Iruma Air Base
Encyclopedia
Japan Air Self-Defense Force
The , or JASDF, is the aviation branch of the Japan Self-Defense Forces responsible for the defense of Japanese airspace and other aerospace operations. The JASDF carries out combat air patrols around Japan, while also maintaining an extensive network of ground and air early warning radar systems...
base located in the city of Sayama
Sayama, Saitama
, formerly known as Irumagawa, is a city located in Saitama, Japan. Sayama translates as "sitting on a mountain”. The city was founded on July 1, 1954....
, Saitama Prefecture
Saitama Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of the island of Honshu. The capital is the city of Saitama.This prefecture is part of the Greater Tokyo Area, and most of Saitama's cities can be described as suburbs of Tokyo, to which a large amount of residents commute each day.- History...
, north of western Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
Iruma Air Base is currently home to the Air Defense Command Headquarters Flight Group. Aircraft located at the base include the U-4
Gulfstream G400/G450
The Gulfstream IV and derivatives are a family of twin-jet aircraft, mainly for private or business use. The aircraft was designed and built by Gulfstream Aerospace, a General Dynamics company based in Savannah, Georgia, United States from 1985 until 2003.-Design and development:Gulfstream, in...
, YS-11EA
NAMC YS-11
The NAMC YS-11 is a turboprop airliner built by a Japanese consortium, the Nihon Aircraft Manufacturing Corporation. The program was initiated by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry in 1954, the aircraft was rolled out in 1962, and production ceased in 1974.-Development and design:In...
, YS-11EB, T-4, and EC-1
Kawasaki C-1
|-See also:-References:* Taylor, John W.R. . Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1976-77. London:Jane's Yearbooks, 1976, ISBN 0-354-00538-3....
.
World War II
Iruma was established in 1937 by the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force and named Irumagawa Airfield. Opened in December 1938, it was the air academy for the Japanese Army Air Force, with its academy located at the nearby town. Mostly training aircraft operated from the base, including Kawasaki Ki-10Kawasaki Ki-10
|-See also:-External links:* *...
(Army Type 95 Fighter Model 1) biplanes painted orange. During World War II, the IJAAF 14th Sentai operated Mitsubishi Ki-67
Mitsubishi Ki-67
The Mitsubishi Ki-67 Hiryū was a twin-engine medium bomber produced by Mitsubishi and used by the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force in World War II. Its Army designation was "Type 4 Heavy Bomber" .-Design:The Ki-67 was the result of a 1941 Japanese army specification for a successor to the Nakajima...
medium bombers from Irumagawa. Attacked several times by USAAF B-29 Superfortress
B-29 Superfortress
The B-29 Superfortress is a four-engine propeller-driven heavy bomber designed by Boeing that was flown primarily by the United States Air Forces in late-World War II and through the Korean War. The B-29 was one of the largest aircraft to see service during World War II...
bombers, the last missions by the IJAAF were one-way missions using Yokosuka MXY7 Ohka purpose-built, rocket-powered, human-guided, anti-shipping kamikaze attack planes against American ships operating off the coast.
American use
After the end of the war, The United States Army Air ForcesUnited States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II, and the direct predecessor of the United States Air Force....
Fifth Air Force
Fifth Air Force
The Fifth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Pacific Air Forces . It is headquartered at Yokota Air Base, Japan....
headquarters on Okinawa was moved to Japan and was established at Irumagawa on 25 September 1945. The base was renamed Johnson Air Base in honor of Lieutenant Colonel Gerald R. Johnson, the former commander of the USAAF 49th Fighter Group. A little over a month after the war ended, Col. Johnson was piloting a B-25 Mitchell
B-25 Mitchell
The North American B-25 Mitchell was an American twin-engined medium bomber manufactured by North American Aviation. It was used by many Allied air forces, in every theater of World War II, as well as many other air forces after the war ended, and saw service across four decades.The B-25 was named...
, which had been pressed into service as a transport aircraft, Johnson flew into a typhoon and was hopelessly lost in the black skies. He ordered everyone to bail out, but one person neglected to bring a parachute. Johnson immediately gave his parachute away and tried to fly the B-25 back safely. Johnson's copilot also elected to stay behind to help Johnson, but both were killed when the B-25 crashed on approach to Irumagawa.
Johnson Air Base was a major United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
base in Japan during the occupation years, then later during the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
and the 1950s. USAF Far East Air Force (Later Pacific Air Forces) command units based at Johnson were:
- Headquarters, Fifth Air ForceFifth Air ForceThe Fifth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Pacific Air Forces . It is headquartered at Yokota Air Base, Japan....
, September 1945-January 1946 - Headquarters, 314th Composite Wing, June 1946-August 1948
- Headquarters, 41st Air Division, March 1952-June 1962
Operational USAF units based at Johnson were:
- 71st Reconnaissance Group, April–October 1947 (F-6/P-51 Mustang)
- During the postwar years, the unit photographed areas of JapanJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and South KoreaSouth KoreaThe Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
, which in 1950, provided much of the initial intelligence of the area when the Korean War broke out.
