I was interested to read that the US Air Force is restoring the huge World War II North Field air base on the island of Tinian, from which the atomic bomb missions were launched against Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945. Nikkei Asia reports:
The U.S. Air Force is stepping up construction at the Tinian North airfield, once used by the largest B-29 bomber fleet during World War II, and at the Tinian International airfield, Gen. Kenneth Wilsbach, commander of the Pacific Air Forces, said in an interview on Wednesday.
"If you pay attention in the next few months, you will see significant progress, especially at Tinian North," Wilsbach said.
The airfield "has extensive pavement underneath the overgrown jungle. We'll be clearing that jungle out between now and summertime," Wilsbach said, adding that it will be "an extensive" facility once construction is complete.
Wilsbach declined to comment on when the airstrip will be operational.
Tinian lies about 200 kilometers north of Guam and is part of the Northern Mariana Islands. Revitalizing the outpost is meant to advance the air force's operational strategy known as Agile Combat Employment. It calls for moving aircraft to as many locations as possible in the western Pacific to avoid an enemy's missile strikes in a crisis, a major shift from post-Cold War strategy.
There's more at the link.
I wonder whether the ghosts of the men of the 509th Composite Group will gather at the renovated airfield to greet their successors in uniform?
Peter
17 comments:
Just another target for the CCP when the festivities kick into high gear.
Interesting note on the construction on Tinian. The use of AP ammo by Shermans was noted after the island was captured. Seems the SeaBees and other construction crews discovered it was easier to 'drill' using said AP ammo than using conventional hammer and chisel or even powered drill rigs to make blast holes in coral rock outcrops.
Ah, bombers for China.
Greet, or kick their sorry behinds?
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12855869/army-tiktok-mutiny-gen-z-recruits.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=social-twitter_mailonline
Will it be a home for the Bone?
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Tinian/@15.0043455,145.6356577,6z/data=!4m6!3m5!1s0x66df525597fe6bcf:0x79e4d5d171efc87f!8m2!3d15.0043455!4d145.6356577!16zL20vMDFoMzhk?entry=ttu
Figuring they will lose Diego Garcia thanks to this administration...spit...
Fu fact: my uncle was stationed on Titian and worked on the Enola Gay before Colonel Titbbits’ crew dropped the bomb.
I assume this is returning to the old idea of spreading out aircraft to make them less vulnerable - which I think is a GREAT idea!
Jonathan
Able, Baker. Charley and Dog.
While they were doing this, my Seabee Battalion was getting ready to invade Iwo Jima with the Marines.
I hope they have mitigation plans in place to prevent this island from tipping over.
On Google Maps, I see Tinian. Then, on Google I typed, "china making artificial islands location map location". It showed the Paracel Islands and the Spratly Islands. In between, is the Philippines. So, is the military construction, . . . I mean, why not ask the question directly to the General? Why ask everything else, and every other question, but . . . ?
They are probably rebuilding it after the Philipine government kicked us out of Clark and Subic Bay. They are not a reliable partner is southeast asia.
Possible.
It is British and they just let us use it
Though they are not even remotely close to each other
Of course all this spread 'em out theory flies in the face of a little preemptive infiltration of all ranks in our Air Force by the wily enemy who sees conflict coming and sends it's 'best and brightest' off to America for some cultural and scientific enriching. If one guy can nuke a nuclear submarine in port and a huge deck amphibious warship in port with a match and oily rag, I suspect this measure won't accomplish all that much. Of course, there is all that money for contractors so that's a win.
It is time to wrap up and go home. Time to make America great again at home.
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