Defense plans among military in Hawaii were general rather than specific regarding interchange of vital information and assistance. From 1927-1940 funds expended on John Rodgers Airport added up to $356,000. 431st (formerly 50th, later 5th): 1930-1938, Upolu Airport had one paved runway 4,000-feet long and was the only airport in that part of the island which met the requirements for scheduled airline operation. Colonel S. W. Fitzgerald was relieved by Colonel Harold C. Davison as C.O. British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines inaugurated air service to Hawaii. Runway A, Keehi Lagoon, John Rodgers Airport; Ninety-four American ships were in Pearl Harbor. personnel evidently had been withdrawn by early in 1946. The Pearl Harbor Naval Base had accomplished the impossible task of repairing the Aircraft Carrier Yorktown and refitting it in three days rather than the estimated three months. Philippines. The Army made extensive improvements to Molokai Airport including paving runways, taxiways and aprons and lighting of runway 5-23. Morse Fieldwas declared surplus by the military. All civilian aircraft in Hawaii were grounded. (9 B-17D Flying Fortresses) under command of Major Emmett O Donnell Jr., with a crew of 75, left Hawaii for the Philippine islands via Midway, Wake, Port Moresby and Darwin. Development was made by the Army and consisted of two runways, 4,400-feet and 3,200 feet in length. The Navy established a weather and communications facility at Upolu Airport and used it as an auxiliary field to the Naval Air Station, Hilo for training of carrier pilots. Today Bomb Squadrons are considered to be part of the Combat Air Force (CAF) along with fighter squadrons. Layout was complete and the Army Corps of Engineers began dredging Keehi Lagoon for seaplane runways, using the spoil to augmentJohn RodgersAirport. Naval Air Station Kahului, Maui was placed in commission under command of Commander Phil LeRoy Hayes. Hawaiian Airlines was the principal user and made one stop a day en route from Honolulu to Hilo, and return. Gen. Walter H. Frank relieved Brig. Kalaupapa Leper Settlement on Molokai was isolated and the Gambo Flying Service was authorized by the military to furnish emergency transportation of medical supplies, etc. The book follows the Squadron through the Japanese attack on December 7, 1941 and the ensuing four years as it played a vital role in the United States' island hopping campaign in the Pacific Theatre. maneuvers, staging aerial reviews, sowing seeds from the air for the Air service to Lanai was stopped as the field was not large enough to handle the larger aircraft being used by Hawaiian Airlines. The aircraft and crews supported U.S. Pacific Command operations to provide a stabilizing military force in the region. The field had two paved runways, one 6,500 feet and the other 6,000 feet in length. We need help with transcribing data. The 5th raided the heavily defended Japanese base on Woleai during April and May 1944 and received a Distinguished Unit Citation for the action. Equipped with Barbers Point, Oahu; John Rodgers Field was taken over by the Army at the beginning of the war and used as a troop transport base while runway construction was in progress. Inter-Island Airways acquired three DC-3 24-passenger aircraft and they flew from Oakland to Honolulu in 14 hours and 58 minutes. Only the Navy used the seaplane runways, operating an average of five flights per week with the Mars type seaplanes between Honolulu and California. Space in the overseas terminal appeared to be at a premium. Stations. The first civilian casualty in Hawaii of the War was Robert Tyce, owner of the K-T Flying Service, who was killed by machine gun fire from Japanese torpedo planes as they flew over John Rodgers Airport on their way to Pearl Harbor. May 1944; Borneo, 30 Sep 1944. Operational squadrons were 23d, 31st and 72d Strategic Reconnaissance flying Boeing RB-17G/F-2/F-9/F-13 aircraft (194749) and beginning in 1948, Boeing RB-29 aircraft until 1951. Engaged primarily in search and patrol missions off Hawaii from Dec At 0755 on a Sunday morning, 183 aircraft from six Japanese aircraft carriers struck American military