, officially Shimohusa Air Base, is a military aerodrome of the

Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force , abbreviated , also simply known as the Japanese Navy, is the maritime warfare branch of the Japan Self-Defense Forces, tasked with the naval defense of Japan. The JMSDF was formed following the dissolution of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) ...

. It is located east of

Matsudo 260px, Matsudo City Hall is a city in Chiba Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 498,575 in 242,981 households and a population density of 8100 persons per km². The total area of the city is . Geography Matsudo is loca ...

Chiba Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of Honshu. Chiba Prefecture has a population of 6,278,060 (1 June 2019) and has a geographic area of . Chiba Prefecture borders Ibaraki Prefecture to the north, Saitama Prefecture to the ...

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 north ...

. The base straddles the border between

Kashiwa is a city located in Chiba Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 433,436 in 194,216 households and a population density of 3800 persons per km². The total area of the city is . The name of the city is written with a si ...

and

Kamagaya is a city located in Chiba Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 109,941 living in 50,485 households and a population density of 5200 persons per km². The total area of the city is . Geography Kamagaya is located in the ...

cities.

Operations

Shimofusa Air Base is currently the headquarters of the JMSDF Simohusa Air Training Group, which is equipped with Kawasaki-Lockheed

P-3C Orion The Lockheed P-3 Orion is a four-engined, turboprop Anti-submarine warfare, anti-submarine and maritime patrol aircraft, maritime surveillance aircraft developed for the United States Navy and introduced in the 1960s. Lockheed Corporation, Lockh ...

maritime patrol aircraft A maritime patrol aircraft (MPA), also known as a patrol aircraft, maritime reconnaissance aircraft, or by the older American term patrol bomber, is a fixed-wing aircraft designed to operate for long durations over water in maritime patrol roles ...

and

NAMC YS-11 The NAMC YS-11 is a turboprop airliner designed and built by the Nihon Aircraft Manufacturing Corporation (NAMC), a Japanese consortium. It was the only post-war airliner to be wholly designed and manufactured in Japan until the development of t ...

training aircraft. It is also host to the JMSDF 3rd Service School and a detachment from the JMSDF Communications Command.

History

Origins

Shimofusa Air Base was initially founded as for the IJAAF in 1945 during the closing stages of World War II by appropriating the Musashi Country Club Fujigaya Course which was once the premier golf course in the Tokyo area. With the completion of the airfield facility in April 1945, the 116th Airfield Battalion was assigned to Fujigaya to become the base host unit. At that time, the deployment of major IJAAF units in Tokatsu Region of Chiba Prefecture were: * Fujigaya Airfield, Fujigaya, Kazahaya Village, Higashi-Katsushika District ** 116th Airfield Battalion * Matsudo Airfield, Gokō-Mutsumi, Matsudo City ** 53rd Air Combat Group ( Ki-45 Kai) ** 6th Airfield Battalion * Kashiwa Airfield, Toyofuta, Tanaka Village, Higashi-Katsushika District ** 70th Air Combat Group ( Ki-44) ** Rear Echelon, 18th Air Combat Group ( Ki-61, Ki-100) ** ''Tokuheitai'' ( Ki-200 test and evaluation unit) ( Ku-13, Ki-51) ** 3rd Airfield Battalion In June 1945, the advanced echelon of the 18th Air Combat Group withdrew from the

Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

by heavy attrition in the

Battle of Luzon The Battle of Luzon ( tl, Labanan sa Luzon; ja, ルソン島の戦い; es, Batalla de Luzón) was a land battle of the Pacific Theater of Operations of World War II by the Allied forces of the U.S., its colony the Philippines, and allies agai ...

. Immediately upon arrival in Japan, they joined with the rear echelon which consisted of 36 aircrews and 46 Ki-100s, and on 19 June 1945 the group reassigned to Matsudo Airfield for air defense missions over the Kanto Plain area. Consequently, the 53rd Air Combat Group was reassigned from Matsudo to Fujigaya and performed air defense missions until the end of the war.

U.S. military use

After the surrender of Japan, Fujigaya Airfield was occupied by approximately 300 troops of the

Eighth U.S. Army The Eighth Army is a U.S. field army which is the commanding formation of all United States Army forces in South Korea. It commands U.S. and South Korean units and is headquartered at the Camp Humphreys,112th Cavalry Regimental Combat Team which seizing Kashiwa Airfield was sent elements in to relieve the occupation troops at Fujigaya. By the end of the year, the airfield was placed under the control of

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 organiza ...

and was redesignated as Shiroi Air Base, after the nearby town of

Shiroi is a city located in Chiba Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 63,190 in 26,204 households and a population density of 1800 persons per km². The total area of the city is . The name of the city comes from the word for ...

. Since then, the base was utilized as an auxiliary airfield and alternate Air Defense Control Center. There are two off-base/detached installations operated by USAF in support of Shiroi; aircraft control and warning radar site at Mineokayama Liaison Annex, and HF radio communications transmitter station at

Funabashi is a city located in Chiba Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 644,668 in 309,238 households and a population density of . The total area of the city is . It is the Greater Tokyo Area's 7th most populated city (after p ...

Communication Site.

Japan Self Defense Force use

In 1959, joint use agreement between USAF and Japan Maritime Self Defense Force was established at Shiroi, and JMSDF ground service crew training unit activated in place. As a result, all USAF assets left Shiroi on 12 December 1959. The base was completely returned to the Government of Japan in June 1960, then redesignated as JMSDF Shimohusa Air Base. Afterward, the JMSDF Fleet Air Force Headquarters activated at Shimofusa, then the base became an important facility for anti-submarine patrol aircraft's operations in Japan. In 1962, the runway and control tower were rebuilt, and the JMSDF Fleet Air Wing 4 was activated. With the partial release of U.S. Naval Air Station Atsugi in 1973, Headquarters JMSDF Fleet Air Force and the Fleet Air Wing 4 was relocated to Atsugi, and primary purpose of the base was reduced as a training facility. As the result, the JMSDF Air Training Command was relocated from JMSDF Utsunomiya Air Base (present, JGSDF Camp Kita-Utsunomiya) to Shimofusa. In addition, the JMSDF Helicopter Rescue Squadron has been stationed at Shimofusa from 1993.

