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| Location Lat 32° 5′ 3″ N Long 131° 27′ 16″ E Nyūtabaru Airfield is located at an elevation of 256' / 78m above sea level west of Shintomi in Miyazaki Prefecture on Kyūshū in Japan. In Japanese spelled Nyūtabaru Airfield (Nyutabaru). During World War II, the Americans referred to this location as Nittagahara Airfield, an incorrect spelling of the actual name. Still in use today as Nyutabaru Air Base. Wartime History During the Pacific War, Nyūtabaru Airfield was used by the Japanese military until the official surrender of Japan. Starting in the middle of April 1945 targeted by B-29s Superfortress bombing misisons to neutralize the runway. American missions against Nyūtabaru (Nittagahara) April 17, 1945–May 11, 1945 On August 25, 1945 at 12:05pm P-38L Lightning piloted by Lt. Col Clay Tice. Jr. landed at Nittagahara Airfield as the first American plane to land in the home islands of Japan. He landed to assure the area was safe to allow P-38L pilot F/O Douglass C. Hall who was low on fuel to land. Several minutes later, a Japanese person on a bike noticed they had landed and informed the Japanese Army. Soon afterwards, several soldiers appeared, saluted and shook hands with the pilots and spoke in broken Japanese and English and used pantomime gestures and offered them fuel, but it was deemed to be unusable. Meanwhile, a group of Japanese gathered including civilians and children to see the planes. The group included two Japanese officers with swords, the local mayor and a Shinto priest who blessed the plane. Meanwhile, RB‑17 Flying Fortress "Jukebox 36" from 6th Air Sea Rescue Squadron lands to transfer fuel to Hall's P-38. Using a hand pump, RB-17 transfered fuel to Hall's P-38 and the group were photographed with the parked P-38. At the same time, a P-51 patrol arrived and appeared to begin an attack until radioed to wave off. One of the Japanese officers surrendered his sword to Tice. Afterwards, the two P-38s and RB-17 took off successfully and returned to base. Today Still in use today as a military airport known as Nyutabaru Air Base. The single runway is oriented 28/10 measures 8,860' x150' surfaced with concrete. Airport code: ICAO: RJFN. Contribute
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