Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields:
Hawaii, Northern Oahu Island
© 2001, © 2006 by Paul Freeman. Revised 2/17/06.
Haleiwa Fighter Strip (revised 2/16/06) - Kahuku AAF / Kuilima Air Park (revised 7/25/04)
Mokuleia AAF / Dillingham AFB (revised 2/17/06)
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Kahuku Army Airfield / Kuilima Air Park, Kahuku, HI
21.71 North / 157.97 West (North of Honolulu, HI)
The three Kahuku Airfields, as depicted on a 1943 USGS topo map (courtesy of John Voss).
The northern tip of Oahu Island had a total of three airfields in close proximity during WW2.
The date of construction of these three airfields has not been determined,
but it is presumed that they were all constructed early in WW2,
and were not pre-war civilian airfields.
The Kahuku Point Airfield was located at the very tip of Kahuku Point, and was evidently the most elaborate.
The date of construction of the Kahuku Point Airfield has not been determined,
but a 8/20/42 aerial photo depicted it having a single paved runway by that point.
A 1943 USGS topo map depicted the "Kahuku Point" Airfield,
as well as two others, further down the coast to the southeast: "Kahuku Golf Course" & "Kahuku Village".
All three of the Kahuku airfields were subtitled "Emer",
and were depicted as single runways paralleling the shore.
It is not known what actual use the Kahuku airfields may have served during the war,
or whether they were merely emergency strips that did not end up actually being used.
According to John Szalay, both B-24s & B-17s were based at Kahuku for short periods of time during WW2.
The April 1945 V-450 Hawaiian Islands U.S. Navy Aviation Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
depicted the airfield at Kahuku Point as having a control tower.
Also note the “cross” symbol (depicting an “Emergency Field”) to the southeast, at the location of the "Kahuku Golf Course" Airfield.
All three of the Kahuku airfields were evidently closed by the end of WW2,
and presumably did not see any post-war reuse as airfields.
"Kahuku AAB" was depicted on the 1947 Hawaiian Islands Sectional Chart (courtesy of John Voss)
as a closed airfield, having a 6,500' hard-surface runway.
This was presumably the former "Kahuku Point" Airfield.
The other two Kahuku airfields were not depicted at all.
During the 1950s-70s, the area northwest of the town of Kahuku
was used as the location of the Army's OA-17 Nike missile battery,
part of a network of four Nike surface-to-air missile batteries in Oahu.
No airfields at Kahuku were depicted on the October 1954 Hawaiian Islands Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
According to John Szalay, "In the early 1960s prior to the opening of the Campbell race course,
we used to race at Kahuku, both drag racing & the first Hawaii sports car race (Grand Prix).
I remember one long runway & a taxiway with a wide area to the south on the west end of the runway.
There were a couple of small parking spots for aircraft on the northern part (seaside)
but in the 1960s they were almost covered by blowing sand & grass."
David Falconer recalled, “When I lived on Oahu [1971-74]
I met the people that were running the RCA radio site [at the site of the Kahuku airfield].
I was told that the airfield was a reloading air strip for the bombers from the bunkers in the hills.
While they were building the airstrip the army lost a couple of bulldozers in the sand
due to the volcano tubes that ran underneath the sand.
This radio station was the one that put out the message about Pearl Harbor being bombed
and was the only communications link to the mainland.
It was built to support the B-17's that was why it had two long runways with asphalt & concrete.
There was a rail line that moved the bombs/ammunition from the hills to the runway.”
At some point between 1954-77 the former Kahuku Point airfield was apparently reused as a private civil airfield,
as that is how "Kuilima Air Park" was depicted on the December 1977 Hawaiian Islands Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It was depicted as having a single 2,700' hard-surface runway.
The 1983 USGS topo map depicted a single 2,800' runway
at the location of the former Kahuku Point Airfield, labeled simply "Landing Strip".
However, it also depicted much longer (5,200') cleared area resembling another runway,
running south of the "Landing Strip" to the south.
