Northfield B-29 Base on Tinian Island
“Destination” Island
The U.S. military captured Tinian Island from Japanese forces in just nine days (24 July - 1 August, 1944). Over 300 Americans and approximately 6,000 Japanese were killed in the battle. Located 1,500 miles (2,500 km) from Japan, Tinian Island was an ideal spot for the bombing missions that the United States would carry out. Tinian Island was code-named “Destination,” as military officials hoped it would be the place where the final operations of the war would take place. It became instrumental in the Pacific theatre, particularly in the final stages of the war.
Rapid-fire Construction
The SeaBees, a naval construction battalion, created what became the world's largest airbase at the time - their work on Tinian was among their greatest engineering feats. On the island, North Field alone featured four parallel 8,500-foot runways, accommodating 265 Superfortress B-29 bombers. The island airfield was modelled after Manhattan, with matching place names and grided streets with areas named after New York City landmarks, such as "Broadway" and "42nd Street", providing a sense of familiarity for American personnel stationed on the island.
The SeaBees construct the airfield
USAAF B-29 bombers on the parking areas of the northern airfield on Tinian, 1945 - the former Japanese Ushi point airfield, much altered.
A Strategic Air Base
The first combat mission to Japan was carried out in February 1945. The 509th Composite Group, a specialised unit of the U.S. Army Air Forces, was stationed at North Field. On August 6, 1945, the B-29 bomber Enola Gay departed from Tinian, a crew of eleven men, headed by Colonel Paul Tibbets, flying from Tinian Island to Hiroshima to drop the world’s first atomic bomb, the "Little Boy." Three days later, Bockscar, another B-29 flew from the island, carrying out the bombing of Nagasaki with the "Fat Man" bomb.
Post-War Decline and Tinian Island Today
Following World War II, Tinian's military significance diminished and North Field was largely abandoned, while West Field became Tinian International Airport. The island attracts visitors interested in World War II history where wartime history is preserved, including the specially constructed atomic bomb pits used to load the bombs directly into the bombers using hydraulic lifts - a unique innovation at the time.
Unknown to many, the U.S. military has initiated restoration projects to reactivate the island's airfields as part of the Agile Combat Employment strategy, aiming to disperse forces across the Pacific to counter potential threats.