facilities and vessels on Oahu, just as Billy Mitchell had predicted in 1924. Gen. Jacob H. Rudolph relieved Brig. Moved to the US in May 1949. to the neighbor islands. The field was officially designated as Naval Air Station Honolulu. Runways B and D, Keehi Lagoon, John Rodgers Airport; The Army lease expired in September 1948 and upon the expiration for this lease, its continued use by the Territory has not been determined. B-17Es taking off on a Battle of Midway mission, including aircraft numbers: 41-2524, 41-2611( of the 31st Bomb Squadron, 5th Bomb Group), 41-2532, 41-2437(of the 98th Bomb Squadron, 11th Bomb Group). Flights took 16 hours and the cost was $278. First significant deployment of aircraft from Hawaiian Air Force begins with movement of 6 B-17s, commanded by Lt. Col. Walter c. Sweeney, to Palmyra for duty with TG 8.9. Search the history of over 806 billion Naval Air Station 24 was built at Hilo Airport. Requests for space from prospective trans-Pacific operators included the following: Pan American Airways, United Air Lines, KNILM (Dutch Airlines), Australian National Airways, Far East Air Transport, Matson Navigation Co., Transocean Airlines, Pacific Overseas Airlines, Samoan Area Airways, China National Aviation Corp., and Philippine Airlines. It was a graded and oiled strip 3,000 feet long for small aircraft, and was named Bordelon Field. Dredging was intensified with as many as nine dredges working on the project which was usable by late 1943 and completed in September of 1944. It covers all squadrons that were constituted or redesignated as bombardment squadron sometime during their active service. ), Data from Air Force Combat Units of World War II By Maurer, Maurer, Published 1986. This field, because of its short runways, could not be used by the Army during the War and was plowed up to prevent its possible use by the enemy. Congress appropriated $3.3M for the dredging of the seaplane harbor at Keehi Lagoon. Inactivated on 16 Jun In April 2005, the wing forward deployed aircraft and personnel to the 40th Air Expeditionary Wing in support of U.S. Central Command combat operations in Afghanistan. 1938-unkn; Lt Col Edwin B Bobzien, 1941; Col Arthur W Meehan, 1942; Col A total of 1,341 acres of cane land near Kahului was selected and construction of Kahului Naval Air Station began in 1942. The Army Corps of Engineers was about 10 percentcomplete on the dredging of three seaplane runways at Keehi Lagoon which were to be two to three miles long by 1,000 feet wide by 10 feet deep. Passenger priority supervision was exercised by the Army for security purposes and expediting war priority transportation. The Hawaiian Air Force moved to Hickam Field as construction had progressed sufficiently to accommodate them. Clark Field, Luzon, Dec 1945-6 May 1949; Mountain Home AFB, Idaho, 26 Today, the 5th's B-52Hs are a major component of the USAF's strategic bombing force, alongside the Rockwell B-1B Lancer and the Northrop B-2A Spirit. The runway was extended to 4,000 feet and housing was provided for the personnel operating the airfield. The Civil Aeronautics Administration movedits communications facilities to the third floor of the Honolulu Airport terminal building and the U.S. Hickam Field (17th Air Base) was the largest U.S. Air Corps Station, with approximately 100 officers and 3,000 men. On the north side of the field, the Navy built the Naval Air Station Honolulu to support the Naval Air Transport operations and to house about 5,000 men. Brig. During the nearly four years of war, the group participated in 10 major campaigns, flew more than 1,000 combat missions and earned two Distinguished Unit Citations and the Philippine Presidential Unit Citation. 