| Island Name/Chain: | /Dutch East Indies |
| Field Type: | Emergency |
| Long/Lat | 23° 52' 8" N / -166° 17' 9" E |
Occupying force:| Prior to World War II, the area had no particular strategic value. During the early part of the war, the Japanese occasionally used it to refuel seaplanes from a submarine. In one instance a seaplane raid on Pearl Harbor was refueled from this location. When they tried to do this again, after the Battle of Midway, they found that a complete Naval Air Station had been constructed by the U.S. That attack plan was canceled. The shoal was now an important emergency stopover and navigational point for aircraft flying between Hawaii and Midway. Tern Island had been enlarged from the size of a tennis court to an airfield bearing the resemblance of an aircraft carrier flight deck, 3300 feet long and 400 feet wide. | |
| Source: | http://www.radiojerry.com/frigate/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Frigate_Shoals
http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=23.8689,-166.286&spn=0.1,0.1&q=23.8689,-166.286 |
| Information Contributed by: | syscom3 |
| Photos (login to add photos) (4) | | Click Photo to Enlarge |
(above) What it looked like in 1944?
Photocredit: (Cant find link)
Contributed by: syscom3 [Email]
| 
(above) In 1944?
Photocredit: (Cant find link)
Contributed by: syscom3 [Email]
| 
(above) FFS is the 80's?
Photocredit: http://www.radiojerry.com/ffstoday/
Contributed by: syscom3 [Email]
| 
(above) FFS in the 80's?
Photocredit: http://www.radiojerry.com/ffstoday/
Contributed by: syscom3 [Email]
|
|
|
| Maps and Diagrams (login to add maps) (0) |
|
| General Notes (login to add) (0) |
| | Airfield Physical Description (login to add) (0) |
| | Name Notes (login to add) (0) |
| | Location Notes (login to add) (0) |
| | Unit Notes (login to add) (0) |
| | Misc Notes (login to add) (0) |
| | Personal Stories (login to add) (0) |
| |
