is an air base of the

Japan Air Self-Defense Force The , , also informally referred to as the Japanese Air Force, is the air and space branch of the Japan Self-Defense Forces, responsible for the defense of Japanese airspace, other air and space operations, cyberwarfare and electronic warf ...

(JASDF), the United States Air Force, and the United States Navy located in Misawa,

Aomori is the capital city of Aomori Prefecture, in the Tōhoku region of Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 278,964 in 136,457 households, and a population density of 340 people per square kilometer spread over the city's total are ...

, in the northern part of the island of

Honshū , historically called , is the largest and most populous island of Japan. It is located south of Hokkaidō across the Tsugaru Strait, north of Shikoku across the Inland Sea, and northeast of Kyūshū across the Kanmon Straits. The island sepa ...

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the n ...

. It is located northeast of Misawa railway station, west of the Pacific Ocean, northeast of

Towada is a city in Aomori Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 60,697, and a population density of 84 persons per km2 in 27,677 households. The total area of the city is . Geography Towada is in the foothills of the Hakkōda M ...

, northwest of

Hachinohe is a city located in Aomori Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 221,459, and a population density of 725 persons per km2 in 96,092 households, making it Aomori Prefecture's second largest city by population. The city ...

, and north of

Tokyo Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, with an estimated 37.46 ...

at the "Tip of the Spear". It is a

Pacific Air Forces Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) is a Major Command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force and is also the air component command of the United States Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM). PACAF is headquartered at Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam (f ...

(PACAF) facility with the

35th Fighter Wing The 35th Fighter Wing is an air combat unit of the United States Air Force and the host unit at Misawa Air Base, Japan. The wing is part of Pacific Air Forces (PACAF)'s Fifth Air Force. The wing was first activated in August 1948 at Johnson Ai ...

(35 FW, about 48 F-16 aircraft split among the 13th and 14th Fighter Squadrons) as its host wing. It hosts both Japanese and American troops.

History

Origins

What is now called Misawa Air Base has been used by the military since the

Meiji period The is an era of Japanese history that extended from October 23, 1868 to July 30, 1912. The Meiji era was the first half of the Empire of Japan, when the Japanese people moved from being an isolated feudal society at risk of colonization ...

, when it was used as a cavalry training center for the Imperial Army. In 1870, the

Emperor Meiji , also called or , was the 122nd emperor of Japan according to the traditional order of succession. Reigning from 13 February 1867 to his death, he was the first monarch of the Empire of Japan and presided over the Meiji era. He was the figur ...

established a stud farm for the household cavalry in the area that later became Misawa AB, and kept his own (Tenno Heika) cavalry there until 1931, when the Sino-Japanese conflict required their use in China. Misawa remained a training center for Japanese Cavalry until the Japanese Army constructed the first runway at Misawa for military aircraft in 1938. Misawa Air Base was near the takeoff site of the world's first non-stop trans-Pacific flight in 1931. Clyde Pangborn and Hugh Herndon took off from a gravel runway on Sabishiro Beach near Misawa in the aircraft known as '' Miss Veedol'', landing 41 hours later in

Wenatchee, Washington Wenatchee ( ) is the county seat and largest city of Chelan County, Washington, United States. The population within the city limits in 2010 was 31,925, and was estimated to have increased to 34,360 as of 2019. Located in the north-central part ...

thereby successfully crossing the

Pacific Ocean The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the conti ...

. The runway is commemorated by a large sign in the coastal forest and is a popular beach and recreation area for Misawa AB personnel. The cities of Wenatchee and Misawa cemented their special relationship by becoming official sister cities in 1981, strengthening their friendship through annual cultural exchange programs. The Imperial Army transformed Misawa into an air base in 1938 when it was used as a base for long-range bombers. By early 1941, the Genzan Flying Corps trained at Misawa. The base was taken over by the Imperial Navy Air Corps in 1942 when the 22d Imperial Naval Air Wg assumed control of the base and the mission was changed to research and development. In 1944, facilities were built for

Kamikaze , officially , were a part of the Japanese Special Attack Units of military aviators who flew suicide attacks for the Empire of Japan against Allied naval vessels in the closing stages of the Pacific campaign of World War II, intending ...

Special Attack forces.

World War II

Before the outbreak of

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

Lake Ogawara is Japan's eleventh largest lake (by area) and the largest in Aomori Prefecture. It spans the boundaries of the city of Misawa, the town of Tōhoku, and the village of Rokkasho in Kamikita District. Data The lake has an area of and holds o ...

at Misawa was used by the

Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service The was the air arm of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN). The organization was responsible for the operation of naval aircraft and the conduct of aerial warfare in the Pacific War. The Japanese military acquired their first aircraft in 1910 ...

to practice for the

attack on Pearl Harbor The attack on Pearl HarborAlso known as the Battle of Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service upon the United States against the naval base at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii ...