- 35th Fighter Group (later Wing)35th Fighter WingThe 35th Fighter Wing is an air combat unit of the United States Air Force and the host unit at Misawa Air Base, Japan. The 35 FW is part of Pacific Air Forces Fifth Air Force.-Mission:...
, August 1948-April 1950; August–December 1950; May 1951-August 1954 (F-51 Mustang, F-61 Black Widow, F-82 Twin MustangF-82 Twin MustangThe North American F-82 Twin Mustang was the last American piston-engine fighter ordered into production by the United States Air Force. Based on the P-51 Mustang, the F-82 was originally designed as a long-range escort fighter in World War II; however, the war ended well before the first...
, F-80 Shooting Star, F-86 SabreF-86 SabreThe North American F-86 Sabre was a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as America's first swept wing fighter which could counter the similarly-winged Soviet MiG-15 in high speed dogfights over the skies of the Korean War...
)
- Initially flew air defense missions in Japan as part of the army of occupation. Engaged in combat operations in South KoreaSouth KoreaThe Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
after the June 1950 invasion by North KoreaNorth KoreaThe Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
. Reassigned back without personnel and equipment back to Johnson AB in May 1951, replacing 4th Fighter Wing where it was remanned and equipped with F-51s and F-80s; returned to the air defense mission for Japan. Moved to Yokota AB in October 1954 when 3d Bomb Wing moved back to Johnson from South Korea.
- 4th Fighter Wing4th Fighter WingThe 4th Fighter Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Combat Command Ninth Air Force. It is stationed at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina, where it is also the host unit....
, December 1950-March 1951 (F-86 SabreF-86 SabreThe North American F-86 Sabre was a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as America's first swept wing fighter which could counter the similarly-winged Soviet MiG-15 in high speed dogfights over the skies of the Korean War...
)
- Arrived in Japan in December 1950 with F-86 Sabres aboard aircraft carriers. The primary mission of the wing was air superiority, and the Sabre was capable of battling the North Korean Soviet-built MiG-15 on equal terms. From Johnson AB detachments deployed in mid-December to bases in South Korea, rotating between South Korea and Japan through February 1951. Then, the 4th FW moved in stages to South Korea, with all elements moved to South Korea by March.
- 3d Bombardment Wing, March 1950-August 1951; October 1954-November 1960 (B-26 Invader, B-57B Canberra)
- Initially trained as a B-26 Invader bombardment and reconnaissance wing as part of the army of occupation. When the Korean WarKorean WarThe Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
broke out in June 1950, the Wing began flying combat missions from Johnson, attacking North Korean forces as they invaded and moved southward. The first Americans to lose their lives during the Korean War, 1Lt. Remer L. Harding and SSgt. William Goodwin, were assigned to the 13th Bombardment Squadron when they lost their lives June 28, 1950 returning from a sortie on the Korean Peninsula. Captain John S. Walmsley, Jr.John S. Walmsley, Jr.John Springer Walmsley, Jr. was a bomber aircraft pilot in the United States Army Air Corps during World War II, and later the United States Air Force during the Korean War...
was posthumously awarded the Medal of HonorMedal of HonorThe Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
for his actions on September 14, 1951: flying a night mission in a B-26 from Johnson. Moved to Kunsan AB (K-8), South Korea in August 1951
- Transferred back to Johnson in October 1954 after the Koran armistice replacing 35th Fighter Wing. Main operational wing at Johnson AB throughout the 1950s, initially equipped with B-26s, later updated to jet B-57 CanberraB-57 CanberraThe Martin B-57 Canberra was a United States-built, twin jet engine light bomber and reconnaissance aircraft, which entered service with the United States Air Force in 1953. The B-57 was initially a version of the English Electric Canberra built under license. However, the Glenn L...
tactical bombers in 1956. Moved to Yokota Air BaseYokota Air Base, is a United States Air Force base in the city of Fussa, one of 26 cities in the Tama Area, or Western Tokyo.The base houses 14,000 personnel. The base occupies a total area of and has a runway...
in November 1960 with the phasedown of USAF operations at Johnson.
Transition to JASDF
In August 1958 the JASDF Central Air Defense Force headquarters was established at Johnson Air Base. In June 1961 Japan-US joint use agreement was established at Johnson, and active USAF use of the air base ended in June 1962 when the 41st Air Division headquarters moved to Yokota AB.American facilities were re designated "Johnson Air Force Station" on 30 December 1960, later "Johnson Family Housing Annex" on 1 January 1963 for American family housing in Japan. The Provisional USAF 6102d Air Base Wing became the USAF support organisation at Johnson, supporting the 6022d USAF Hospital and family housing civil engineering flights. In November 1963 the base transitioned from USAF management to the JASDF.
On 28 June 1973 the USAF support units were inactivated and most of its facilities were returned over to the Japan Air Self-Defense Force and it was renamed Iruma Airbase. The last USAF facilities were closed in September 1978.
External links
- Official JASDF page (in Japanese)
- Tokyo Area Airfields
- map of the base