Tinian North Field National Historic Landmark

Welcome to Site NHL-1, the 8th Avenue Roundabout. Our tour begins here:

Just a couple hundred feet from the 8th Ave. Roundabout is the entrance to NHL-2, the American Cemetery.

Although the cemetery was previously hidden under 60 years of vegetative growth and weathered material, more recent technology and remote sensing data from 2020 allow us to clearly pinpoint the cemetery's location and explore the dimensions of its features.

The 13th Naval Construction Battalion and 509th Composite Group's large camp is full of interesting sites, including the "4 Helmets Memorial". NHL-3 is highlighted below.

Some sites within the National Historic Landmark pre-date WWII... by thousands of years. Situated between Japanese bunkers at a key shoreline invasion site is NHL-4, the Unai Chulu (Chulu Beach) Latte Site.

Unai Chulu and Unai Babui (photo below), together comprising site NHL-5, were pivotal in the American capture of Tinian.

The Unai Chulu landing beach is bookended with two Japanese bunkers at its northern and southern periphery. These bunkers form site NHL-6.

Just inland from the sites at Unai Chulu is a critical natural resource - "Lake" Hagoi. The wetland comprising Site NHL-7 has stood the test of time as a key water source.

Crossing the Landmark to its eastern perimeter brings us to Site NHL-8, Lennox Avenue:

Site NHL-9 is expansive, covering North Field's complex of runways. The most famous of these, Runway Able, provides visitors with an immersive experience as it guides vehicles between various NHL sites:

Just off the tarmac at the airfield facilities sits the large headquarters of the Imperial Japanese Navy (NHL-10):

One of the best preserved structures at North Field, the Japanese-American Control Tower (NHL-11) was a critical facility both pre and post-capture of Tinian:

The area around the northern perimeter of the North Field runways is lined with significant features and structures. These collectively form site NHL-12:

NHL-12 Facilities: Air raid shelters and bomb-proof power plant:

In the vicinity of the Hagoi Airdrome sites is a partially hidden fuel storage bunker (NHL-13). Dug into the base of a limestone bluff, the bunker provides visitors with a unique view of how the Imperial Navy leveraged the natural landscape:

Just east of the Hagoi Airdrome facilities and fuel storage bunker is a servicing apron (NHL-14) used for maintenance operations among the B-29 aircraft. This site was critical in ensuring the B-29s had successful flights:

The southeast corner of the Landmark is defined by site NHL-15, the Broadway Avenue Roundabout. The site is unique for the Japanese shrine occupying its center - the first memorial to be built in the Pacific after the War.

Near the northern boundary of the National Historic Landmark sits NHL-16, the 1st Ordnance Squadron Facility. This site is where the Manhattan Project really came to life, with scientists from Los Alamos and the Project Alberta Team collaborating on the assembly of the atomic bombs:

Site NHL-17 is comprised of three bomb assembly facilities within the broader space used for Project Alberta. The clearing visible in the interactive map is the site of Assembly Building #1, where "Little Boy" was assembled.

Once assembled at NHL-17, the bombs were transported to site NHL-18, the loading pits where B-29s acquired their explosive cargo:

The B-29 missions were dangerous, and it took a coordinated effort to ensure a safe return to Tinian. A key component of this was a homing beacon constructed on Mt. Lasso. The tripod pedestals of this beacon remain standing on site NHL-19 to this day:

Near the entrance to the Landmark's discontiguous area around Mt. Lasso is the remains of a hospital facility (NHL-20), which treated wounded airmen returning from Japan: