Patterson Field (Iceland)
Patterson Field | |
|---|---|
 F-51D Mustangs of the 192d Fighter-Bomber Squadron at Keflavik 1952-1953 (see also Naval Air Station Keflavik) | |
| Summary | |
| Airport type | former Naval Air Station/Military Airfield |
| Owner | Icelandic Government |
| Operator | United States Navy |
| Serves | Reykjavík, Iceland |
| Location | Reykjanesbær, Iceland |
| Coordinates | 63°57′31″N 22°32′31″W / 63.95861°N 22.54194°W |
| Map | |
  Patterson Field Location in Iceland | |
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Patterson Field is a former military airfield in Reykjavík/Reykjanesbær (Reykjanes), Iceland.
The Airfield placed near the Naval Air Station Keflavik (NAS Keflavík) or can be called Meeks Field.
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.[1]
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.[1]
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 Keflavík after the adjacent town of Keflavík.[2][3][1]
Recovery
[edit]In 1951, as part of a defence pact signed with the US on May 5, the American military reoccupied the airport.[1]
Closure
[edit]By the 1960s and 1970s, this contentious relationship led to numerous protests. While none of these protests, and controlversial or rallies succeeded, an interesting detail is that one of the participants, Vigdis Finnbogadottir, later became Iceland's first female president. The military base eventually closed in 2006.[4]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e "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.
- ^ "Keflavik Airport Information". Reykjavik Cars. Retrieved October 12, 2024.