Morse Field (Hawaii)
Encyclopedia
Morse Field is a former military airfield located approximately 12 miles (19.3 km) south-southwest of Naālehu, Hawaii. It was also known as South Cape Airport, South Point Air Force Station, or Ka Lae Military Reservation. It is now abandoned.
, the southernmost point on the island of Hawaii and consisted of 11.8 acres (4.8 ha) of land owned in fee simple
plus utility easements covering 21 acres (8.5 ha) of land.
, the transpacific air ferry route to Australia
and the Philippines
. Construction work, originally under the Zone Constructing Quartermaster, was transferred to the District Engineer in late 1940. A total of $1,534,793 was requested from the War Department in May for completion of the project; this amount later increased to $2,020,000.
The work on runways at Morse Field was suspended shortly after 7 December 1941 and all adjacent landing areas demolished and the strip destroyed as a precautionary measure against enemy use. By 28 December 1941, gasoline storage facilities were complete, a water line installed, and mobilization buildings were more than half finished. These projects were all that were deemed appropriate for continuance at the time.
Blocking of landing areas on the island occupied large amounts of time and manpower due to the extensive areas involved and the comparatively smooth surfaces surrounding the field, which could be used as landing fields.
After World War II
it was declared surplus and on January 16, 1948, a right of entry from the U.S. Army to the Territory of Hawaii
was approved. It was not until August 30, 1952 that the property was finally restored to the Territory by Executive Order.
It was later reopened, however, in support of Project Have Lent, a sounding rocket probe program to evaluate advanced ballistic reentry system experiments. The close proximity and aspect angle of South Point to the optical site sensors located on the island of Maui
were the primary reasons for launching the probes from this location.
In 1979, the Station was divided in two parcels located about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) apart, containing approximately 5.9 acres (23,876.5 m²) each. One of the sites was the main operations area, while the other areas was used for a boresight tower.
The Station was under the operational control of the Space and Missile Test Center (SAMTEC).
South Point AFS was one of the few Air Force installations in the State of Hawaii that did not fall under the control of the 15th Air Base Wing at Hickam AFB. It belonged to the Air Force Systems Command
(AFSC), with headquarters at Andrews AFB.
History
The facility was located at Ka LaeKa Lae
Ka Lae , also known as South Point, is the southernmost point of the Big Island of Hawaii and of the 50 United States. The Ka Lae area is registered as a National Historic Landmark District under the name South Point Complex...
, the southernmost point on the island of Hawaii and consisted of 11.8 acres (4.8 ha) of land owned in fee simple
Fee simple
In English law, a fee simple is an estate in land, a form of freehold ownership. It is the most common way that real estate is owned in common law countries, and is ordinarily the most complete ownership interest that can be had in real property short of allodial title, which is often reserved...
plus utility easements covering 21 acres (8.5 ha) of land.
Morse Field
In 1941 construction was underway on five buildings, runways, and access roads at Morse Field. Activities were centralized at this airport inasmuch as its location shortened by approximately 200 miles (321.9 km), from a routing through OahuOahu
Oahu or Oahu , known as "The Gathering Place", is the third largest of the Hawaiian Islands and most populous of the islands in the U.S. state of Hawaii. The state capital Honolulu is located on the southeast coast...
, the transpacific air ferry route to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. Construction work, originally under the Zone Constructing Quartermaster, was transferred to the District Engineer in late 1940. A total of $1,534,793 was requested from the War Department in May for completion of the project; this amount later increased to $2,020,000.
The work on runways at Morse Field was suspended shortly after 7 December 1941 and all adjacent landing areas demolished and the strip destroyed as a precautionary measure against enemy use. By 28 December 1941, gasoline storage facilities were complete, a water line installed, and mobilization buildings were more than half finished. These projects were all that were deemed appropriate for continuance at the time.
Blocking of landing areas on the island occupied large amounts of time and manpower due to the extensive areas involved and the comparatively smooth surfaces surrounding the field, which could be used as landing fields.
After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
it was declared surplus and on January 16, 1948, a right of entry from the U.S. Army to the Territory of Hawaii
Territory of Hawaii
The Territory of Hawaii or Hawaii Territory was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 7, 1898, until August 21, 1959, when its territory, with the exception of Johnston Atoll, was admitted to the Union as the fiftieth U.S. state, the State of Hawaii.The U.S...
was approved. It was not until August 30, 1952 that the property was finally restored to the Territory by Executive Order.
South Point Air Force Station
In December 1964, General Bernard A. Schriever of the AFSC announced that the Air Force would assume control of space tracking and communications from the Navy at South Point on 1 February 1965. Then on 30 September 1965, the Station was closed.It was later reopened, however, in support of Project Have Lent, a sounding rocket probe program to evaluate advanced ballistic reentry system experiments. The close proximity and aspect angle of South Point to the optical site sensors located on the island of Maui
Maui
The island of Maui is the second-largest of the Hawaiian Islands at and is the 17th largest island in the United States. Maui is part of the state of Hawaii and is the largest of Maui County's four islands, bigger than Lānai, Kahoolawe, and Molokai. In 2010, Maui had a population of 144,444,...
were the primary reasons for launching the probes from this location.
In 1979, the Station was divided in two parcels located about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) apart, containing approximately 5.9 acres (23,876.5 m²) each. One of the sites was the main operations area, while the other areas was used for a boresight tower.
The Station was under the operational control of the Space and Missile Test Center (SAMTEC).
South Point AFS was one of the few Air Force installations in the State of Hawaii that did not fall under the control of the 15th Air Base Wing at Hickam AFB. It belonged to the Air Force Systems Command
Air Force Systems Command
Air Force Systems Command is a former United States Air Force command. Its headquarters was located at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland...
(AFSC), with headquarters at Andrews AFB.
See also
- Hawaii World War II Army Airfields