Patterson Field (Iceland)
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Patterson Field | |
|---|---|
 Patterson Airfield, 2022 | |
| Summary | |
| Airport type | Defunct |
| Serves | Reykjavík, Iceland |
| Location | Reykjavík, Iceland |
| Coordinates | 63°57′31″N 22°32′31″W / 63.95861°N 22.54194°W |
| Map | |
  Patterson Field Location in Iceland | |
Patterson Field is a former military airfield in Reykjavík, Iceland.
Iceland served as a crucial link between Europe and North America during WWII. Hitler considered invading Iceland, but British and Canadian forces preempted this by occupying the island on May 10, 1940. The presence of British and Canadian troops, the strain on British forces, and the US's concern for Atlantic shipping lanes eventually integrated Iceland into American defence plans.[1]
History
[edit]During World War II, the United States military constructed the airport as an alternative to a smaller British airstrip at Garður to the north. This new facility comprised two distinct airfields, each with two runways, positioned merely 4 km apart. In 1942, Patterson Field, situated in the southeast, was inaugurated, albeit partially finished, and was dedicated to a young pilot who lost his life in Iceland. Meanwhile, Meeks Field, located in the northwest, commenced operations on March 23, 1943, and bore the name of George Meeks, another young pilot who perished on the Reykjavík airfield. He was the first of over 200 American soldiers to be killed in Iceland during the war. Following the war, Patterson Field was decommissioned. Still, Meeks Field and its adjacent facilities were handed over to Iceland, subsequently gaining the name Naval Air Station Keflavik after the adjacent town of Keflavík.[2][3][1]
In 1951, as part of a defence pact signed with the US on May 5, the American military reoccupied the airport.[1]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c "Five Icelandic Forts". Your Friend in Reykjavik. Retrieved October 12, 2024.
- ^ "Keflavik Airport Information". Reykjavik Cars. Retrieved October 12, 2024.
- ^ "Patterson". Visit Reykjanes. Retrieved October 12, 2024.