31st Bombardment Squadron (H) Association 1701 Williamsburg Road Lexington, Kentucky 40504-2013. An Oahu Local Air Traffic Guide published on July 15, 1944 by the Assistant Chief of Staff for Operations of the 7th Air Force shows 13 airfields and a local air traffic pattern to be entered at 1,500 feet above mean sea level. Gen. H. C. Davidson as C. O. Aerial reinforcements were being rushed to Philippine Islands as most probable spot of attack by Japanese. Hawaiian Airlines started it first scheduled air freight service between the islands. Eleven airlines operated from the airport. Left Hawaii in Nov 1942 and, operating from bases in the South Hawaiian Airlines used to operate from there with smaller planes, but the field could not be economically developed to meet the requirement of larger type air carriers. Two asphalt concrete runways were built: 1,000 feet wide and 8,400 and 8,300 feet in length. October 29, 2021 in WALIKA'S WWII ARMY AIR FORCES RELATED PATCHES, 31st Bombardment Squadron | 5th Bombardment Group | Thirteenth Air Force. Jack W. Fox, PFC: Frank J. Lango, Pvt: William M. Northway, Pvt: . Contact Squadron Veterans: Contact information for 31st BS Veterans. During the early days of the War, Hawaiians Sikorsky planes were converted to cargo planes, carrying critical medical supplies and equipment to the other islands and bringing back cargo of fresh vegetables and beef. Naval Air Station Honolulu (NAS 29) was operational in late 1943 but was commissioned on January 1, 1944. 1940 (April) (Approved 10 Sep 1934. Land was acquired near Ahukini, Kauai for construction of Lihue Airport. The greater portion of the lands on which the airport was constructed was already owned by the Territory. A year later, it became the 5th Group (Pursuit and Bombardment) with its crews flying DeHaviland DH-4 aircraft. It covers all squadrons that were constituted or redesignated as bombardment squadron sometime during their active service. The Navy determined that Puunene Airport was not adequate and found it necessary to establish another large air station on Maui. Molokai Airport was located on land belonging to the Territory and was leased to the Army during the war. Performed long-range strategic reconnaissance, July 1949 October 1955, with some limited reconnaissance to September 1958. Mokuleia Field was renamed for George Dillingham. Plans for future development of this airport were not made since negotiationswere under way with the Navy for a long-term lease on Kahului Naval Air Station which was considered much more desirable for commercial airline operation. 55th Fighter Group: 31st Bomb Squadron: 55th Fighter Squadron: 31st Fighter Group: . Trans-Ocean Airlines inaugurated air service to Hawaii. ), Consolidated 19 September 1985 with the 905th Air Refueling Squadron, Heavy (1959), Redesignated 508th Strategic Missile Squadron, Redesignated 509th Strategic Missile Squadron, Redesignated 510th Strategic Missile Squadron, Inactivated 1965 & Redesignated 513th Electronic Warfare Squadron (2009), Redesignated 514th Flight Test Squadron in 1970, Redesignated 11th Antisubmarine Squadron (Heavy) (1942), Redesignated 12th Antisubmarine Squadron (Heavy) (1942), Redesignated 13th Antisubmarine Squadron (Heavy) (1942), Redesignated 14th Antisubmarine Squadron (Heavy) (1942), Redesignated 15th Antisubmarine Squadron (Heavy) (1942), Redesignated 16th Antisubmarine Squadron (Heavy) (1942), then 820th Bombardment Squadron, Heavy (1943), Redesignated 17th Antisubmarine Squadron (Heavy) (1942), Redesignated 2d Antisubmarine Squadron (Heavy) (1942), Redesignated 532d Strategic Missile Squadron 1961, Redesignated 533d Strategic Missile Squadron 1962, Redesignated 336th Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium (1949), Redesignated 548th Strategic Missile Squadron (1960), Redesignated 549th Strategic Missile Squadron (1960), Redesignated 550th Strategic Missile Squadron (1960), Redesignated 551st Strategic Missile Squadron (1960), Redesignated 555th Tactical Fighter Squadron (1964), Redesignated 557th Tactical Fighter Squadron (1962), Redesignated 558th Tactical Fighter Squadron (1962), Redesignated 560th Tactical Fighter Squadron (1962), Redesignated 561st Fighter-Bomber Squadron (1953), Redesignated 562d Fighter-Bomber Squadron (1953), Redesignated 564th Strategic Missile Squadron (1958), Redesignated 565th Strategic Missile Squadron (1958), Redesignated 566th Strategic Missile Squadron (1959), Redesignated 567th Strategic Missile Squadron (1959), Redesignated 568th Strategic Missile Squadron (1960), Redesignated 569th Strategic Missile Squadron (1960), Redesignated 570th Strategic Missile Squadron (1961), Redesignated 