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 USAAF 1945  USAAF March 9, 1946  USAF 1953 |
Location Lat 35° 50' 31N Long 139° 24' 38E Irumagawa Airfield is located at an elevation of 295' above sea level at to the north of Irumagawa in Saitama Prefecture on Honshū in Japan. To the southeast is Tokyo. In October 1945, renamed Johnson Airfield and later known as Johnson Air Force Base (Johnson AFB). Today known as Iruma Airport. Construction Built in 1937, this base was the air academy for the Japanese Army Air Force (JAAF) with the flight school located in Irumagawa. Wartime History Irumagawa Airfield was used a training base for the Japanese Army Air Force (JAAF) for the Toyooka Shikan Gako (Japanese Air Force Academy) using Type 95 biplanes painted orange for flight training and the flight school located in the town of Irumagawa. Japanese units based at Irumagawa 14th Sentai (Ki-67) 1945 Toyooka Shikan Gako (Japanese Air Force Academy) Postwar When American forces occupied the base, they discovered a mock-up B-29, used for training suicide teams on how to disable a B-29, for paratrooper missions to the Marianas, that never happened. In late September 1945, 8th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron (8th PRS) "Eight Ballers" flying F-5 Lightnings operated from Chofu Airfield to photograph and map wartime damage in Japan until January 1946. During October 1945, renamed Johnson Airfield in honor of Col Gerald R. Johnson who claimed 22 victories but went missing October 7, 1945 piloting B-25H Mitchell 43-4149 on an administrative flight bound for Atsugi Airfield but became lost over Suruga Bay and remains listed as missing. Later known as Johnson Air Base and after the formation of the U.S. Air Force (USAF) as Johnson Air Force Base (Johnson AFB). American units based at Irumagawa (Johnson) 5th Air Force, Headquarters (5th AF, HQ) 41st Air Division (41st AD) 3rd Bombardment Wing (3rd BW) 35th Fighter Group (35th FG) 35th FG, 41st FS (P-51s) Yontan October 10, 1945–March 25, 1950 Yokota returns August 14, 1950 35th FG, 40th FS (P-51s) Yontan October 10, 1945–March 13, 1950 Yokota 314th Air Division (314th AD) 6th PRG), 8th PRS (F-5 Lightning) Chofu January 1945–April 27, 1946 Postwar During the 1950s, a MXY7 Ohka on a pole was a gate guard at the entrance to the base. During the 1960s, the base was returned to the Japanese control. Today Still in use as a military airport known as Iruma Airfield. Airport code: ICAO: RJTJ. MXY7 Ohka Displayed as gate guard until the 1950s Contribute
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