Special Study North Field Historic District: Tinian, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands

National Park Service

The historic World War II sites and features that comprise North Field on the island of Tinian in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) have been determined to be of national significance. In 1985, the Secretary of the Interior designated the area encompassing North Field a national historic landmark. This study finds that North Field represents one of the major historic events of the Pacific War: the strategic bombing of the Japanese homeland and the use of the atomic bomb in war. These events led directly to the surrender of Japan and the end of World War II. Presently, this historic theme is not adequately represented in the national park system, and North Field represents the most intact example of this theme. Therefore, this study finds North Field also meets the test of suitability for inclusion in the national park system. With regard to feasibility, this study finds that local government officials on Tinian, the CNMI legislature and the CNMI Resident Representative to the U.S. support the establishment of a National Park Service-operated national historical park at North Field. This study also finds that the U.S. Department of Defense, through the U.S. Navy, retains exclusive use, control and possession of lands encompassing the national historic landmark based on a 50-year lease agreement with CNMI, the landowner. As stated in writing (see APPENDIX) by the Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet (CINCPACFLT), the U.S. Navy's official position regarding its long-term strategic needs for North Field is to continue its use for military training. And that this use precludes considering North Field as a national historical park administered by the National Park Service (NPS) as a unit of the national park system. Based on the above, this study concludes that North Field does not meet the test of feasibility. And, based on the position taken by the U.S. Navy, there are presently no non-military alternatives for additional protection of North Field's historic World War II resources beyond national historic landmark designation, the U.S. Navy's regulations and directives regarding the protection and management of historic resources within its control, and the development of additional interpretive opportunities by NPS for future visitors to North Field.