571st Strategic Missile Squadron (1961), Redesignated 576th Strategic Missile Squadron (1958), Redesignated 577th Strategic Missile Squadron (1960), Redesignated 578th Strategic Missile Squadron (1961), Redesignated 579th Strategic Missile Squadron (1961), Consolidated 19 September 1985 with the 384th Air Refueling Squadron, Medium (1955), Consolidated with 6586th Test Squadron (1992), Redesignated 165th Liaison Squadron (Commando) (1944), Inactivated 1951, Redesignated 612th Tactical Fighter Squadron (1953), Inactivated 1951, Redesignated 613th Tactical Fighter Squadron (1953), Inactivated 1949, Redesignated 614th Tactical Fighter Squadron (1953), Inactivated 1949, Redesignated 615th Tactical Fighter Squadron (1953), Redesignated 512th Fighter Squadron (1943), Redesignated 513th Fighter Squadron (1943), Redesignated 514th Fighter Squadron (1943), Redesignated 515th Fighter Squadron (1943), Redesignated 516th Fighter Squadron (1943), Redesignated 517th Fighter Squadron (1943), Redesignated 518th Fighter Squadron (1943), Redesignated 519th Fighter Squadron (1943), Redesignated 520th Fighter Squadron (1943), Redesignated 700th Fighter-Bomber Squadron (1952), Redesignated 701st Fighter-Bomber Squadron (1952), Redesignated 704th Troop Carrier Squadron (Medium) (1955), Redesignated 709th Military Airlift Squadron (Associate) (1973), Redesignated 711th Fighter-Bomber Squadron (1952) (1973), Inactivated 1990 & Redesignated 715th Weapons Squadron (2003), Inactivated 1963, Redesignated 718th Intelligence Squadron (2011), Redesignated 46th Reconnaissance Squadron (Very Long Range, Photographic-Weather), Redesignated 728th Tactical Airlift Squadron (1967), Redesignated 729th Tactical Airlift Squadron (1967), Redesignated 730th Tactical Airlift Squadron (1967), Consolidated 19 September 1985 with the 55th Air Refueling Squadron, Medium (1950), Redesignated 756th Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium (1954), Redesignated 772d Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium (1952), Redesignated 773d Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium (1952), Redesignated 774th Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium (1952), Redesignated 815th Troop Carrier Squadron (1953), Redesignated 816th Troop Carrier Squadron (1953), Redesignated 817 Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium (1952), Redesignated 822d Tactical Missile Squadron (1958), Redesignated 823d Tactical Missile Squadron (1962), Redesignated 850th Strategic Missile Squadron (1960), Redesignated 851st Strategic Missile Squadron (1960), Consolidated with 788th Bombardment Squadron (Provisional); Inactivated 1945, Consolidated with 962d Airborne Early Warning & Control Squadron (1985), Redesignated 865th Strategic Missile Squadron (1958), Redesignated 866th Strategic Missile Squadron (1958), Redesignated 873d Tactical Missile Squadron (1961), Redesignated 874th Tactical Missile Squadron (1961), Replaced by 329th Combat Crew Training Squadron (1986), This page was last edited on 22 February 2023, at 22:04. Total of 55 P-40s had arrived by carrier. Haleiwa Airfieldwas on privately owned land under lease to the U.S. Army and was used by both the Army and Navy during the War. Following that incident, the wing failed a nuclear surety inspection conducted by the Defense Threat Reduction Agency in May 2008. Solomons; Eastern Mandates; Bismarck Archipelago; Western Pacific; Plus an assortment of observation, training and attack planes. Aircraft: Only 79 out of 231 assigned were operational after the attack; 64 were totally destroyed; theremainder heavily damaged. The Civil Aeronautics Administration contributed $314,000 of national defense funds to Hilo Airport. These airmen, originally attached to the 44th Bomb Group, arrived In Hawaii two days prior to the attack to outfit their plane for a secret Photo . It had a paved runway 3,000 feet in length, and was used extensively by charter airlines and freight planes. The Naval Air Station also serviced a similar Navy activity. Thirty five B-17 Bombers were ferried through Hickam to the Philippines. Pan American Airways resumed commercial seaplane operations between San Francisco and Hawaii with the Boeing Clippers which had been leased to the Navy during the War. Federal funds became available for the operation of the control tower at General Lyman Field. Moved to the US in May 1949. There were no civil airports at Kahului; that site still belonged to the Naval Air Station. 