Johan Adolf Pengel International Airport
Encyclopedia
Johan Adolf Pengel International Airport , also known as Paramaribo-Zanderij International Airport, is an airport
located in the town of Zanderij
, 45 km south of Paramaribo
. It is Suriname
's main international gateway operated by Airport Management, Ltd./ NV Luchthavenbeheer.
, Zandery Airport was a Pan American World Airways
stop. After the fall of the Netherlands
to Nazi forces in 1940, the United States
obtained military basing rights to the airport from the Netherlands government-in-exile in London
. The first American forces arrived at the airport on 30 November 1941 and expanded the facilities to be a transport base for sending Lend-Lease
supplies to England
via air routes across the South Atlantic Ocean.
With the United States entry into the war in December 1941, the importance of Zandery Field increased drastically, becoming a major transport base on the South Atlantic route of Air Transport Command
ferrying supplies and personnel to Freetown Airport
, Sierra Leone
and onwards to the European and African theaters of the war. In addition, antisubmarine patrols were flown from the airfield over the southern Caribbean and South Atlantic coastlines.
Major USAAF units assigned to the airfield were:
With the end of World War II Zandery Airfield was reduced in scope to a skeleton staff. It was closed as a military facility on 30 April 1946 and turned over to Dutch authorities which returned it to a civil airport.
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
located in the town of Zanderij
Zanderij
Zanderij is a village located in the northern part of Suriname, situated 50 kilometres south of the capital Paramaribo on the Southern East-West Link. The Johan Adolf Pengel International Airport is located near the village....
, 45 km south of Paramaribo
Paramaribo
Paramaribo is the capital and largest city of Suriname, located on banks of the Suriname River in the Paramaribo District. Paramaribo has a population of roughly 250,000 people, more than half of Suriname's population...
. It is Suriname
Suriname
Suriname , officially the Republic of Suriname , is a country in northern South America. It borders French Guiana to the east, Guyana to the west, Brazil to the south, and on the north by the Atlantic Ocean. Suriname was a former colony of the British and of the Dutch, and was previously known as...
's main international gateway operated by Airport Management, Ltd./ NV Luchthavenbeheer.
Airlines and destinations
Charter
History
Prior to World War IIWorld 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...
, Zandery Airport was a Pan American World Airways
Pan American World Airways
Pan American World Airways, commonly known as Pan Am, was the principal and largest international air carrier in the United States from 1927 until its collapse on December 4, 1991...
stop. After the fall of the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
to Nazi forces in 1940, the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
obtained military basing rights to the airport from the Netherlands government-in-exile in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. The first American forces arrived at the airport on 30 November 1941 and expanded the facilities to be a transport base for sending Lend-Lease
Lend-Lease
Lend-Lease was the program under which the United States of America supplied the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, China, Free France, and other Allied nations with materiel between 1941 and 1945. It was signed into law on March 11, 1941, a year and a half after the outbreak of war in Europe in...
supplies to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
via air routes across the South Atlantic Ocean.
With the United States entry into the war in December 1941, the importance of Zandery Field increased drastically, becoming a major transport base on the South Atlantic route of Air Transport Command
Air Transport Command
Air Transport Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its mission was to meet the urgent demand for the speedy reinforcement of the United States' military bases worldwide during World War II, using an air supply system to supplement surface transport...
ferrying supplies and personnel to Freetown Airport
Lungi International Airport
-Incidents and accidents:On August 11th, 2004 at around 2:30 p.m. a Boeing 737 plane operated by Air Guinee Express crashed while failing to take off at Lungi Airport. None of the 70 passengers aboard were killed....
, Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has an estimated population between 5.4 and 6.4...
and onwards to the European and African theaters of the war. In addition, antisubmarine patrols were flown from the airfield over the southern Caribbean and South Atlantic coastlines.
Major USAAF units assigned to the airfield were:
- 35th Bombardment Squadron35th Bombardment SquadronThe 35th Bombardment Squadron a United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the 322d Bombardment Group, based at Phillips Field, Beltsville, Maryland...
