Palmyra Atoll Airfield

Palmyra Atoll Airfield
Palmyra Atoll, Line Islands
File:Palmyra Atoll with Airfield.jpg Palmyra Atoll with Airfield
Coordinates	05°53′24″N 162°04′28″W
Type	Military airfield
Site information
Controlled by	United States
Condition	Unmaintained
Site history
Built	1939
Built by	U.S. Navy
In use	In World War II
Materials	Crushed coral

Palmyra Atoll Airfield is a former Naval airfield located on Palmyra Atoll in the Line Islands of the Central Pacific Area.

History

Preliminary surveys were made by the U.S. Navy in 1938 for an airfield at this location. The first Navy group to begin construction sailed from Honolulu on November 14, 1939. The runway was made from crushed coral, and expanded during World War II. During the war, the U.S. Naval Construction Battalion dredged a channel during World War II so that ships could enter the protected lagoons and bulldozed coral rubble into a long, unpaved landing strip for refueling transpacific supply planes at the airbase. Jan.16, 1942 six Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress from Hawaii were stationed at airbase, Commanded by Lt Col Walter C Sweeney as part of Hawaiian Air Force's Task Group 8. Marine Corps VMF-2211 pilots also used the airfield. The U.S. Air Force maintained the airfield until 1961.

The unpaved 1,846 meter airstrip still exists today but can only be used after prior permission has been obtained or in case of emergency.

References

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