Falalop Airfield

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 / 10.02056; 139.78972
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

  1. ↑ 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.
  2. ↑ Dictionary of American Naval Aviation Squadrons - Volume 2. Naval Historical Center. p. 811.
  3. ↑ Dictionary of American Naval Aviation Squadrons - Volume 2. Naval Historical Center. pp. 431–2.
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