[Craig 930 RS]

Evaluation of Significance

The designation as a national historic landmark by the Secretary of the Interior in 1985 determined the national significance of the historic World War II resources connected with North Field. The historical significance of the landmark is based primarily on its role as a major American airbase for the B-29 Superfortress heavy bomber during the later part of World War II in the Pacific. From North Field and from Isley Field on nearby Saipan, massive air raids, at times involving hundreds of B-29s, were carried out on the home islands of the Japanese Empire. Moreover, North Field was the airbase from which the atomic bomb attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki were staged. These events were major contributions to the destruction of Japanese industry and cities and the ending of World War II.

North Field, when completed in 1945, was the largest airbase in the Pacific, perhaps in the world. Each of its four parallel runways stretch east and west for 8,500 feet. Around and in between the runways are nearly eleven miles of taxiways. Hardstands were constructed for 265 B-29s. Two large asphalt aprons still exist.

Just to the north of the northernmost runway is a special asphalt service apron and two pits. Here, the two B-29s "Enola Gay" and "Bock's Car" were loaded with the first and only atomic bombs to be used in warfare. The two pits were constructed because the bombs were too large to be placed under the B-29s for normal loading procedures. The pits are now filled with earth and landscaped and in front of each is a bronze historic plaque mounted on a concrete pedestal. As noted, present uses of the national historic landmark property include: Runway One for military fixed-wing and helicopter landings and take-offs and Runway Two for parachute drops and helicopter operations. The boundaries of the landmark and the contributing properties of the landmark are presently under review for expansion to include the U.S. Army Air Force North Service Group facility areas, the 18th Naval CB/509th Composite Group camp and the Asahi Shrine.

Except for the normal process of aging, the physical condition of the historic World War II resources connected with North Field are well preserved and their basic integrity remains intact.