. The lake was used because it was similar in depth to Pearl Harbor. The Japanese military fashioned hills near the shore of the lake to resemble the shapes of Battleships and Cruisers that were anchored in Pearl Harbor. This provided for a realistic view for their pilots from the air. The pilots conducted low level bombing runs, dropping torpedoes into the shallow depths of Lake Ogawara. This practice developed and refined the method to attack the ships that were anchored at Pearl Harbor. During World War II, the Misawa area was heavily damaged (base 90 percent destroyed) by U.S. fighters and bombers.

Postwar era

The American occupation of Misawa began in September 1945. Misawa had to be almost completely reconstructed by occupying U.S. forces by Army engineers who restored the base for future use by the

United States Army Air Forces The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...

. During the

Korean War {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Korean War , partof = the Cold War and the Korean conflict , image = Korean War Montage 2.png , image_size = 300px , caption = Clockwise from top:{ ...

and

Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...

, Misawa supported fighter missions. The base was the launching point for clandestine surveillance overflights into China and the USSR during the 1950s. After the immediate postwar reconstruction of facilities, the first permanent USAAF tenant was the 613th Air Control and Warning Squadron (613th AC&WS), taking up residence on July 15, 1946 and providing air traffic control in the Misawa area for the next decade.

49th Fighter Bomber Wing

The first operational fighter wing was the 49th Fighter-Bomber Group, being reassigned to Misawa on March 31, 1948. The 49th had three operational squadrons, the 7th, 8th and 9th, and flew the

P-80 Shooting Star The Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star was the first jet fighter used operationally by the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) during World War II. Designed and built by Lockheed in 1943 and delivered just 143 days from the start of design, prod ...

along with a few P-61 Black Widow night fighters. The 49th FBW performed occupation duties in

and took part in maneuvers and surveillance patrols as part of

Far East Air Forces Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) is a Major Command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force and is also the air component command of the United States Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM). PACAF is headquartered at Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam (fo ...

. In February 1950, the unit was redesignated as the 49th Fighter-Bomber Wing, with the group being its operational component.

Korean War

With the outbreak of the

in June 1950, the 49th Fighter-Bomber Group was split off from the wing and was one of the first USAF units dispatched to

Korea Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic ...

from Japan, its tactical squadrons began operations with F-51D Mustangs as the F-51D performed the ground support role better than the Shooting Stars. The group was rejoined with the wing in December 1950 when the Wing was reassigned to Taegu AB (K-2). At Misawa, the 49th was replaced by the 6163d Air Base Wing to perform host and occupation duties. The 41st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron from the 35th FIW at Johnson AB was deployed to Misawa to provide air defense starting in September 1950, remaining until February 1951, being replaced by the 40th FIS also from Johnson AB, which remained until July. The

27th Fighter-Escort Wing 7 (seven) is the natural number following 6 and preceding 8. It is the only prime number preceding a cube. As an early prime number in the series of positive integers, the number seven has greatly symbolic associations in religion, mythology, s ...

was transferred from Taegu to Misawa in October, and remained at the base until January 20, 1953 to provide air defense flying straight-winged Republic F-84G Thunderjets which proved inadequate against the

North Korea North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korean Peninsula and shares borders with China and Russia to the north, at the Yalu (Amnok) and T ...

MiG-15 The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 (russian: Микоя́н и Гуре́вич МиГ-15; USAF/DoD designation: Type 14; NATO reporting name: Fagot) is a jet fighter aircraft developed by Mikoyan-Gurevich for the Soviet Union. The MiG-15 was one of ...

s it encountered over Korean airspace. Between May and August 1953, the

12th Strategic Fighter Wing The 12th Flying Training Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to Air Education and Training Command's Nineteenth Air Force. It is headquartered at Joint Base San Antonio, Texas. The wing is the parent organization for the 479th Flyin ...

pulled a rotational TDY at Misawa relieving the 27th and being relieved in turn by the 31st Strategic Fighter Wing. remaining until February 12, 1954. The 12th SFW returned for a second TDY in May 1954, remaining until August. The 49th Fighter-Bomber Wing was relieved from its duties in South Korea on November 7, 1953 and resumed its host duties at the base. It remained at Misawa until December 10, 1957, however its operational control of its squadrons and group came under the 39th Air Division on March 1, 1955.

Cold War

39th Air Division

On March 1, 1952, the

39th Air Division The 39th Air Division (39th AD) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Fifth Air Force at Misawa Air Base, Japan. It was inactivated on 15 January 1968. History "Throughout the 1950s and 1960s the 3 ...

was established at Misawa, and through January 15, 1968, the

Air Division An air division is an air force or naval air formation that is roughly equivalent to an army division. An air division is usually commanded by a major general and it is composed of multiple wings, groups, air brigades, or equivalently-sized air for ...

controlled all of the units responsible for the air defense of north

, which included northern

and

Hokkaidō is Japan, Japan's Japanese archipelago, second largest island and comprises the largest and northernmost Prefectures of Japan, prefecture, making up its own List of regions of Japan, region. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaidō from Honshu; th ...

islands and the contiguous territorial waters. Wings controlled by the 39th AD were: * 49th Fighter Bomber Wing March 1, 1955 – April 15, 1957 * 4th Fighter Bomber Wing March 8, 1955 – December 8, 1957 * 21st Tactical Fighter Wing November 10, 1958 – June 18, 1960 Squadrons controlled by the 39th AD were: * 4th Fighter Interceptor Squadron March 1, 1955 – June 20, 1965 * 45th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron April 25, 1960 – January 15, 1968 *

67th Tactical Fighter Squadron The 67th Fighter Squadron "Fighting Cocks" is a fighter squadron of the United States Air Force, part of the 18th Operations Group at Kadena Air Base, Japan. The 67th is equipped with the F-15C/D Eagle. Mission The 67th Fighter Squadron is one ...

