Nukufetau Airfield


Nukufetau Airfield is a former World War II airfield on the south-eastern side of Nukufetau on Motulalo Island during the Pacific War.

History

Nukufetau Airfield was built by United States Navy Seabees on Motulalo island as an alternative strip to Nanumea and Funafuti airfields to allow for further dispersal of aircraft in the Ellice Islands. Two intersecting runways formed an "X" shape. On 8 September 1943 the 16th Naval Construction Battalion commenced construction of a fighter strip and a bomber strip. Nearly 50,000 coconut trees had to be cut down and about 2,000 feet of the runways were built on fill over swamp. The first plane to land on the airfield was a PB4Y Privateer piloted by Major General Charles F. B. Price on October 3, 1943. The general conducted a quick inspection of the new airfield and quickly took off again. The airfield was officially opened on October 6, 1943.
United States Marine Corps units based at Nukufetau included:
United States Army Air Forces using the base included:
The debris from a crashed B-24 Liberator remained on the island. After the Pacific War the airfield was dismantled and the land returned to its owners, however as the coral base was compacted to make the runways the land now provides poor ground for growing coconuts.