(25th Bombardment Group25th Tactical Reconnaissance WingThe 25th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing is an inactive United States Air Force wing. Its last duty assignment was at Chambley-Bussieres Air Base, France.-History:...
) 1 November 1941-7 October 1943 (B-25 Mitchell)
- Detachment operated from: Atkinson FieldCheddi Jagan International AirportCheddi Jagan International Airport , formerly Timehri International Airport, is the national airport of Guyana. The airport is located on the right bank of the Demerara River in the city of Timehri, south of Guyana's capital, Georgetown.-History:...
, British GuianaBritish GuianaBritish Guiana was the name of the British colony on the northern coast of South America, now the independent nation of Guyana.The area was originally settled by the Dutch at the start of the 17th century as the colonies of Essequibo, Demerara, and Berbice...
, 1 November 1942-7 October 1943 - Detachment operated from: Piarco AirportPiarco International AirportPiarco International Airport is the main airport serving Trinidad and Tobago located in Piarco, a town in northern Trinidad, about east of the capital city, Port of Spain. It is one of two international airports serving the twin isle republic. The other is located on the island of Tobago, A.N.R...
, TrinidadTrinidadTrinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands and numerous landforms which make up the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. It is the southernmost island in the Caribbean and lies just off the northeastern coast of Venezuela. With an area of it is also the fifth largest in...
, 27 August-12 October 1943- 99th Bombardment Squadron99th Reconnaissance SquadronThe 99th Reconnaissance Squadron is part of the 9th Reconnaissance Wing at Beale Air Force Base, California. It operates U-2 Dragon Lady aircraft flying reconnaissance missions around the world.-Mission:...
(9th Bombardment Group), 3 December 1941-31 October 1942 (B-18 Bolo) - 22d Fighter Squadron22d Fighter SquadronThe 22d Fighter Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 52d Operations Group and stationed at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany. It was inactivated on 13 August 2010.-World War II:...
(36th Fighter Group36th WingThe United States Air Force's 36th Wing is the host wing for Andersen Air Force Base, Guam. It is part of United States Pacific Air Forces Thirteenth Air Force...
), 16 September 1942-16 September 1943) (P-39 Aircobras, later P-47 Thunderbolts) - 23d Antisubmarine Squadron (Trinidad Detachment, Antilles Air CommandAntilles Air CommandThe Antilles Air Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Sixth Air Force, based at Borinquen Field, Puerto Rico...
), 15 August–December 1943 (A-29 Hudson)
- 99th Bombardment Squadron
With the end of World War II Zandery Airfield was reduced in scope to a skeleton staff. It was closed as a military facility on 30 April 1946 and turned over to Dutch authorities which returned it to a civil airport.
Incidents and accidents
- On July 28, 1968: a United States Air ForceUnited States Air ForceThe United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
Douglas C-124C Globemaster II registration 51-5178 flying from Paramaribo-Zanderij to Recife, while on approach to land at Recife, flew into a 1890 feet high hill 80km (50 miles) away from Recife. The 10 occupants died. - On June 7, 1989, Surinam Airways Flight PY764Surinam Airways Flight PY764Surinam Airways Flight 764 was an international scheduled passenger flight from Amsterdam Airport Schiphol in the Netherlands to Paramaribo-Zanderij International Airport in Suriname on a Surinam Airways DC-8...
, a Douglas DC-8Douglas DC-8The Douglas DC-8 is a four-engined narrow-body passenger commercial jet airliner, manufactured from 1958 to 1972 by the Douglas Aircraft Company...
from Amsterdam Airport Schiphol in the NetherlandsNetherlandsThe Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
crashed during approach to Johan Adolf Pengel International Airport, killing 176 of the 187 on board. The crash was the worst ever aviation disaster in Suriname's history. Among the dead were fifteen Surinamese-Dutch professional football players.