December 15, 1967 – January 15, 1968 * 339th Fighter Interceptor Squadron March 1, 1955 – January 15, 1958 * 356th Tactical Fighter Squadron November 29, 1965 – January 15, 1968 * 416th Tactical Fighter Squadron June 18, 1960 – June 16, 1964 * 418th Fighter Day Squadron December 10, 1957 – March 25, 1958 * 531st Tactical Fighter Squadron June 18, 1960 – June 16, 1964 * 612th Tactical Fighter Squadron November 3, 1965 – January 15, 1968. In this role the 39th trained the assigned units and controlled aerial interception missions when Japanese air space was violated. The division also controlled air refueling and ECM missions, and trained personnel of the

Japanese Air Self Defense Force The , , also informally referred to as the Japanese Air Force, is the air and space branch of the Japan Self-Defense Forces, responsible for the defense of Japanese airspace, other air and space operations, cyberwarfare and electronic warfare ...

in flying operations, radar operations and maintenance, and proper radio procedures. After the

Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen nationa ...

shot down an R

B-29 The Boeing B-29 Superfortress is an American four-engined propeller-driven heavy bomber, designed by Boeing and flown primarily by the United States during World War II and the Korean War. Named in allusion to its predecessor, the B-17 Fl ...

aircraft on November 7, 1954, the 39th provided fighter escort for all friendly reconnaissance aircraft flying near Soviet territory and the Northern Air Defense Sector. The division also supported combat operations during the

. Aircraft flown by the 39th AD included the

F-84 The Republic F-84 Thunderjet was an American turbojet fighter-bomber aircraft. Originating as a 1944 United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) proposal for a "day fighter", the F-84 first flew in 1946. Although it entered service in 1947, the Thun ...

, 1952–1954, 1958–1959; KB-29, 1953–1954;

North American F-86 Sabre The North American F-86 Sabre, sometimes called the Sabrejet, is a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as the United States' first swept-wing fighter that could counter the swept-wing ...

, 1954–1960; F-100, 1957–1964;

F-102 The Convair F-102 Delta Dagger was an American interceptor aircraft designed and manufactured by Convair. Built as part of the backbone of the United States Air Force's air defenses in the late 1950s, it entered service in 1956. Its main purpo ...

, 1960–1965; RF-101, 1960–1968;

F-105 The Republic F-105 Thunderchief is an American supersonic fighter-bomber that served with the United States Air Force from 1958 to 1984. Capable of Mach 2, it conducted the majority of strike bombing missions during the early years of the Viet ...

, 1967–1968.

Japanese Air Forces

The first Japanese Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) units were activated at Misawa in October 1954, and the first Japanese Northern Air Defense Force units began operations in 1957.

475th Air Base Wing

The 31st Air Division was inactivated on January 15, 1968, and was replaced at Misawa by the 475th Air Base Wing. The operational squadron at the base was the

, being deployed to Misawa from the

18th Tactical Fighter Wing The United States Air Force's 18th Wing is the host wing for Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Japan and is the Air Force's largest combat wing. It is the largest and principal organization in the Pacific Air Forces Fifth Air Force. The Wing's 18th Oper ...

based at Kadena AB,

Okinawa is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan. Okinawa Prefecture is the southernmost and westernmost prefecture of Japan, has a population of 1,457,162 (as of 2 February 2020) and a geographic area of 2,281 Square kilometre, km2 (880 sq mi). ...

. The squadron remained detached at Misawa until March 15, 1971 when the flight line was transferred to the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

and all U.S. Air Force fighter sorties ended.

6112th Air Base Group

The 6112th ABG took over the base host duties at Misawa in 1971, with the inactivation of the 475th ABW. For the next several years, Misawa's focus was with the

electronic intelligence Signals intelligence (SIGINT) is intelligence-gathering by interception of '' signals'', whether communications between people (communications intelligence—abbreviated to COMINT) or from electronic signals not directly used in communication ...

gathering mission of the 6921st (later 6920th) Security Wing of the

U.S. Air Force Security Service Initially established as the Air Force (USAF) Security Group in June, 1948, the USAF Security Service (USAFSS) was activated as a major command on Oct 20, 1948 (For redesignations, see Successor units.) The USAFSS was a secretive branch of the ...

