Ulithi Airport
Ulithi Airport (IATA: ULI, FAA LID: TT02) is a public airport serving the island of Falalop, located in the Ulithi Atoll in Federated States of Micronesia.
Ulithi Airport | |||||||||||
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Summary | |||||||||||
Airport type | Public | ||||||||||
Serves | Falalop | ||||||||||
Location | Falalop Island, Ulithi Atoll, Yap State, Federated States of Micronesia | ||||||||||
Elevation AMSL | 6 ft / 2 m | ||||||||||
Coordinates | 10°1′39″N 139°47′20″E | ||||||||||
Map | |||||||||||
ULI Location of the airport in Federated States of Micronesia | |||||||||||
Runways | |||||||||||
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Source: Division of Civil Aviation [1] |
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 3,500 feet (1,100 m) by 150 feet (46 m) 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.[2]
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 and VMF(N)-542 operating F6F-3N night-fighters.
Fleet Air Wing One (FAW-1) was based at Falalop from 15 October until 30 December 1944 when it was relocated to Saipan.[3]
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.[3]:431–2 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.[4]
Airlines and destinations
Airlines | Destinations |
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Caroline Islands Air | Charter: Chuuk, Yap |
Pacific Mission Aviation | Fais, Yap |
References
- "Ulithi Civil Airfield". 2012.
- Building the Navy's Bases in World War II History of the Bureau of Yards and Docks and the Civil Engineer Corps 1940-1946. US Government Printing Office. 1947. pp. 332–4.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain. - Dictionary of American Naval Aviation Squadrons - Volume 2. Naval Historical Center. p. 811.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain. - Tim Lanzendorfer (November 2003). "Ulithi in the western Carolines". The Pacific War: The US Navy.