Tinian Naval Advanced Base was a major United States Navy sea and air base on Tinian Island, part of the Northern Mariana Islands on the east side of the Philippine Sea in the Pacific Ocean. The base was built during World War II to support bombers and patrol aircraft in the Pacific War. The main port was built at the city and port of San Jose, also called Tinian Harbor. All construction was carried out by the Navy's Seabees 6th Naval Construction Brigade, including the main two airfields: West Field and North FieldUnited States Army Air Forces's long-range Boeing B-29 Superfortress bombers. The Navy disestablished the Tinian Naval Advanced Base on 1 December 1946.
Seabee Vance Shoemate directs truckers to unload coral for B-29 bomber runway on Tinian. In the background is a fleet of trucks awaiting their turn for leads from the scoop shovel.
Construction work on Tinian Harbor
Tinian Island in 1945: the vast North Field airfield is in the foreground with West Field beyond; the rest of the island is filled with barracks, buildings, and hangars
USS LST-886 and USS LST-945 unload fuel at Tinian
The Battle of Tinian was part of the Pacific campaign of World War II. It was fought between the United States and Japan on the island of Tinian in the Mariana Islands from 24 July until 1 August 1944. The Mariana Islands were targeted because of their location astride the Japanese line of communications. Tinian lay too close to Saipan to allow it to be bypassed and remain in Japanese hands. The 9,000-strong Japanese garrison was eliminated, and the island joined Saipan and Guam as a base for Boeing B-29 Superfortress bombers.
An LVT churns through the surf bound for beaches of Tinian
Oblique photograph of White Beach 1 taken before naval gunfire, artillery, air and bulldozers altered its appearance.
Oblique photograph of White Beach 2
Japanese defense sectors and dispositions of major units