. The 6112th ABG performed PACAF administrative duties. The flight line was controlled by Naval Aviation units, with the JASDF operating from its own flight lines. The JASDF took over control of the airspace over Misawa on October 1, 1978. During this period, the base hosted various Allied exercises in the region and the 6112th ABG provided support for 13 Air Force associated non-flying units, 14 DOD agencies and the JASDF units stationed in the Misawa area until September 1, 1982. In 1983, Misawa was a major deployment site for rescue and recovery operations, following the downing of Korean Air Flight 007.

432d Tactical Fighter Wing

In July 1984, the 432d Tactical Fighter Wing was reactivated at Misawa on the resumption of operational PACAF flying. The 432d controlled two F-16 Fighting Falcon squadrons ( 13th, 14th FS) and a rescue squadron ( 39th RQS) flying the HH-53 "Super Jolly Green Giant" helicopter.

Post Cold War

The

was redesignated and reassigned October 1, 1994 when it inactivated at Naval Air Station Keflavik,

Iceland Iceland ( is, Ísland; ) is a Nordic island country in the North Atlantic Ocean and in the Arctic Ocean. Iceland is the most sparsely populated country in Europe. Iceland's capital and largest city is Reykjavík, which (along with its ...

and was reactivated the same day at Misawa where the wing assumed the missions and responsibilities previously performed by the 432nd Fighter Wing. Near the 1995 new year, Misawa experienced two earthquakes—7.5 and 7.9 on the

Richter scale The Richter scale —also called the Richter magnitude scale, Richter's magnitude scale, and the Gutenberg–Richter scale—is a measure of the strength of earthquakes, developed by Charles Francis Richter and presented in his landmark 1935 ...

at the epicenter off the coast of

. On July 25, 1998, a US

F-16 The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a single-engine multirole fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force (USAF). Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successf ...

based at Misawa was unable to become airborne and collided with an antenna array at the east end of Misawa's runway and exploded. The pilot ejected, but landed in the flaming wreckage of the jet. He succumbed to his injuries on September 17th, 1998 at

Brooke Army Medical Center Brooke Army Medical Center (BAMC) is the United States Army's premier medical institution. Located on Fort Sam Houston, BAMC, a 425-bed Academic Medical Center, is the Department of Defense's largest facility and only Level 1 Trauma Center. BAMC ...

Global War on Terror

On September 25, 2003 a magnitude 8.3 earthquake occurred off the east coast of

which was strongly felt in Misawa and all of

Aomori Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan in the Tōhoku region. The prefecture's capital, largest city, and namesake is the city of Aomori. Aomori is the northernmost prefecture on Japan's main island, Honshu, and is bordered by the Pacific Ocean to the eas ...

. Damage to Misawa Air Base was limited to burst water mains, cosmetic cracks in walls and personal property damage. There were no reports of damage to the base runway. This was the largest earthquake reported by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) for 2003. On July 17, 2007, a US F-16 from Misawa, while deployed to the 13th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, Balad AB,

Iraq Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq ...

crashed after delinquent tire pressure testing and pilot misinterpretation. The pilot ejected safely and there were no injuries or deaths. The base was slightly damaged by the March

2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami The occurred at 14:46 Japan Standard Time, JST (05:46 UTC) on 11 March. The Moment magnitude scale, magnitude 9.0–9.1 (M) Submarine earthquake, undersea megathrust earthquake had an epicenter in the Pacific Ocean, east of the Oshika Peni ...

and experienced a black out. There were concerns about flooding from the tsunami reaching the base, and about a nearby nuclear facility, the

Rokkasho Reprocessing Plant The is a nuclear reprocessing plant with an annual capacity of 800 tons of uranium or 8 tons of plutonium. It is owned by Japan Nuclear Fuel Limited (JNFL) and is part of the Rokkasho complex located in the village of Rokkasho in northeast Aomor ...

. After the quake, personnel and aircraft from the base assisted with

Operation Tomodachi was a United States Armed Forces (especially U.S. Forces Japan) assistance operation to support Japan in disaster relief following the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami. The operation took place from 12 March to 4 May 2011; involved 24,000 U ...

. The base also served as an important hub for airlifted assistance during the disaster recovery efforts. During the crisis, around 1,400 American family members voluntarily departed the base for locations outside Japan. In April 2015, two US F-16s based at Misawa made an emergency landing at a local airport after oil started leaking from one of the fighters. In October 2016 four

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) an ...

