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Northwest Field

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Coordinates: 13°37′31″N 144°51′29″E / 13.6253°N 144.8580°E / 13.6253; 144.8580
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Northwest Field
Part of Andersen Air Force Base
Yigo in Guam, United States
Northwest Field as seen from the air in 2002
Northwest Field on a 1988 map
Northwest Field is located in Guam
Northwest Field
Northwest Field
Location in Guam
Northwest Field is located in Pacific Ocean
Northwest Field
Northwest Field
Northwest Field (Pacific Ocean)
Coordinates13°37′31″N 144°51′29″E / 13.6253°N 144.8580°E / 13.6253; 144.8580
Site information
OwnerUnited States Air Force
Controlled byPacific Air Forces
ConditionOperational, in limited use
Site history
Built8 January 1945 – 1 June 1945
Built by25th Naval Construction Battalion
48th Naval Construction Battalion
53rd Naval Construction Battalion
94th Naval Construction Battalion
1886th Engineer Aviation Battalion
1899th Engineer Aviation Battalion
In use1945–1949
c. 2010–present
Airfield information
Elevation510 feet (155 m) AMSL
Runways
Direction Length and surface
8,000 feet (2,438 m) Paved

Northwest Field (historically Northwest Guam Air Force Base)[1] is a military airfield on the West Pacific island of Guam. Originally built during World War II, Northwest Field was closed as an airfield in 1949 but has been used for other military activity since, including housing a satellite tracking station, air defenses, and being used for training.

History

[edit]

Built from 8 January 1945 to 1 June 1945[2] as a B-29 Superfortress base[3] by the U.S. Navy's 25th, 48th, 53rd, and 94th Naval Construction Battalions, as well as the U.S. Army's 1886th and 1899th Engineer Aviation Battalions.[4] Brigadier General Frank A. Armstrong of the U.S. Army Air Forces was the first to land his B-29 at the newly constructed airfield.[3] Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz called the airfield's completion "another step along the road to Tokyo".[3] After its initial use as a bomber base it became a fighter base in 1946.[5]

Units deployed to the airfield included the 315th Bombardment Wing, stationed from 1945 to 1946,[6] and the 23rd Fighter Group, stationed from 1946 to 1949.[1]

In September 1946, the airfield took severe damage from Typhoon Querida, with the 21st Fighter Group's barracks completely leveled.[7]

The airfield was closed in 1949.[2]

In 1949, Northwest Field was one of two locations being considered for the establishment of an international airport on Guam, the other being Harmon Air Force Base, with the military favoring Northwest Field and airlines favoring Harmon AFB.[8] Harmon was later consolidated into Naval Air Station Agana and is now the site of Antonio B. Won Pat International Airport.

The satellite tracking station at Northwest Field

Since 1965, a satellite tracking station has been located at Northwest Field.[9] As of 2023, the station is operated by Detachment 2 of the 21st Space Operations Squadron.[10]

In 1990, Northwest Field was being considered as a site for a U.S. Navy Relocatable Over-the-Horizon Radar.[11] The project drew controversy due to the threat it posed to a native bird habitat. In March 1991, the Navy cancelled the project, citing high costs and a reduced threat in the West Pacific.[12]

Since at least 2001, the Air Force has used Northwest Field for various types of training, including low-level cargo drops.[13] Since around 2010, the airfield has also been used for training related to operating at airfields in austere conditions, including being one of the locations to host Cope North exercises.[14][15][16][17] In this capacity, US$9.8 million were awarded by the U.S. military for repairs to the field's northern runway in 2018.[18]

Since April 2013, a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) anti-ballistic missile defense system has been stationed at the field.[19][20][21][22]

Since at least 2012, Northwest Field and adjacent Ritidian Point were eyed by the U.S. military as a possible site for a U.S. Marine Corps firing range complex,[23] becoming the preferred location over other options on Guam by 2013, in part due to its proximity to the site of the new U.S. Marine Corps base and because the land was already owned by the federal government.[24]

The military's plan drew controversy, with locals complaining that part of Guam National Wildlife Refuge would be closed up to 39 weeks a year, due to being used as the proposed range's safety zone. Ritidian Point is also the site of among other things, ancient burial sites, drawing thousands of tourists to the area each year according to Guamanian politician Judith Won Pat, who in 2014 asked for the military to consider other options.[25]

In 2017, Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC) awarded a $78 million contract to a local construction company for the construction of a complex consisting of four live-fire training ranges, as well as supporting structures.[26][27] The proposed location of a fifth range, a "multi-purpose machine gun range", was relocated in 2019 to protect the endangered Serianthes nelsonii tree.[28] The $122 million contract for construction of the fifth range was awarded by NAVFAC in 2021, with an expected completion date in October 2024.[29]

Accidents and incidents

[edit]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Northwest Field, Guam.

Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

  1. ^ a b Dollman, David (10 July 2017). "23 Fighter Group (ACC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 30 July 2022.
  2. ^ a b Meyer, Jeffrey (March 2022). Air Force Heritage on Guam 1944–2021 (PDF). 36th Wing Public Affairs. Archived (PDF) from the original on 12 July 2022. Retrieved 30 July 2022.
  3. ^ a b c "New Air Field Ready For Use On Guam Isle". Lexington Herald-Leader. International News Service. 1 June 1945. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ Aaron, D. Jayne; Hart, Daniel; Baker, S. Chris. Historic American Engineering Record – Anderson [sic] Air Force Base, Northwest Field (PDF) (Report). Retrieved 16 March 2024 – via Library of Congress.
  5. ^ "The Air Force on Guam". Pacific Daily News. 3 September 2007. p. 4 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. p. 423. ISBN 0-912799-02-1. LCCN 61060979.
  7. ^ "Marianas Returning To Normal After Typhoon". The Honolulu Advertiser. United Press. 23 September 1946. pp. 1, 3 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "News of the Airlines". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. 3 March 1949. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ Hernandez, Maria (18 September 2015). "Celebrating squadron at Northwest Field site". Pacific Daily News. p. A2 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Det. 2, 21st Space Operations Squadron". Andersen Air Force Base. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  11. ^ Avanar, Liz (10 July 1990). "Radar funding decision set for summer's end". Pacific Daily News. p. 4 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Navy cans ROTHR plan". Pacific Daily News. 9 March 1991. p. 4. Retrieved 25 August 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ Limtiaco, Steve (21 July 2001). "Air Force to boost Andersen training". Pacific Daily News. p. 5 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ Andriacco, Mike (13 April 2010). "Northwest Field critical to training, ecosystem". Andersen Air Force Base. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
  15. ^ Rogoway, Tyler (27 January 2021). "F-35s And F-16s Set To Operate From Austere Jungle Airfield During Major Exercise On Guam". The Drive. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
  16. ^ Pacic Air Forces Public Affairs (26 January 2022). "Australia, Japan, US converge on Guam for Cope North 22". Pacific Air Forces. Retrieved 30 July 2022.
  17. ^ Robson, Seth (10 February 2023). "US, allies converge on Guam for annual Cope North exercise". Stars and Stripes. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  18. ^ "Hawaiian Rock awarded additional $9.8M work for runway repairs". The Guam Daily Post. 3 August 2018. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  19. ^ Petty, Adarius (26 May 2014). "Local Senators tour THAAD". Andersen Air Force Base. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  20. ^ Stafford, Jonathan (5 May 2015). "A win-win for THAAD in Guam". United States Army. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  21. ^ Raymundo, Shawn (11 March 2016). "Senator: THAAD will deter harm". Pacific Daily News. p. A7 – via Newspapers.com.
  22. ^ Consistency Determination For Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) Additional Facilities and Infracstructure At Andersen Air Force Base, Guam (PDF) (Report). Bureau of Statistics and Plans Guam. January 2021.
  23. ^ Kelman, Brett (10 November 2012). "Ritidian an option for firing range". Pacific Daily News. pp. A1, A3 – via Newspapers.com.
  24. ^ Miculka, Cameron (13 September 2013). "Buildup sites narrowed". Pacific Daily News. p. A1 – via Newspapers.com.
  25. ^ Daleno, Gaynor Dumat-ol (17 May 2014). "Bordallo says Hawaii would welcome Marines". Pacific Daily News. p. A4 – via Newspapers.com.
  26. ^ Daleno, Gaynor D. (25 August 2017). "Guam contractor wins $78M military work". The Guam Daily Post. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  27. ^ Ridgell, Clynt (24 August 2017). "NAVFAC awards construction for Northwest Field firing range". Pacific News Center. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  28. ^ Kerrigan, Kevin (15 July 2019). "One firing range moved to protect tree". The Guam Daily Post. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  29. ^ Wilson, Alex (4 October 2021). "Navy awards $122 million contract to build gun range for Marines on Guam". Stars and Stripes. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  30. ^ "Training Plane Crash On Guam Fatal to Two". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Associated Press. 21 May 1947. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com.


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