Ulithi Airport

Ulithi Civil Airfield is a public airport serving the island of Falalop, located in the Ulithi Atoll in the Caroline Islands, Federated States of Micronesia. It was previously Falalop Airfield or Naval Air Base Ulithi (NAB Ulithi), when used as a World War II airfield.

History


The Japanese had built an airstrip on Falalop. Ulithi Atoll was captured unopposed on 20 September 1944. On 8 October the 51st Naval Construction Battalion began to improve the former Japanese airfield on Falalop, creating a coral-surfaced 3500 ft by 150 ft runway, six taxiways, hardstands, lighting, a traffic-control tower, operations buildings, tank farm and a seaplane ramp. The airfield was fully operational by 1 December 1944.

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, VMF(N)-542 operating F6F-3N night-fighters and Air Warning Squadron 2 (AWS-2) providing early warning and ground controlled intercept.

Fleet Air Wing One (FAW-1) was based at Falalop from 15 October until 30 December 1944 when it was relocated to Saipan.

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. It was expanded and resurfaced, the runway running the full width of the island. The east end of the strip was extended approximately twenty feet past the natural shoreline. A number of small strips for light aircraft were built on several of the smaller islands.