Hawkins Field (Tarawa)

The closure was due to post-war military drawdown and land-use conversion. The strategic need for a bomber base on the small islet of Betio ended with the war. The land was subsequently repurposed for civilian and commercial development to accommodate the growing population of Betio, which is now the main urban and commercial center of Tarawa. All air services were consolidated at the larger and better-located Bonriki International Airport (TRW / NGTA), which was also built during the war on a different islet of the atoll.

The site of the former Hawkins Field is now completely unrecognizable as an airfield. It is a densely populated urban area, forming the heart of Betio Town. The footprint of the former runway and taxiways is now covered by the main east-west road, residential housing, commercial buildings, government facilities, schools, and the Bairiki National Stadium. While there are no visible remnants of the runway itself, several historical relics from the Battle of Tarawa, such as Japanese bunkers and coastal defense guns, are still present on the islet and serve as memorials.

Hawkins Field holds immense historical significance as the central objective of the Battle of Tarawa in November 1943, one of the bloodiest battles of the Pacific War for the United States Marine Corps. Originally constructed by the Japanese Imperial Navy using forced labor, its capture was a critical step in the Allied 'island hopping' campaign across the Central Pacific. After U.S. forces secured the heavily defended islet, U.S. Navy Seabees repaired and improved the airfield. It was renamed 'Hawkins Field' in honor of 1st Lt. William D. Hawkins, a Marine who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions during the battle. For the remainder of the war, it served as a vital forward airbase for the U.S. Seventh Air Force, hosting B-24 Liberator and B-25 Mitchell bombers for strikes against Japanese-held islands.

There are zero plans or prospects for reopening Hawkins Field. The site is now a vital and densely populated urban center, making the re-establishment of an airport physically, socially, and logistically impossible. All of Tarawa's air traffic is, and will continue to be, handled by Bonriki International Airport.