Minami Torishima Airport

Minami Torishima Airbase Marcus Island Airport
Minami Torishima Airbase in view on the island, Minami Torishima
IATA: MUS – ICAO: RJAM
Summary
Airport type	Military
Owner/Operator	Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force
Serves	Minami Torishima
Elevation AMSL	22 ft / 7 m
Coordinates	24°17′23″N 153°58′45″E / 24.28972°N 153.97917°ECoordinates: 24°17′23″N 153°58′45″E / 24.28972°N 153.97917°E
Map
Location
Runways
Direction Length Surface m ft 05/23 1,371 4,498 Concrete
Source: Japanese AIP at AIS Japan[1]

'Minami Torishima Airbase (Japanese: 南鳥島航空基地; often called Marcus Island Airport) is a one runway airport serving the island of Minami Torishima. The aerodrome used to be a military airstrip and according to the Japanese Aeronautical Information Service it is still operated by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.^[1]

View of original airstrip in 1945

The airstrip existence dates to 1935 when the Imperial Japanese Navy built one to serve a meteorological station. The original airfield consisted of two airstrips (cleared area of 4000' and 4500', but only shorter sections used as landing area) in a v-shaped formation.^[2]

The airstrips facilities were damaged by US bombing of the island during World War II,^[3] it was re-built with a single runway by the United States. Until 1993, the airstrip was used and controlled by the United States Coast Guard to service the nearby LORAN-C station. In 2009 the airstrip was transferred to the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force which currently retains control of the airstrip and is used by the Japan Meteorological Agency to service and staff their operations on the island.

References

1. AIS Japan
2. http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USN/USN-CN-Raids/maps/USN-CN-Raids-10.jpg Drawing of island and original airstrip c.1940s
3. http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USN/USN-CN-Raids/USN-CN-Raids-3.html