Oahu

  1917 to present

  USA

CITY: ---

IATA/ICAO CODES: --- / ----

COORDINATES: 21°28'N / 157°59'W

OTHER NAMES: ---

Right: a map showing Oahu's various military airfields during World War II.

Oahu is Hawaii Archipelago's third largest island, and by far the most populated one. It is home to the state capital Honolulu. During World War II, the US military was extremelly active on the island, both fortifying it against possible Japanese attacks and using it as a staging base for Pacific campaigns. Several USAAF Commandos were based on Oahu late in the war or in the immediate post-war period, but no mention is made about the unit or airfield they were assigned to.

Here is a list of Oahu airfields active during that period, which were likely to have hosted these Commandos:

• Bellows Field - Air Force (1917 to 1958)
• Hickam Field - Air Force (1941 to present): major Air Transport Command base during and after WWII
• Wheeler Field - Air Force (1922 to 1991) & Army (1991 to present)

In addition, MCAS Ewa - Marine Corps (1925 to 1952) was documented to have hosted many USMC R5C-1s throughout the war and beyond.

Here is a list which were less likely to have hosted Commandos:

• NAS Barbers Point - Navy (1941 to 1999)
• NAS Ford Island - Navy (1919 to 1998)
• Haleiwa Airstrip - Air Force (1930's to 1950's): an auxiliary fighter base, satellite to Wheeler Field
• Kahuku AAF - Air Force (1942 to late 1940's): a fighter & bomber training base, satellite to Wheeler Field
• MCAS Kaneohe Bay - Marine Corps (1939 to 1949 & 1952 to present)
• Kipapa Airfield - Air Force (1941 to 1946): a fighter & bomber staging base
• Kualoa Airfield - Air Force (1942 to 1946): a fighter & reconnaissance training base, satellite to Bellows Field
• Mokule'ia Airstrip / Dillingham AFB - Air Force (1941 to present): a fighter base
• Stanley Field - Air Force (1942 to 1945): an auxiliary fighter base, satellite to Wheeler Field

Late in the war, and in the immediate post-war period, several Commandos were based on Oahu, but no mention is made of which unit they were assigned to. The following units were assigned to Oahu during that period and operated Commandos around that time:

1500^th, 1501^st & 1521^st AAF Base Unit (Hickam Field ATC)

Air Transport Command (Hickam Field, 1945 to 1946)

19^th Troop Carrier Squadron (Hickam Field, January 1941 to August 1948)

44^th Troop Carrier Squadron (Wheeler Field, September 1945 to March 1946)

45^th Troop Carrier Squadron (Wheeler Field, September 1945 to December 1945)

• Curtiss C-46A-45-CU Commando: 42-96737, 42-96742, 42-96743
• Curtiss C-46A-60-CK Commando: 43-47355, 43-47357
• Curtiss C-46D-20-CU Commando: 44-78392