Gunters Hill Airport / Vernam Field

Military Deactivation. The primary reason for closure was the end of World War II. Vernam Field was a purpose-built military base whose mission was to protect the Panama Canal and Caribbean sea lanes from Axis submarine threats. With the Allied victory, this strategic imperative was eliminated, making the large and expensive base redundant. Its closure was part of the broader post-war demobilization of US military forces abroad.

The site is currently a multi-use area, largely in a state of disuse but with specific functions. The extensive, decaying runways and taxiways have become Jamaica's premier motorsports venue, known as 'Vernamfield', hosting popular drag racing and circuit racing events. A portion of the former base is used by the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) as a training area. Some of the surrounding land has been converted to agricultural use. Many of the original WWII-era concrete structures, including hangars, a control tower, and barracks, are still standing in a derelict condition, attracting historians and urban explorers.

Vernam Field was a critical Allied airbase during World War II. It was established in 1941 as part of the 'Destroyers for Bases Agreement' between the United States and the United Kingdom. Named in honor of WWI aviator 1st Lt. Remington de B. Vernam, it was one of the largest US airbases in the Caribbean theater. Operated by the USAAF's Sixth Air Force, its main role was anti-submarine warfare. The base hosted bomber groups (such as the 25th Bombardment Group) flying aircraft like the B-18 Bolo and later the B-24 Liberator, which were instrumental in neutralizing the German U-boat threat in the region. The base was a massive, self-contained installation with three long runways, extensive infrastructure, and housing for thousands of personnel, effectively functioning as a small American city in rural Jamaica.

There are long-standing but unrealized plans to redevelop the site. For decades, successive Jamaican governments and private investors have proposed transforming Vernam Field into a major international airport, often referred to as 'Vernamfield International Airport'. The vision typically includes a cargo and logistics hub, an aircraft Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) facility, and a passenger terminal to relieve congestion from Kingston and Montego Bay. These proposals are part of Jamaica's broader 'Logistics Hub Initiative'. However, all plans have stalled due to the immense capital investment required for reconstruction and modernization, lack of firm funding, and logistical challenges. As of now, reopening remains an aspirational project with no active, funded development in progress.