North Field (Tinian)

North Field (Tinian) was a pivotal United States Army Air Forces airbase constructed on the island of Tinian during the Pacific War. Its rapid development following the Battle of Tinian made it the largest B-29 Superfortress base in the world by 1945. The airfield is historically significant as the launch point for the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, missions flown by the 509th Composite Group. Today, the site remains under military control as part of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

History

The history of North Field is inextricably linked to the Mariana and Palau Islands campaign. After the United States Marine Corps secured Tinian in August 1944, the United States Navy's Seabees began immediate construction. Using lessons from building West Field, they completed the first runway by January 1945. The base was designed to support the strategic bombing campaign against the Japanese archipelago orchestrated by the Twentieth Air Force under General Curtis LeMay. Its location placed the Empire of Japan within operational range of the new, long-range Boeing B-29 Superfortress.

Facilities and layout

North Field was an engineering marvel, featuring four parallel 8,500-foot runways arranged in a unique "A" shape, allowing for simultaneous launch and recovery of heavy bombers. The facility included extensive hardstands, maintenance hangars, and vast ammunition storage areas. A dedicated network of roads connected the airfield to barracks, headquarters, and the massive Tinian Naval Base. The sheer scale of the base, often compared to Ordnance Depot projects, enabled it to host over 250 B-29 Superfortress aircraft of multiple Bombardment Wings at its peak.

World War II operations

From its completion, North Field became the primary launch site for the incendiary and mining raids that devastated Japanese cities like Tokyo, Osaka, and Kobe. The most consequential missions began in July 1945 with the arrival of the secretive 509th Composite Group. On August 6, the B-29 Enola Gay, piloted by Colonel Paul Tibbets, departed North Field for Hiroshima. Three days later, the Bockscar, commanded by Major Charles Sweeney, took off from the same runways to bomb Nagasaki. These missions, authorized by President Harry S. Truman, directly precipitated the surrender of Japan and the end of World War II.

Post-war use and current status

After the war, North Field's activity diminished rapidly, though it was maintained as a standby facility during the Korean War and the Vietnam War. Control eventually transferred to the United States Air Force and later to the Department of the Interior. Large sections of the original runways and taxiways remain intact but overgrown. The airfield is now part of the Tinian International Airport complex, with one active runway used for civilian flights. The historic launch pits for the atomic bomb missions are preserved and marked by memorials, with the area administered by the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

In popular culture

North Field and its role in the atomic missions have been depicted in numerous films, documentaries, and literary works. It features prominently in the film *Fat Man and Little Boy* and is a key location in the television series *The Pacific*. The story of the 509th Composite Group is central to books like *Enola Gay* by Gordon Thomas and Max Morgan-Witts. The airfield and the Enola Gay are also frequently referenced in exhibitions at the National Air and Space Museum and the National Museum of the United States Air Force.

Category:Airfields of the United States Army Air Forces in the Mariana Islands Category:World War II airfields Category:Tinian