Wake Island Airfield

Wake Island Airfield is a military air base located on Wake Island in the Pacific Ocean. Its construction began in 1935, initially as a seaplane base for Pan American World Airways. Jurisdiction of Wake Island was transferred to the Navy Department, leading to the establishment of a full-scale military air base with a runway for land-based aircraft between 1940 and 1941. The airfield was involved in the Battle of Wake Island in 1941 and was held by Japan until September 1945.

Post-war, the airfield served as a crucial refueling stop for numerous airlines, including Pan American World Airways, Japan Airlines, British Overseas Airways Corporation, Transocean Air Lines, Real Transportes Aereos, and Philippine Airlines, for transpacific flights until the 1970s when longer-range jet aircraft made such stops less necessary. Notable historical events include a meeting between President Harry Truman and General Douglas MacArthur in 1950.

Today, Wake Island Airfield is owned by the U.S. Air Force and operated by the 611th Air Support Group, with the Pacific Air Forces Regional Support Center serving as the garrison. It remains operational, supporting refueling stops and missile defense system development and testing. The airfield can also accommodate emergency landings for commercial jetliners. The runway and support facilities underwent modernization between 2020 and 2021, including improvements to lighting, drainage, and surface repairs. The airfield features one asphalt runway, designated 10/28, measuring 3,000.4 meters in length.