North Auxiliary Airfield
Encyclopedia
North Air Force Auxiliary Airfield is a military airfield located 3 miles (4.8 km) east of North
, a town in Orangeburg County, South Carolina
, United States
.
It is owned by the U.S. Air Force and is used primarily for C-17 Globemaster III
training by the 437th Airlift Wing
and its Air Force Reserve "Associate" unit, the 315th Airlift Wing
, at Charleston Air Force Base
. Additional "bare base" operations are also conducted by the 20th Fighter Wing
at Shaw Air Force Base
and the 169th Fighter Wing
at McEntire Air National Guard Station. Other units can utilize North with prior coordination with the 437 AW. The 437th Civil Engineering Squadron (437 CES) of the 437th Airlift Wing
at Charleston AFB mainains a detachment to maintain and operate the airfield. The only permanently assigned personnel are 10 USAF firefighters and one civilian grounds keeper.
paved runway
s: the main runway (6/24) measuring 10,000 x 150 ft (3,048 x 46 m) and an assault runway (5/23) measuring 3,500 x 90 ft (1,067 x 27 m). The primary airstrip runs parallel to U.S. Route 178
but is screened from view from the road by trees.
The original dirt runway was constructed in April 1943 and used by Hughes Aircraft Company for testing, as well as being a satellite airfield of Columbia Army Air Base
, supporting B-25 Mitchell
medium bomber training for Third Air Force
III Air Support Command
. Training was accomplished by 74th Station Complement Squadron which also maintained the facility.
After the war, a 12,000 ft runway and a 3,000 ft assault runway were built. North Airfield (Later North Auxiliary Airfield, Northfield Air Base), has been under the jurisdiction of Fort Jackson
, Shaw AFB, the Department of Energy
, and on 1 October 1979, Charleston AFB assumed real property jurisdiction, control, and accountability over North Field.
North, South Carolina
North is a town in Orangeburg County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 813 at the 2000 census.-Geography:North is located at ....
, a town in Orangeburg County, South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
It is owned by the U.S. Air Force and is used primarily for C-17 Globemaster III
C-17 Globemaster III
The Boeing C-17 Globemaster III is a large military transport aircraft. Developed for the United States Air Force from the 1980s to the early 1990s by McDonnell Douglas, the C-17 is used for rapid strategic airlift of troops and cargo to main operating bases or forward operating bases throughout...
training by the 437th Airlift Wing
437th Airlift Wing
The 437th Airlift Wing is an active unit of the United States Air Force, assigned to 18th Air Force, Air Mobility Command. It is the mission wing at Charleston Air Force Base, Joint Base Charleston, in the City of North Charleston, South Carolina....
and its Air Force Reserve "Associate" unit, the 315th Airlift Wing
315th Airlift Wing
The 315th Airlift Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force Reserve. It is stationed at Charleston Air Force Base, in the City of North Charleston, South Carolina...
, at Charleston Air Force Base
Charleston Air Force Base
Joint Base Charleston is a United States military facility located in North Charleston, South Carolina. The facility is under the jurisdiction of the United States Air Force 628th Air Base Wing, Air Mobility Command...
. Additional "bare base" operations are also conducted by the 20th Fighter Wing
20th Fighter Wing
The 20th Fighter Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force and the host unit at Shaw Air Force Base South Carolina. The wing is assigned to Air Combat Command's Ninth Air Force.-Mission:...
at Shaw Air Force Base
Shaw Air Force Base
Shaw Air Force Base is a United States Military facility located approximately west-northwest of Sumter, South Carolina. It is under the jurisdiction of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command...
and the 169th Fighter Wing
169th Fighter Wing
The United States Air Force's 169th Fighter Wing is an Air National Guard fighter unit located at McEntire Joint National Guard Station, South Carolina...
at McEntire Air National Guard Station. Other units can utilize North with prior coordination with the 437 AW. The 437th Civil Engineering Squadron (437 CES) of the 437th Airlift Wing
437th Airlift Wing
The 437th Airlift Wing is an active unit of the United States Air Force, assigned to 18th Air Force, Air Mobility Command. It is the mission wing at Charleston Air Force Base, Joint Base Charleston, in the City of North Charleston, South Carolina....
at Charleston AFB mainains a detachment to maintain and operate the airfield. The only permanently assigned personnel are 10 USAF firefighters and one civilian grounds keeper.
Facilities
North Auxiliary Airfield covers an area of 2400 acres (971 ha), of which 1150 acres (465 ha) are undeveloped. It contains two asphaltAsphalt
Asphalt or , also known as bitumen, is a sticky, black and highly viscous liquid or semi-solid that is present in most crude petroleums and in some natural deposits, it is a substance classed as a pitch...
paved runway
Runway
According to ICAO a runway is a "defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and take-off of aircraft." Runways may be a man-made surface or a natural surface .- Orientation and dimensions :Runways are named by a number between 01 and 36, which is generally one tenth...
s: the main runway (6/24) measuring 10,000 x 150 ft (3,048 x 46 m) and an assault runway (5/23) measuring 3,500 x 90 ft (1,067 x 27 m). The primary airstrip runs parallel to U.S. Route 178
U.S. Route 178
U.S. Highway 178 is a spur of U.S. Highway 78. It currently runs for 237 miles from Dorchester, South Carolina at U.S. Highway 78 to Rosman, North Carolina at U.S. Highway 64. It passes through the states of South Carolina and North Carolina...
but is screened from view from the road by trees.
History
The land for North Army Airfield was bought between 1942 and 1945. The airfield was built by the United States Army Air ForcesUnited States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II, and the direct predecessor of the United States Air Force....
The original dirt runway was constructed in April 1943 and used by Hughes Aircraft Company for testing, as well as being a satellite airfield of Columbia Army Air Base
Columbia Metropolitan Airport
Columbia Metropolitan Airport is the main airport for Columbia, South Carolina. The airport lies five miles southwest of Columbia's central business district, in Lexington County.-Airlines and destinations:...
, supporting B-25 Mitchell
B-25 Mitchell
The North American B-25 Mitchell was an American twin-engined medium bomber manufactured by North American Aviation. It was used by many Allied air forces, in every theater of World War II, as well as many other air forces after the war ended, and saw service across four decades.The B-25 was named...
medium bomber training for Third Air Force
Third Air Force
The Third Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Forces in Europe . It is headquartered at Ramstein Air Base, Germany....
III Air Support Command
III Air Support Command
The III Air Support Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Third Air Force stationed at Drew Field, Florida. It was inactivated on 16 March 1942.-Lineage:...
. Training was accomplished by 74th Station Complement Squadron which also maintained the facility.
After the war, a 12,000 ft runway and a 3,000 ft assault runway were built. North Airfield (Later North Auxiliary Airfield, Northfield Air Base), has been under the jurisdiction of Fort Jackson
Fort Jackson
Fort Jackson can refer to several places or things:*Fort Jackson , also called Fort Toulouse, a War of 1812 fort*Fort Jackson , a frontier trading post located near present-day Ione, Colorado...
, Shaw AFB, the Department of Energy
United States Department of Energy
The United States Department of Energy is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government concerned with the United States' policies regarding energy and safety in handling nuclear material...
, and on 1 October 1979, Charleston AFB assumed real property jurisdiction, control, and accountability over North Field.
See also
- South Carolina World War II Army AirfieldsSouth Carolina World War II Army AirfieldsDuring World War II, the United States Army Air Force established numerous airfields in South Carolina for antisubmarine defense in the Gulf of Mexico and for training pilots and aircrews of USAAF fighters and bombers....
External links
- North Auxiliary Airfield at Town of North web site