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 USMC July 1945 |
Location Lat 26° 19' 7N Long 127° 50' 5E Awase Airfield was located at Awase at 3' / 1m above sea level on the eastern coast of Okinawa Island in Okinawa Prefecture in Japan. To the southwest was Futema Airfield. Postwar, known as Naval Air Base Awase (NAB Awase). Construction During the first week of April 1945 this area was captured and surveyed for an airfield. On April 23, 1945 construction began by U.S. Navy (USN) African-American 34th Naval Construction Battalion (34th NCB) "Seabees" and 36th Naval Construction Battalion (36th NCB) of a single runway for use as a fighter strip. When completed, the runway measured 6,500' x 200' surfaced with crushed coral. The Seabees also built a Joint Communications Center (JCC) Radio Transmitter Station at this location. During late May and early June, construction was delayed by torrential rains and heavy equipment was diverted to repair nearby roads until the runway could be completed. Wartime History On June 30, 1945 Awase Airfield was declared operational and opened for operations. During July 1945 until the end of the Pacific War based U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) fighters from Marine Air Group 33 (MAG-33) and Mairne Air Group 14 (MAG-14). Also based PBJ Mitchells of VMB-612. American units at Awase Marine Aircraft Group 33 (MAG-33) VMF-312 arrives July 1945–November 1945 VMA-322 (F4U) arrives July 1945–September 1945 VMF-323 (F4U) arrives Kadena July 15, 1945–September 1945 VMF(N)-543 (F6F-3N) arrives July 1945–September 1945 VMB-612 (PBJ-1D) arrives November 1945 Marine Aircraft Group 14 (MAG-14) VMF-212 (F4U) arrives July 1945–September 1945 VMF-222 (F4U) arrives July 1945–September 1945 VMF-223 (F4U) arrives July 1945–September 1945 Postwar In 1950 the US Navy upgraded and became known as Naval Air Base Awase (NAB Awase) and the U.S. Air Force (USAF) built the Awase Communication Station at the tip of the Awase peninsula. Later, the station was upgraded by Mobile Construction Battalion 7 (MCB 7). Today By March 1977 all of the airfield area was returned to Japanese control, aside from the Awase Communication Station that remained in use for communications with the U.S. Seventh Fleet, and all radio transmission of the U.S. Naval Forces in Okinawa. Contribute
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 Map Dec 31, 1945 Map Fallingrain Map Mapcarta |
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