Units

Imperial Japanese Army Air Service

* 53rd Air Combat Group, June－August 1945 ( Ki-45 Kai) * 116th Airfield Battalion, April－August 1945

U.S. Air Force

Wings * 456th Troop Carrier Wing (Medium), 10 November 1955－6 June 1956 * 6920th Security Wing, USAFSS, unknown－1 November 1958 Groups * 524th Aircraft Control and Warning Group * 528th Aircraft Control and Warning Group * 597th Aircraft Control and Warning Group * 6002d Air Intelligence Service Group * 6902d Special Communications Group Squadrons * 611th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron * 620th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron, c. 1 August 1946－15 March 1955 * 621st Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron, 21 July 1948－3 June 1949 * 711th Air Transport Squadron * 744th Troop Carrier Squadron (Medium), 10 November 1955－6 June 1956 (

C-119 The Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar (Navy and Marine Corps designation R4Q) was an American military transport aircraft developed from the World War II-era Fairchild C-82 Packet, designed to carry cargo, personnel, litter patients, and mechani ...

) * 745th Troop Carrier Squadron (Medium), 10 November 1955－6 June 1956 (C-119) * 746th Troop Carrier Squadron (Medium), 10 November 1955－17 May 1956 (C-119) *

6004th Air Intelligence Service Squadron The 6004th Air Intelligence Service Squadron was "the first covert (military intelligence) collection agency in the history of the United States Air Force".Haas (2002), p. 58. Begun by Major Donald Nichols as an impromptu extension of his pre-Kore ...

* 6020th Air Base Squadron * 6924th Radio Squadron (Mobile) * 6926th Radio Squadron (Mobile) Detachments * Det. 4, Headquarters,

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 ...

* Det. 10, 1st Air Postal Squadron * Det. C, District Ofiice No. 6,

AFOSI The Department of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (OSI) is a U.S. federal law enforcement agency that reports directly to the Secretary of the Air Force. OSI is also a U.S. Air Force field operating agency under the administrative ...

Others * 6030th USAF Infirmary (later, Dispensary)

Japan Maritime Self Defense Force

* Shiroi Service Training Unit, 21 October 1959
Redesignated: 3rd Service School, 1 February 1961－present Fleet Air Force * Headquarters, Fleet Air Force, 1 September 1961－25 December 1973 * Fleet Air Wing 4, 1 September 1962－25 December 1973 ** 3rd Squadron (Patrol), 1 September 1962－25 December 1973 ( P2V-7, P-2J, S-2F) ** 14th Squadron (Patrol), 6 May 1963－25 December 1973 (P2V-7, P-2J, S-2F) * 51st Squadron (Test and Evaluation), 15 March 1963－October 1981 (P2V-7, P-2J, HSS-2) * 111th Squadron (Minesweeping), 1 February 1974－1 September 1989 ( KV-107II-3) * Shimohusa Rescue Squadron, May 1965－c. 25 December 1973 ( S-62J) Air Training Command * Headquarters, Air Training Command, 20 February 1973－present * Shimohusa Air Training Group, 16 February 1974－present ** 201st Support and Maintenance Squadron, 16 February 1974
Redesignated: 203rd Support and Maintenance Squadron, 24 March 1997
Redesignated: 203rd Maintenance and Supply Squadron, 8 December 1998－present ** 205th Air Training Squadron, 16 February 1974－1 June 2011 ( YS-11T) ** 206th Air Training Squadron, 1 December 1987 ( P-3C)
Redesignated: 203rd Air Training Squadron, 24 March 1997－present (P-3C) ** Shimohusa Rescue Squadron, 27 September 1993－26 March 2008 (

UH-60J The Mitsubishi H-60 series is twin-turboshaft engine helicopter based on the Sikorsky S-70 helicopter family for use by the Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF). The SH-60J/K/L are anti-submarine patrol versions for the Japan Maritime Self-Defense ...

) ** Shimohusa Air Station Squadron, 16 February 1974－present Communications Command (HQ: JMSDF Ichigaya Area) * Mobile Communications Squadron, March 1968－present * Det. Shimohusa, Yokosuka Communications Squadron, March 2003－present Criminal Investigation Command (HQ: JMSDF Yokosuka Base) * Det. Shimohusa, Yokosuka District JMSDF CIC, May 1962－present

References

Bibliography

* * * U.S. Far East Command, "FEC U.S. Telephone Directory, December 1955." Pershing Heights, Tokyo: General Headquarters, U.S. Far East Command. Document is on file at the United States National Archives (previously declassified and released under FOIA). * War History Office, National Institute for Defense Studies,

Japan Defense Agency The is an Ministry of Japan, 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 ...

(1968). ''

Senshi Sōsho The , also called the , is the official military history of Imperial Japan's involvement in the Pacific War from 1937 to 1945. The task of compiling the official account of the Japanese involvement in World War II began in October 1955 with the op ...

, Vol. 19, Hondo Bōkū Sakusen (WWII Air Defense Operations on the Japanese mainland).'' Tokyo: Asagumo Shimbunsha.

External links

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{{authority control Japanese airbases Military facilities in Chiba Prefecture Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force bases Installations of the United States Air Force in Japan Kamagaya Kashiwa