Tinian Mayor Edwin P. Aldan, right, and Senate President Karl King-Nabors join U.S. Air Force officials in the groundbreaking ceremony for the Tinian North Field runway rehabilitation project.
Contributed photo
THE U.S. Air Force 513th Expeditionary Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operational Repair Squadron Engineers or RED HORSE held a groundbreaking ceremony on Monday for the rehabilitation of North Field runways on Tinian.
Joining U.S. Air Force officials and RED HORSE team members were Tinian Mayor Edwin P. Aldan and Senate President Karl King-Nabors.
Tinian’s North Field was the launching site of the B-29 Superfortress Enola Gay, which carried Little Boy, the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima on Aug. 6, 1945.
In his remarks, Aldan expressed sincere appreciation to everyone in attendance for joining the ceremony, saying the history in Tinian’s North Field “is alive beneath our feet.”
He noted that 80 years ago, the area was the largest airfield in the world — a place that played a central role in the events of World War II that shaped the course of history.
Over the past decades, Runway Able, Runway Charley, and the roads leading to them have stood silent, overtaken by time and nature, he said.
“Today, we begin the work of restoring this historic site — not only for its military significance, but for its legacy and its future,” Aldan said.
He added that the runway restoration project represents more than applying asphalt and concrete. “It is about honoring those who served, preserving the memory of what happened here, and ensuring that North Field remains a place where history is not forgotten but understood,” he said.
At the same time, Aldan said, the project is about preparing for the future — building resilience, strengthening partnerships, and investing in national security for a stronger and safer Indo-Pacific. By strengthening North Field as a contingency location, he said, “we help to ensure that our nation and its allies can respond quickly, flexibly, and effectively to any challenge — promoting stability and protecting peace throughout our region.”
He also thanked the U.S. Air Force 513th Expeditionary RED HORSE Squadron and all partners dedicating their skills, labor, and resources to the effort. “Their work demonstrates not only engineering excellence, but also the spirit of cooperation that defines our shared mission,” he said.