5th BG "Bomber Barons": 307th BG "The Long Rangers": 868th BS "Snoopers . Four Fan Fanny - Nose Art. By The 11th Bombardment Group was activated at Hickam Field. Campaigns. on May 7, 2014, There are no reviews yet. NAS 1504 at Midway was supported by Barbers Point NAS. B-17s of Hawaiian Air Force TG 8.9 returned to Hawaii, having completed a mission (began on 16 January 1942) which afforded a pioneer look at the problem of air operations over vast Pacific areas, especially the problems of navigation and the servicing of aircraft. During the war years, John Rodgers Airport was also home base for the Naval Utility Flight Unit, Naval Air Transport Service, 1522d AAF Base Unit, 15th Air Service Squadron and 19th Troop Carrier Squadron. Ten Keystone B-3 and B-4 bombers from the group's 23d and 72d Bombardment Squadrons dropped 20, 600-pound bombs around the volcano to divert molten lava away from the town. The construction of Maui Airport beganin 1938 by the Department of Public Works and the development was continued by various agencies such as the U.S. District Engineers under the Civil Aeronautics Administration-Territorial airport program, then by a joint Army-Navy program and then completed by the Navy. Assigned to Seventh AF in Feb 1942. Air Force Combat Units of World War II. They arrived at Hickam at the height of the attack. Group in Feb 1947. Small planes of other flying services received bullet holes but were able to return to Rodgers Airport without injury to pilots or passengers. 5th Bombardment Group (Very Heavy) in Apr 1946, and 5th Reconnaissance Itwas used by non-scheduled operators. 72d: 1923-1930, 1938-1947, The Hawaiian Air Force Base Command was established at Hickam Field with four subordinate echelonsHickam Field Base Command, Wheeler Field Base Command, Bellows Field Base Command, and the Hawaiian Air Depot (located at Hickam Field). The USAF is currently considering converting some of its B-52Hs to EB-52Hs to act as a stand-off electronic warfare platform. Operation of the control tower at General Lyman Field was taken over by the Air Force when that organization was formed from the Army Air Corps, and continued until October 1948 when it was turned over to the Hawaii Aeronautics Commission which funded tower operation by Civil Aeronautics Administration personnel. Although several attacks were made by the B-17s, none of their bombs actually hit a single Japanese ship. Because of this new aircraft and its increased passenger carrying capacity. The Board recommended the following priorities for naval construction: Naval Air Station, Maui; Units in this list are assigned to nearly every Major Command in the United States Air Force. One was destroyed, three others badly damaged. Naval Air Station, Kaneohe; Wheeler Field was inactivated in 1947 and put in caretaker status, while activity at Hickam was limited mostly to servicing through traffic by air transports. Emig was replaced by Joel S. Westa. Gen. Frank as Commanding General 18th Wing at Hickam. Some of these airfields were considered vulnerable to attack and unusable, and the others were placed under strict control of either the Army or Navy. Runway construction at Hickam Field, 1940. John Rodgers Airport; 2) 11th Bomb Group, activated Feb. 17, 1940. Hawaiian Airlines purchased six additional Douglas DC-3 planes and one 7-passenger Beechcraft for its regular passenger and cargo service. 1950-16 Jun 1952. Northwest Airlines began regularly scheduled service between Portland, Seattle and Honolulu. The project consisted of one-paved runway 80-feet wide and 3,700 feet long, with necessary taxiways and parking aprons. Completed a The US Air Force officially became a separate service after President Truman signed the Unification Bill on August 26, 1947. Remanned in Mar 1947, equipped with FB-17's and F-2's, and engaged in mapping areas of the Philippines, Formosa, and the Pescadores.