The airfield was built during the Japanese occupation of the Gilbert Islands in 1943. There was a turnaround at the eastern end of the runway and a taxiway with revetments in the middle between the runway and the taxiway. The Japanese had Zeros, Vals, Nells and Bettys operating from this base. During the Battle of Tarawa (November 20 – 23, 1943), United States Marines seized the airfield as a target of the operation, to enable USAAF land-based air operations against the Japanese in the Marshall Islands.