structure, but the Army Air Forces built
their own furhter down the field. March 2006.SGT.ANDREW J. HARVANEK
This building is identical to the one up on Saipan. Like its counterpart there, this
one was used by the American forces as an Air Ops building after its capture. The
Japanese had a control tower atop this structure, but the Army Air Forces built
their own furhter down the field. March 2006.SGT.ANDREW J. HARVANEK
Left: The Air Operations building with
its Japanese-built control tower. This
tower was used until the USAAF built
it's own tower (above). Left photo:
U.S. Gov't; above photo courtesy of the
collection of former Sgt. Andrew J.
Harvanek. Used here with great
thanks!
its Japanese-built control tower. This
tower was used until the USAAF built
it's own tower (above). Left photo:
U.S. Gov't; above photo courtesy of the
collection of former Sgt. Andrew J.
Harvanek. Used here with great
thanks!
1945, North Field was the busiest airport in the world, with sorties of thousands of B-29 Superforts taking off constantly
all day and night, every day and night. The core of the old Ushi Field was the service apron, seen above in the panoramic
composite image (composed of over 10 photos digitally stitched together). In addition to the major artifacts highlighted
above, there are numerous monuments to the American forces based here. A smattering of these are shown below before
this virtual tour heads to the surviving Japanese structures. March 2006.
all day and night, every day and night. The core of the old Ushi Field was the service apron, seen above in the panoramic
composite image (composed of over 10 photos digitally stitched together). In addition to the major artifacts highlighted
above, there are numerous monuments to the American forces based here. A smattering of these are shown below before
this virtual tour heads to the surviving Japanese structures. March 2006.