Typhoon A typhoon is a mature tropical cyclone that develops between 180° and 100°E in the Northern Hemisphere. This region is referred to as the Northwestern Pacific Basin, and is the most active tropical cyclone basin on Earth, accounting for a ...

fighters from No. 2 Squadron RAF supported by a

Voyager Voyager may refer to: Computing and communications * LG Voyager, a mobile phone model manufactured by LG Electronics * NCR Voyager, a computer platform produced by NCR Corporation * Voyager (computer worm), a computer worm affecting Oracle ...

aerial tanker and a

C-17 The McDonnell Douglas/Boeing C-17 Globemaster III is a large military transport aircraft that was developed for the United States Air Force (USAF) from the 1980s to the early 1990s by McDonnell Douglas. The C-17 carries forward the name of two ...

deployed to Misawa for the first bilateral exercises in Japan for the JASDF to host conducted with non-U.S. forces. On February 20, 2018, a US F-16 based at Misawa dumped two external fuel tanks into the nearby

after experiencing an engine fire. On January 14, 2019, a US F-16 based at Misawa made a precautionary landing at a Japanese regional airport after a problem with the aircraft. It was later revealed that this was due to a plastic piece falling off of the aircraft mid-flight. On April 3, 2019, a Japanese F-35A based at Misawa crashed over the Pacific Ocean approximately 85 miles East of Misawa Air Base. The cause was attributed to the pilot experiencing

spatial disorientation Spatial disorientation results in a person being unable to determine their position or relative motion, commonly occurring during periods of challenging visibility, since vision is the dominant sense for orientation. The auditory system, vestibul ...

. The JASDF proceeded to ground their F-35 fleet until safety inspections and additional training for pilots on spatial disorientation could be completed. Some debris from the aircraft was recovered, however, the pilot's remains were not recovered until June 2019. On November 1, 2019, a US F-16 based at Misawa accidentally dropped an inert training device about 3 miles North of Misawa Air Base's Draughon Range, into a privately owned field. There were no injuries or deaths. On February 2, 2020, the 35th Fighter Wing Commander temporarily tightened the base's curfew and prohibited the consumption of alcohol off-post until March 2nd, 2020. This was due to 5

DUI Driving under the influence (DUI)—also called driving while impaired, impaired driving, driving while intoxicated (DWI), drunk driving, operating while intoxicated (OWI), operating under the influence (OUI), operating vehicle under the infl ...

cases and eight other alcohol related incidents over the course of December 2019 and January 2020. In May 2021, the

US Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

forward deployed Unmanned Patrol Squadron 19, operating two MQ-4C Tritons, from

Andersen AFB Andersen Air Force Base (Andersen AFB, AAFB) is a United States Air Force base located primarily within the village of Yigo in the United States territory of Guam. The host unit at Andersen AFB is the 36th Wing (36 WG), assigned to the Pacific ...

to Naval Air Facility Misawa under CTF-72. The aircraft returned to Andersen AFB in Oct 2021.

Post Global War on Terror

On December 1, 2021, a US F-16 based at Misawa dropped its external fuel tank in the town of Fukaura, Aomori, during an in-flight emergency. The fuel tank fell near homes and the town hall of Fukaura. There were no injuries or deaths following the incident, and the F-16 made an emergency landing at Aomori Airport. The

Japanese Ministry of Defense The is an executive department of the Government of Japan responsible for preserving the peace and independence of Japan, and maintaining the country’s national security and the Japan Self-Defense Forces. The ministry is headed by the M ...

requested the base ground all F-16s, until it could be determined they were fit to fly. In March 2022, The Japan Air Self Defense Force acquired the first of three RQ-4B Global Hawks which were stationed at Misawa as part of the 3rd Air Wing. All three are scheduled to be delivered by the end of 2022. In September 2022, the 35th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron was deactivated and split into the 13th and 14th Fighter Generation Squadrons under the 35th Maintenance Group.

Major commands to which assigned

, (September–December 1945) : Redesignated:

Pacific Air Command, United States Army Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) is a Major Command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force and is also the air component command of the United States Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM). PACAF is headquartered at Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam (f ...

, (December 1945 – January 1947) : Redesignated:

, (January 1947 – July 1957) : Redesignated:

, (July 1957 – July 1972) ::

Air Defense Command Aerospace Defense Command was a major command of the United States Air Force, responsible for continental air defense. It was activated in 1968 and disbanded in 1980. Its predecessor, Air Defense Command, was established in 1946, briefly inac ...

(Attached), (September 1950 – June 1965) * United States Air Force Security Service, (July 1972 – October 1978) *

, (October 1978–present)

Major Operating Units

* 32d Army Engineering Construction Group*, September 1945 – August 1948 * 49th Fighter-Bomber Group, March 31, 1948 – January 23, 1950 : 49th Fighter (later Fighter-Bomber) Wing*, August 18, 1948 – December 1, 1950 * 41st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (Air Defense), September 6, 1950 – February 20, 1951 : Detachment from

Johnson Air Base is a Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) base located in the city of Sayama, Saitama Prefecture, north of western Tokyo, Japan. It was the airfield for the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force Academy until 1945, when it became Johnson Air Fo ...

, Japan * 6163d Air Base Wing*, December 1, 1950 – November 2, 1951 * 40th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (Air Defense), May 25 – July 1, 1951 * 116th Fighter-Bomber Wing*, November 1, 1951 – July 1, 1952 : Federalized Georgia

Air National Guard The Air National Guard (ANG), also known as the Air Guard, is a federal military reserve force of the United States Air Force, as well as the air militia of each U.S. state, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the ter ...