At the site of the former Kahuku Golf Course Airfield, it depicted a 6,500' long cleared area, unlabeled.
At the site of the former Kahuku Village Airfield, it depicted the "Kahuku Golf Course".
The 2000 NOAA aerial view of the site of the former Kahuku Golf Course Airfield
shows that a considerable length of the asphalt runway remains intact.
The 2000 NOAA aerial view of the site of the former Kahuku Point Airfield
shows that it has been redeveloped as a hotel golf course,
and not a trace appears to remain of the former runway.
The 2001 USGS topo map depicted two parallel runways (2,800' & 4,200')
at the site of the former Kahuku Point Airfield, labeled "Kahuku Airfield".
It depicted a single 2,800' runway at the site of the former Kahuku Golf Course Airfield, labeled "Landing Strip".
It did not depict anything at the site of the former Kahuku Village Airfield.
According to the Hawaiian Aviation History Pages,
Kahuku Army Air Field is located just east of the Turtle Bay Hilton,
and the Hilton's golf course has absorbed most of one of the two runways.
That site also reported of "a rumor about it becoming a private airport
to service the Polynesian Cultural Center for tourists from other islands."
CW2 Matt Hobbs (an Army Blackhawk pilot stationed at nearby Wheeler AAF) reported in 2004,
"I fly over the old runway at Kahuku often.
It looks like there are the remnants of an old operations building or something."
A 2004 aerial view looking southeast at the northwestern end of the former Kahuku Golf Course Airfield runway.
Ando Hiroshi reported in 2004, "The building where two runways merge
is the original Marconi radio transmitter facility.
It's been long gone & they are building something new there.
Way back when, Marconi from Italy
installed the first radio transmitter in the US with conjunction with
RCA
and they used to have a big antenna over there."
A 2004 aerial view looking south at the southeastern end of the former Kahuku Golf Course Airfield runway.
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Haleiwa Fighter Strip, Haleiwa HI
21.6 North / 158.1 West (Northwest of Honolulu, HI)
An April 27 1933 aerial view looking east at Haleiwa Airfield,
(courtesy of the 15th Airlift Wing History Office, via Colin Perry of the Hawaii Aviation Preservation Society),
showing several B-6A biplanes on the field.
The date of construction of the Haleiwa airfield has not been determined.
The earliest depiction of the field which has been located
was 4/27/33 aerial photo at the Hawaiian Aviation History Pages,
which depicted a group of B-6A biplanes on a modest grass field at Haleiwa.
This obscure former military strip became famous as the only airfield from which American fighters
were able to launch to mount a defense against the Pearl Harbor Attack in 1941.
From the book "The Way It Was: Pearl Harbor, The Original Photographs" (via Tom Kramer):
"Bellows was palatial beside Haleiwa Field, which had no installations at all.
Originally used as an emergency landing field,
in 1941 it had only an unpaved landing strip & it was in use to simulate real battle conditions for gunnery training.
Those on temporary duty there had to bring their own tents & equipment.
On 7 December, the 47th Pursuit Squadron was at Haleiwa & there had its first taste of actual combat."
"The Americans took off - or tried to take off - in three distinct groups.
The most successful were five pilots from the 47th Pursuit Squadron
who survived a wild ride in two separate cars up from Wheeler Field,
where they had spent the night, to Haleiwa Field, where their squadron was training.
Just enough aircraft were available - five P-40s & a P-36A.
These five fliers accounted for as many as seven aircraft.
The most successful, 2nd Lt. George Welch (four victories),
took off first & engaged the enemy over Ewa & Wahialua.
Taylor & Welch were both awarded the Distinguished Service Cross."
Walsh & Taylor's dramatic ride & takeoff was shown in "Tora, Tora, Tora",
though the strip used in the filming of that movie was up near Wheeler Field & surrounded by hills.
