U.S. Air Force, Navy Restore Historic WWII-Era Airfield in the Pacific

Tinian airfield was used as a launching point for B-29 bombers targeting Imperial Japan, including the 'Enola Gay.'

Kimberly Johnson

Friday, March 07, 2025 at 11:04 AM ET

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Edited By: tccjeremy

Boeing B-29 ‘Enola Gay’ on Tinian in the Mariana Islands. [Credit: U.S. Air Force]

Key Takeaways:

U.S. military engineers are restoring the historic North Field Air Base on Tinian, a World War II airfield, for modern operational use by American forces in the Indo-Pacific.
The $409 million, five-year project involves extensive work like clearing jungle, removing WWII-era ordnance, and paving runways to serve as an alternate flight operations location for Andersen Air Force Base, Guam.
This restoration aligns with the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command's Agile Combat Employment (ACE) doctrine, aiming to establish dispersed operating locations and enhance flexibility and resilience in the region.

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U.S. Air Force engineers, U.S. Navy Seabees, and U.S. Marine engineer teams have reclaimed a historic World War II airfield from jungle growth in the Western Pacific for use for operations for American forces throughout the Indo-Pacific.

The airfield at North Field Air Base on the isle of Tinian is being improved as an alternate location for flight operations at nearby Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, should the primary airfield become unsustainable in a time of war, according to Pacific Air Forces (PACAF).