* 6016th Air Base Wing, January 1, 1952 – November 18, 1953 *

, March 1, 1952 – January 15, 1968 * 474th Fighter-Bomber Wing, July 10, 1952 – April 1, 1953 *

, October 9, 1952 – January 20, 1953 * 31st Fighter-Escort (later Strategic Fighter) Wing, July 20 – October 11, 1952; November 11, 1953 – February 12, 1954 *

, May 15, 1953 – August 10, 1953 * 49th Air Base Group*, April 1, 1953 – December 10, 1957 :

49th Fighter-Bomber Wing "Thank God for Mississippi" is an adage used in the United States, particularly in the South, that is generally used when discussing rankings of U.S. states. Since the U.S. state of Mississippi commonly ranks at or near the bottom of such rankings ...

*, November 7, 1953 – December 10, 1957 : 49th Fighter-Bomber Group, June 1 – December 10, 1957 * 506th Fighter-Escort Wing, August 15 – November 15, 1953 *

, May 12 – August 11, 1954 * 16th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (Air Defense), July 1 – August 1, 1954 * 4th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (Air Defense), August 1, 1954 – June 20, 1965 * 336th Fighter-Interceptor (later Fighter-Bomber, Fighter-Day) Squadron, November 19, 1954 – August 7, 1956 * 45th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, March 3, 1955 – November 15, 1963 * 6921st Radio Squadron : Redesignated: 6921st Radio Group : Redesignated: 6921st Security Wing, May 8, 1955 – February 1, 1976 * JASDF Northern Air Defense Force, July 15, 1957 – present * 6139th Air Base Group*, October 10, 1957 – January 8, 1964 :: 416th Fighter-Bomber (later Tactical Fighter) Squadron, March 25, 1958 – June 15, 1964 :: 531st Tactical Fighter Squadron, July 1, 1958 – June 15, 1964 : Redesignated: 439th Air Base Group*, January 8, 1964 – January 15, 1968 : Redesignated:

475th Tactical Fighter Wing The 475th Air Base Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last duty station was at Yokota Air Base, Japan, where it was inactivated on 1 April 1992. A non-flying wing, the wing's mission at Yokota was to perform host unit missi ...

*, January 15, 1968 – March 15, 1971 :: 612th Tactical Fighter Squadron, November 3, 1965 – May 15, 1971 ::

356th Tactical Fighter Squadron The 356th Fighter Squadron is an active United States Air Force fighter squadron. It is assigned to the 354th Fighter Wing, being stationed at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska. It was reactivated in 2019 to operate the Lockheed Martin F-35 Li ...

, November 29, 1965 – May 15, 1971 ::

, December 15, 1967 – March 15, 1971 :: 391st Tactical Fighter Squadron, July 22, 1968 – February 28, 1971 :: 16th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, March 16, 1970 – February 15, 1971 *

3d Tactical Fighter Wing The 3rd Wing is a unit of the United States Air Force, assigned to the Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) Eleventh Air Force. It is stationed at Joint Base Elmendorf–Richardson, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. The Wing is the largest and ...

, March 15, 1971 – September 16, 1974 * 6122d Air Base Group*, March 15, 1971 – July 1, 1972 * U.S. Naval Security Group Activity, July 1, 1971 – December 29, 2005 : Redesignated: U.S. Navy Information Operations Command Misawa, December 29, 2005 – October 14, 2014 * 6920th Air Base Group*, July 1, 1972 – February 1, 1976 : Redesignated: 6920th Security Wing*, February 1, 1976 – October 1, 1978 * 6112th Air Base Group*, October 1, 1978 – July 1, 1984 * 432d Tactical Fighter Wing*, July 1, 1984 – October 31, 1994 *

* October 31, 1994 – present

Role and operations

Misawa is the only combined, joint service installation in the western

Pacific The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the contine ...

. It houses three U.S. military services (Air Force, Navy, and Army), as well as the Japan Air Self-Defense Force. The base is home to 5,200 US military personnel, as well as 350 US civilian employees and 900 Japanese national employees. The Misawa Passive

Radio Frequency Radio frequency (RF) is the oscillation rate of an alternating electric current or voltage or of a magnetic, electric or electromagnetic field or mechanical system in the frequency range from around to around . This is roughly between the up ...

space surveillance site was used for tracking

satellite A satellite or artificial satellite is an object intentionally placed into orbit in outer space. Except for passive satellites, most satellites have an electricity generation system for equipment on board, such as solar panels or radioiso ...

s using the signals they transmit. It also provided coverage of geosynchronous satellites using the Deep Space Tracking System (DSTS) but was dismantled around 2002. The Misawa Security Operations Center (MSOC), located in the northwestern part of the Air Base, is believed to be one of the largest

ECHELON ECHELON, originally a secret government code name, is a surveillance program (signals intelligence/SIGINT collection and analysis network) operated by the five signatory states to the UKUSA Security Agreement:Given the 5 dialects that use ...

ground stations.

United States

The

United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Si ...