A WW2-era photo (courtesy of Dave Fahrenwald of Hawaiian Aviation History)
depicted a Bell P-39 taxiing past a temporary wooden control tower & another wooden building at Haleiwa.
A 1942 aerial view looking west at Haleiwa Airfield
(courtesy of the 15th Airlift Wing History Office, via Colin Perry of the Hawaii Aviation Preservation Society),
with P-40s visible parked on the field.
A 1942 aerial view of the Haleiwa Airfield
(courtesy of the 15th Airlift Wing History Office, via Colin Perry of the Hawaii Aviation Preservation Society).
Haleiwa Airfield, as depicted on the April 1945 V-450 Hawaiian Islands U.S. Navy Aviation Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
The Haleiwa Airport was apparently reused after WW2 (at least for a brief period of time) as a civilian airport.
Q.R. Wood recalled, “I was a Pvt/Pfc in the USMC & arrived in Hawaii aboard the aircraft carrier Shangri La.
I think it was April or May 1946.
I was stationed at MCAS Ewa for 2 years (almost to the day).
I spent most of my $75/90 a month to take flying lessons
from one of the flying services who had planes & buildings at the Haleiwa Airport.
As I remember it there were 7 Fixed Base Operations active during the time I was there.
I soloed there in a Piper J-3 Cub & went on to earn my Private Pilots license there too.”
"Haleiwa" was depicted as a civilian airport on the 1947 Hawaiian Islands Sectional Chart (courtesy of John Voss).
It was described as having a 4,800' hard-surface runway.
The Haleiwa Airport was apparently abandoned at some point between 1947-61,
as it was not depicted at all on the 1961 Honolulu Sectional Chart (courtesy of John Voss),
and was not depicted at all on recent USGS topo maps.
Former HI resident Tom Kramer reported,
"The strip was made of concrete slabs when I saw it, as was the hardstand.
It did have some sort of control tower later on & the footers were there."
As seen in the 2000 NOAA aerial view,
the remains of the runway at Haleiwa are still recognizable.
A 2004 aerial view looking south at the former Haleiwa Fighter Strip runway.
In 2004 Marissa Guilford reported that the Hawaiian Historical Aviation Foundation
is proposing to preserve the Haleiwa Airfield & establish an air museum.
A 2005 photo by David Trojan of a building foundation which remains at the site of the Haleiwa Airfield
(courtesy of Colin Perry of the Hawaii Aviation Preservation Society).
A 2005 photo by David Trojan of the remains of asphalt runway pavement at the site of the Haleiwa Airfield
(courtesy of Colin Perry of the Hawaii Aviation Preservation Society).
The site of the Haleiwa Fighter Strip is located north of the intersection of Route 83 & Kahalewai Place.
See also: "Where Were You in '42: A Guide to World War II Historical Sites in Hawaii."
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Mokuleia Army Airfield / Dillingham Air Force Base (HDH), Mokuleia, HI
21.58 North / 158.2 West (Northwest of Honolulu, HI)
A February 1942 photo of P-40 Warhawks of the 72nd Pursuit Squadron at Mokuleia Field
(courtesy of the 15th Airlift Wing History Office, via Colin Perry of the Hawaii Aviation Preservation Society),
This shot is fairly rare, in that it depicted a small bomb mounted under each P-40.
This field was originally built during WW2 as Mokuleia Army Airfield.
The date of construction of the Mokuleia airfield has not been determined.
The earliest depiction of the field which has been located
was a February 1942 photo of P-40 Warhawks of the 72nd Pursuit Squadron
at Mokuleia Field (courtesy of Dave Fahrenwald of Hawaiian Aviation History).
A July 29, 1942 aerial view looking southwest at Mokuleia Field (courtesy of Dave Fahrenwald of Hawaiian Aviation History).
The field was already in its ultimate configuration,
with two paved runways & a row of bunkers along the south side of the field.
A 1943 picture of a B-24 Liberator performing a run-up in the engine maintenance area
within a revetment at Mokuleia Field (courtesy of Tom Kramer).
