In early summer 1944, with the fall of the Marianas seeming imminent, Rear Adm. Chester W. Nimitz, commander-in-chief, United States Pacific Fleet, hinted during an interview “Somewhere in the Pacific” that the islands would become strategic bases for the long-range bombing operations against Japan by the new Boeing B-29, Superfortress. As a result, preliminary planning and groundwork for the formation of a General Air Depot on Guam took place.
In September 1944, an area was cleared, and on Oct. 9, Col. C.F. “Swede” Carlson, a provisional Headquarters staff, and five U.S. Marines arrived to begin the tremendous work ahead. By the following month, two Air Depot Groups arrived by boat and began the work of not only building the Depot, but within a week the first supplies were flown to Saipan to support Superfortress operations as would the Depot support the classified floating depot (repair ship) mission as well. The Maintenance Division completed repair and maintenance on a wide range of airframes other than just the Superfortress.
View a pictorial study of the Guam Air Depot as told by the Historical Office of the Guam Depot in May 1945.