(35 FW) is the host unit at Misawa Air Base. The wing conducts daily

flight training to maintain its combat readiness. Its pilots fly air-to-air weapons delivery exercises over water and sharpen their air-to-ground skills using the Draughon Gunnery Range (formerly Ripsaw Range) located 12 miles north of Misawa. Four groups are assigned to the 35th Fighter Wing: the 35th Maintenance Group, the 35th Mission Support Group, 35th Medical Group and 35th Operations Group. Operational fighter squadrons of the 35th Operations Group are: *

13th Fighter Squadron The 13th Fighter Squadron is a fighter squadron of the United States Air Force. The squadron flies the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon and is part of the 35th Fighter Wing at Misawa Air Base, Japan. The squadron traces its heritage bac ...

"Panthers", Red tail stripe *

14th Fighter Squadron The 14th Fighter Squadron is part of the 35th Fighter Wing at Misawa Air Base, Japan. It operates the F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft conducting Wild Weasel missions. The squadron has been stationed at Misawa since 1987. The squadron was first ...

"Samurais", Yellow tail stripe Both squadrons fly the Block 50 F-16C/D "

Wild Weasel Wild Weasel is a code name given by the United States Air Force (USAF) to an aircraft of any type equipped with anti-radiation missiles and tasked with the suppression of enemy air defenses (SEAD): destroying the radar and surface-to-air mis ...

s", and use the tail code of "WW" (before adopting the "WW" tail code, the code "MJ" (for Misawa, Japan) was carried. US Navy 110326-N-MU720-030 Flight directors from Naval Air Facility Misawa guide a C-2 passenger plane onto the Navy ramp to disembark personnel

US Navy 110326-N-MU720-030 Flight directors from Naval Air Facility Misawa guide a C-2 passenger plane onto the Navy ramp to disembark personnel

U.S. Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage o ...

* Naval Air Facility Misawa * Commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Force Seventh Fleet (COMPATRECONFORSEVENTHFLT, Task Force 72). In 2018 this force is an additional designation for Commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing 1. * Aircraft Intermediate Maintenance Department (AIMD) Misawa * Navy Munitions Command East Asia Division (NMC EAD) Unit Misawa * Rotational squadrons and detachments of

P-8A Poseidon The Boeing P-8 Poseidon is an American maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft developed and produced by Boeing Defense, Space & Security, and derived from the civilian Boeing 737-800. It was developed for the United States Navy (USN). Th ...

and

EA-18G Growler The Boeing EA-18G Growler is an American carrier-based electronic warfare aircraft, a specialized version of the two-seat F/A-18F Super Hornet. The EA-18G replaced the Northrop Grumman EA-6B Prowlers in service with the United States Navy. ...

aircraft on six-month deployments to NAF Misawa U.S. Defense Contractor * CUBIC Defense Applications ACMI

Based units

Flying and notable non-flying units based at Misawa Air Base.

United States Air Force

(PACAF) *

Fifth Air Force The Fifth Air Force (5 AF) is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Pacific Air Forces (PACAF). It is headquartered at Yokota Air Base, Japan. It is the U.S. Air Force's oldest continuously serving Numbered Air Force. The organizat ...

(Host Wing) *** 35th Comptroller Squadron *** 35th Fighter Wing Staff Agencies **** 35th Fighter Wing Chaplain **** 35th Fighter Wing Retiree Activities Office **** 35th Fighter Wing Command Post **** 35th Fighter Wing Inspector General **** 35th Fighter Wing Plans, Programs, and Inspections **** 35th Fighter Wing Legal **** 35th Fighter Wing Public Affairs **** 35th Fighter Wing Safety **** 35th Fighter Wing Equal Opportunity Office **** 35th Fighter Wing Protocol **** 35th Fighter Wing School Liaison **** 35th Fighter Wing Sexual Assault Prevention and Response (SAPR) Office ***

35th Operations Group The 35th Operations Group (35 OG) is the operational flying component of the United States Air Force 35th Fighter Wing. It is stationed at Misawa Air Base, Japan, and is a part of Pacific Air Forces (PACAF). During World War II, the unit's p ...

****

– F-16CJ/DJ Fighting Falcon ****

– F-16CJ/DJ Fighting Falcon **** 35th Operations Support Squadron **** 610th Air Control Flight *** 35th Maintenance Group **** 13th Fighter Generation Squadron **** 14th Fighter Generation Squadron **** 35th Maintenance Squadron *** 35th Medical Group **** 35th Operational Medical Readiness Squadron **** 35th Dental Squadron **** 35th Healthcare Operations Squadron **** 35th Medical Support Squadron **** 35th Surgical Operations Squadron *** 35th Mission Support Group **** 35th Civil Engineer Squadron **** 35th Contracting Squadron **** 35th Communications Squadron **** 35th Force Support Squadron **** 35th Logistics Readiness Squadron **** 35th Security Forces Squadron

Air Education and Training Command Air Education and Training Command (AETC) is one of the nine Major Commands (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force (USAF), reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force. It was established 1 July 1993, with the realignment of Air Training ...

