Carlsen Field file photo [32150]

Carlsen Field

Type   271 Navy Base
Historical Name of Location   Chaguanas, Trinidad
Coordinates   10.487694000, -61.386578000

Contributor:

ww2dbaseIn Sep 1940, through the Destroyers for Bases Agreement between the United States and the United Kingdom, US gained rights to the land upon which the air base Edinburgh Field was built in Trinidad. It was completed in 1942. It had originally been intended only as an overflow facility for Air Transport Command transport aircraft headed for nearby Waller Field, but it would eventually grow into a full airfield in its own right, possessing three parallel paved runways 5,000 feet by 150 feet, 5,000 feet by 150 feet, and 2,000 feet by 300 feet in dimensions, one of which was generally used only during emergencies. In Nov 1943, it was renamed Carlsen Field. Officially a US Army base and hosted mostly bombers, it was also home to a number of US Navy fighters and airships (since the fall of of 1943) and British Royal Air Force aircraft. After the war, the based was reduced to a skeleton crew, and it was placed under the command of the 24th Composite Wing based at Borinquen Field in Puerto Rico. In 1947 Navy C-47 operations at Waller were moved to Carlsen. In Mar 1948, it was renamed Carlsen Air Force Base, and two months later it was transferred to the US Navy. The US Navy operated Carlsen as a naval fuel annex and an airship base. In Jan 1950, the base was decommissioned. Today, farms and residential neighborhoods can be found on the land formerly occupied by Edinburgh/Carlsen; the Edinburgh neighborhood and a street by the same name, and the street by the name of Xeres, are named after the two primary runways of the WW2-era base.

ww2dbaseSource: Wikipedia

Last Major Update: Dec 2022



Carlsen Field Interactive Map

Photographs

Airship hangar, Carlsen Field, Trinidad, 1940sAerial view of Carlsen Field, Trinidad, 13 Dec 1947; photo taken by aircraft of USAF 39th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron

Carlsen Field Timeline

23 Aug 1942 USAAF 1st Bombardment Squadron, operating B-18 Bolo bombers, arrived at Edinburgh Field in Trinidad.
20 Sep 1942 USAAF 2nd Search Attack Squadron, operating B-18 Bolo bombers, arrived at Edinburgh Field in Trinidad.
6 Oct 1942 USAAF 4th Antisubmarine Squadron, operating B-18 Bolo bombers, arrived at Edinburgh Field in Trinidad.
9 Oct 1942 USAAF 4th Antisubmarine Squadron departed Edinburgh Field in Trinidad.
21 Oct 1942 USAAF 2nd Search Attack Squadron departed Edinburgh Field in Trinidad.
31 Oct 1942 USAAF 1st Bombardment Squadron departed Edinburgh Field in Trinidad.
1 Nov 1942 The headquarters of USAAF 25th Bombardment Group was established at Edinburgh Field in Trinidad.
20 Apr 1943 USAAF 851st Bombardment Squadron, operating B-18 Bolo bombers, arrived at Edinburgh Field in Trinidad.
12 Jul 1943 USAAF 59th Bombardment Squadron, operating B-18 Bolo bombers, arrived at Edinburgh Field in Trinidad.
20 Jul 1943 USAAF 851st Bombardment Squadron, operating B-18 Bolo bombers, departed Edinburgh Field in Trinidad.
1 Aug 1943 The headquarters of USAAF 25th Bombardment Group departed from Edinburgh Field in Trinidad.
5 Aug 1943 The USAAF 23rd Antisubmarine Squadron, operation A-29 Hudson aircraft, arrived at Edinburgh Field in Trinidad.
1 Oct 1943 USAAF Bombardment Squadron departed Edinburgh Field in Trinidad.
3 Nov 1943 Edinburgh Field in Trinidad was renamed Carlsen Field.
24 Dec 1943 The USAAF 23rd Antisubmarine Squadron departed Carlsen Field in Trinidad.
7 Feb 1944 USAAF 35th Bombardment Squadron, operating B-25 Mitchell bombers, arrived in Carlsen Field in Trinidad.
24 Mar 1944 USAAF 35th Bombardment Squadron departed Carlsen Field in Trinidad.
26 Mar 1948 Carlsen Field in Trinidad was renamed Carlsen Air Force Base by the US Department of the Air Force General Order Number 10.
28 May 1949 Carlsen Air Force Base in Trinidad was transferred to the US Navy and was redesignated NAF (LTA) Carlsen Field.
10 Jan 1950 NAF (LTA) Carlsen Field in Trinidad was decommissioned from service.




Did you enjoy this article or find this article helpful? If so, please consider supporting us on Patreon. Even $1 per month will go a long way! Thank you.

Share this article with your friends:

 Facebook
 Reddit
 Twitter

Stay updated with WW2DB:

 RSS Feeds


Posting Your Comments on this Topic

Your Name
Your Email
 Your email will not be published
Comment Type
Your Comments
 

Notes:

1. We hope that visitor conversations at WW2DB will be constructive and thought-provoking. Please refrain from using strong language. HTML tags are not allowed. Your IP address will be tracked even if you remain anonymous. WW2DB site administrators reserve the right to moderate, censor, and/or remove any comment. All comment submissions will become the property of WW2DB.

2. For inquiries about military records for members of the World War II armed forces, please see our FAQ.

Search WW2DB
Modern Day Location
WW2-Era Place Name Chaguanas, Trinidad
Lat/Long 10.4877, -61.3866
Carlsen Field Photo Gallery
Airship hangar, Carlsen Field, Trinidad, 1940s
See all 2 photographs of Carlsen Field


Famous WW2 Quote
"An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last."

Winston Churchill


Support Us

Please consider supporting us on Patreon. Even $1 a month will go a long way. Thank you!

Or, please support us by purchasing some WW2DB merchandise at TeeSpring, Thank you!