The April 1945 V-450 Hawaiian Islands U.S. Navy Aviation Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
depicted Mokuleia as having a control tower.
Mokuleia was apparently closed at some point between 1945-47,
as it was labeled "Mokuleia (Closed)" on the 1947 Hawaiian Islands Sectional Chart (courtesy of John Voss).
It was described as having a 8,900' hard-surface runway.
At some point after 1947 the field was renamed Dillingham Air Force Base.
A July 30 1948 photo of Dillingham's control tower (courtesy of Dave Fahrenwald of Hawaiian Aviation History).
In this December 1953 aerial view of Dillingham
(courtesy of the 15th Airlift Wing History Office, via Colin Perry of the Hawaii Aviation Preservation Society),
two large multi-engine aircraft are visible on the runway, with several more in the revetments on the east side of the field,
and a large number of single-engine aircraft are visible along the revetments on the north side of the field.
Dillingham was evidently closed at some point between 1953-54,
as it was labeled "Dillingham AFB (closed)" on the October 1954 Hawaiian Islands Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
The field was shown as having two paved runways,
with the longest being the 9,180' Runway 8/26.
"Dillingham AFB (closed)" was depicted on the 1955 Honolulu Local Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
as having a 9,200' hard surface runway.
During the 1950s, some portion of the Dillingham airfield site was used as the location
for the Army's Nike surface-to-air missile Launch Site for Battery OA-84.
Dillingham was still depicted as a closed airfield on the 1961 Honolulu Sectional Chart (courtesy of John Voss).
The Dillingham property was relinquished by the Air Force back to the Army in 1975.
At some point between 1975-77,
the Army allowed the airfield to be reopened as a civil airport through a joint-use agreement.
The remarks in the December 1977 Hawaiian Islands Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy) said,
"Open to civil use through agreement between the US Army & the State of Hawaii.
A 5,000' x 60' runway for light powered aircraft has been painted
in the center of the existing 9,000' x 100' paved area for civil use."
The 1981 Hawaii Airports & Flying Safety Guide (courtesy of Jonathan Westerling)
depicted Dillingham Airfield as having a 9,000' paved Runway 8/26,
along with the abandoned crosswind runway.
The airfield was described as being open to civil aircraft "for day VFR operations only."
The airport attendant was listed as Philip Chee.
A circa 1980s-90s aerial view looking east at Dillingham.
A 1990 aerial view looking northeast at Dillingham.
Dillingham is still used as a civilian airport, primarily to provide glider rides for tourists.
The airfield consists of two paved runways.
The largest runway is the only one still maintained: 8/26, 9,007' long by 300' wide.
A 4,400' crosswind runway still exists but has been abandoned.
Near the west end of the primary runway, a revetment still exists (as of 2001),
among those that were built during WW2 when it was believed by most American planners
that the Japanese would return to attack Hawaii.
A circa 2000 aerial view looking east at Dillingham,
taken from final approach for Runway 8 (courtesy of Dave Fahrenwald of Hawaiian Aviation History).
A circa 2000 photo of the ruins of a brick building
near Dillingham's former Nike missile site (courtesy of Dave Fahrenwald of Hawaiian Aviation History),
A circa 2000 photo looking southwest along Dillingham's abandoned crosswind Runway 4/22 (courtesy of Dave Fahrenwald of Hawaiian Aviation History).
A circa 2000 photo of one of the concrete revetments near the airfield (courtesy of Dave Fahrenwald of Hawaiian Aviation History).
See the 1943 picture at the top of this section of a B-24 parked inside one of the same revetments.
A 2000 NOAA aerial view of Dillingham.
A close-up of the planes on Dillingham's ramp from the 2000 NOAA aerial view.
R. Arnold reported in 2003 that "Dillingham has been a general aviation field for several years now.
It has an active glider base, sky diving club, and many private aircraft are based there.
I fly in & out of Dillingham on a weekly basis."
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