(AETC) *

Second Air Force The Second Air Force (2 AF; ''2d Air Force'' in 1942) is a USAF numbered air force responsible for conducting basic military and technical training for Air Force enlisted members and non-flying officers. In World War II the CONUS unit defende ...

** 82nd Training Wing ***982nd Training Group ****372nd Training Squadron *****Detachment 23 (GSU) Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI) *Detachment 623 (GSU)

Civil Air Patrol Civil Air Patrol (CAP) is a congressionally chartered, federally supported non-profit corporation that serves as the official civilian auxiliary of the United States Air Force (USAF). CAP is a volunteer organization with an aviation-minded mem ...

(CAP) *Misawa Cadet Squadron (NHQ-113)

United States Navy

Commander, Navy Installations Command Commander, Navy Installations Command (CNIC) is an Echelon II shore command responsible for all shore installations under the control of the United States Navy. As an Echelon II command, it reports directly to the Chief of Naval Operations. It i ...

(CINC) *Naval Air Facility Misawa **Air Operations Department – UC-12F Huron Commander, Naval Air Force, Pacific (COMNAVAIRPAC) * Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing 1 ** Task Force 72 – EP-3 Aries,

, and E/A-18G Growler

United States Army

Army Space and Missile Defense Command The United States Army Space and Missile Defense Command (USASMDC) is an Army Service Component Command (ASCC) of the United States Army. The command was established in 1997. The current USASMDC commander is Lieutenant General Daniel L. Karbler ...

(ASMDC) *1st Space Brigade **1st Space Battalion ***1st Space Company ****

Joint Tactical Ground Station The Joint Tactical Ground Station (JTAGS) is the United States Army's element to United States Strategic Command's Theater Event System (TES). TES provides an integrated, in-theater, 24-hour overhead non-imaging infrared detection capability for p ...

(JTAGS) *****Detachment Delta

Japan Air Self Defense Force

Air Defense Command *Northern Air Defense Force Headquarters ** Northern Air Command Support Flight –

Kawasaki T-4 The Kawasaki T-4 is a Japanese subsonic intermediate jet trainer aircraft developed and manufactured by the commercial conglomerate Kawasaki Heavy Industries. Its sole operator is the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF), in part due to historic ...

**3rd Air Wing *** 3rd Tactical Fighter Squadron – F-2A/B, T-4 and

F-35 Lightning II The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is an American family of single-seat, single-engine, all-weather stealth multirole combat aircraft that is intended to perform both air superiority and strike missions. It is also able to provide elect ...

**Airborne Early Warning Wing *** 601st Squadron –

E-2C Hawkeye The Northrop Grumman E-2 Hawkeye is an American all-weather, carrier-capable tactical airborne early warning (AEW) aircraft. This twin- turboprop aircraft was designed and developed during the late 1950s and early 1960s by the Grumman Aircraft ...

* Air Rescue Wing ** Misawa Helicopter Airlift Squadron – CH-47J Chinook

Climate

Like most of the

Tōhoku region The , Northeast region, or consists of the northeastern portion of Honshu, the largest island of Japan. This traditional region consists of six prefectures (''ken''): Akita, Aomori, Fukushima, Iwate, Miyagi, and Yamagata. Tōhoku reta ...

, the local area around Misawa AB has a humid temperate climate with warm summers, and cold, though not extreme, winters. The area has a

humid continental A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and freez ...

climate ( Köppen ''Dfa''), with monthly averages ranging from in January to in August.

Education

The Department of Defense operates two schools that serve the children of the American military and civilian personnel stationed at the base. * Sollars Elementary School, home of the Dragons * Robert D. Edgren High School, home of the Eagles Higher educational opportunities for those in the military and working for the Department of Defense, as well as for family members at Misawa are available through several contracted academic institutions. For example: * The Asian Division of University of Maryland University College (UMUC) * Central Texas College *

University of Phoenix University of Phoenix (UoPX) is a private for-profit university headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona. Founded in 1976, the university confers certificates and degrees at the certificate, associate, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degree leve ...

References

Citations

Sources

; General * * Some of the text in this article was taken from pages on th
Misawa Air Base website
which as a work of the U.S. Government is presumed to be a public domain resource. That information was supplemented by: * Fletcher, Harry R. (1989) Air Force Bases Volume II, Active Air Force Bases outside the United States of America on September 17, 1982. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. * Rogers, Brian (2005). United States Air Force Unit Designations Since 1978. Hinkley, England: Midland Publications. .

External links

Misawa Air Base
at U.S. Air Force web site
NIOC Misawa
at

web site
Misawa Air Base
at GlobalSecurity.org

(civilian passenger terminal) * *
the Insider
for Local Information
SAPPORO INN
for Housing Info
Wenatchee Valley Misawa Sister City Association
{{authority control Airfields of the United States Army Air Forces in Occupied Japan Airports established in 1938 Airports in Japan Installations of the United States Air Force in Japan Aomori Prefecture Misawa Transport in Aomori Prefecture Misawa, Aomori 1938 establishments in Japan