Angaur Airstrip
Encyclopedia
Angaur Airstrip is a small airstrip on Angaur
, one of the islands of Palau
. It also served as an airfield during World War II
.
The day the island was declared secured on September 20, 1944, construction of the airstrip began. American forces built a 7000' x 150' coral strip later surfaced with tarmac. The airstrip is aligned NE/SW on the eastern edge of the island. It was used by the 22d Bombardment Group
and 494th Bombardment Group, flying B-25 Mitchell
medium bombers.
of 20 feet (6 m) above mean sea level. It has one runway
designated 5/23 with a gravel
surface measuring 7,000 by 150 feet (2133 x 45 m). For the 12-month period ending May 23, 1987, the airport had 1,500 air taxi
aircraft operations, an average of 125 per month.
Angaur
Angaur or Ngeaur is an island in the island nation of Palau. The island, which forms its own state, has an area of 8 km² . Its population is 188 . State capital is the village of Ngeremasch on the western side...
, one of the islands of Palau
Palau
Palau , officially the Republic of Palau , is an island nation in the Pacific Ocean, east of the Philippines and south of Tokyo. In 1978, after three decades as being part of the United Nations trusteeship, Palau chose independence instead of becoming part of the Federated States of Micronesia, a...
. It also served as an airfield during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
History
- See also: Battle of AngaurBattle of AngaurThe Battle of Angaur was a battle of the Pacific campaign in World War II, fought on the island of Angaur in the Palau Islands from 17 —30 September 1944.-Background:...
The day the island was declared secured on September 20, 1944, construction of the airstrip began. American forces built a 7000' x 150' coral strip later surfaced with tarmac. The airstrip is aligned NE/SW on the eastern edge of the island. It was used by the 22d Bombardment Group
22d Air Refueling Wing
The 22d Air Refueling Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Mobility Command's Eighteenth Air Force. It is stationed at McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas and also functions as the host wing for McConnell AFB....
and 494th Bombardment Group, flying B-25 Mitchell
B-25 Mitchell
The North American B-25 Mitchell was an American twin-engined medium bomber manufactured by North American Aviation. It was used by many Allied air forces, in every theater of World War II, as well as many other air forces after the war ended, and saw service across four decades.The B-25 was named...
medium bombers.
Facilities and aircraft
The airport resides at an estimated elevationElevation
The elevation of a geographic location is its height above a fixed reference point, most commonly a reference geoid, a mathematical model of the Earth's sea level as an equipotential gravitational surface ....
of 20 feet (6 m) above mean sea level. It has one runway
Runway
According to ICAO a runway is a "defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and take-off of aircraft." Runways may be a man-made surface or a natural surface .- Orientation and dimensions :Runways are named by a number between 01 and 36, which is generally one tenth...
designated 5/23 with a gravel
Gravel
Gravel is composed of unconsolidated rock fragments that have a general particle size range and include size classes from granule- to boulder-sized fragments. Gravel can be sub-categorized into granule and cobble...
surface measuring 7,000 by 150 feet (2133 x 45 m). For the 12-month period ending May 23, 1987, the airport had 1,500 air taxi
Air taxi
An air taxi is an air charter passenger or cargo aircraft which operates on an on-demand basis.-Regulation:In the United States, air taxi and air charter operations are governed by Part 135 of the Federal Aviation Regulations , unlike the larger scheduled air carriers which are governed by more...
aircraft operations, an average of 125 per month.
See also
- USAAF in the Central PacificUnited States Army Air Forces in the Central Pacific AreaDuring World War II, the United States Army Air Forces engaged in combat against the Empire of Japan in the Central Pacific Area. As defined by the War Department, this consisted of most of the Pacific Ocean and its islands, excluding the Philippines, Australia, the Netherlands East Indies, the...