Looking back at Misawa's history in June

  • Published
  • By Senior Master Sgt. Don Koser
  • 35th Fighter Wing historian
June 30, 1944: The 14th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron earned a distinguished Unit Citation for its support of the D-Day invasion. Squadron pilots flew 426 reconnaissance sorties against high-priority targets leading up to, during and after the invasion. These hazardous missions cost the unit several pilots and aircraft, but were vital to the invasion's success.

June 1945: The first and only Kamikaze unit from Misawa deployed to Hakata, Kyushu. Before war's end, nearly half of the 50 pilots died flying torpedo bomber missions.

June 12, 1948: The first Misawa Piloteer base paper was distributed. Initially an unofficial publication, the paper ran until Feb. 4, 1950.

June 14, 1948: As of this date, the following units were assigned to Misawa: 49th Fighter Group, 6139th Air Base Group, 385th Base Service Group, 7th, 8th and 9th Fighter Squadrons, 3rd Emergency Rescue Squadron, 601st Air Engineering Squadron, 609th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, 597th Light Equipment Squadron, 613th Air Control & Warning Squadron, 164th Airways, Air Communication Squadron, 49th Communications Squadron, 49th Air Police Squadron, 49th Supply Squadron, and the 49th Maintenance Squadron.

June 23, 1948: The first Misawa Library opened in the day room of BOQ #11 for use of all personnel attached or assigned to the base. The following day, Miss Marie Delmas, librarian, awarded Private First Class Morris Forbes a carton of cigarettes for being the 100th enlisted man to visit the library.

June 6, 1949: U.S. Forces assumed control of the Amagamori Range; however, it was not approved for use under the Status of Forces Agreement until 1952. The range became known as Ripsaw Range and later Draughon Range.

June 27, 1950: Major James W. Little scored the third aerial victory of the Korean War while assigned to the 339th Fighter Squadron. Major Little shot down an LA-7 in his F-82 Twin Mustang.

June 28, 1950: Pilots of the 35th Fighter Wing flew their first F-51 Mustang training missions with a small unit of South Korean aviators in a program known as "Bout One." Concerns with the F-80 Shooting Star's limited range and loiter time led the Air Force to retrograde the wing from the F-80 to the F-51. This change altered the wing's mission from air-to-air to primarily air-to-ground.

June 16, 1964: A large earthquake hit Niigata, Japan, at 1:01 p.m. Misawa sent
RF-101s from the 45th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron to photograph/assess the condition of Niigata's runway to receive mercy flights. 

June 3, 1967: Major Ralph L. Kuster Jr., 13th Tactical Fighter Squadron, shot down a MiG-17 with his F-105D's 20-millimeter cannon, which marked the squadron's first recorded aerial victory.

June 26, 1980: Secretary of the Air Force Dr. Hans M. Mark made a brief visit to Misawa.

June 1, 1985: The 13th Tactical Fighter Squadron assigned to the 432d Tactical Fighter Wing was activated at Misawa.

June 17, 1985: Misawa's new commissary opened its doors to the base community.

June 30, 1998: A flight of four F-16CJs led by Lt. Col. Sam Angelella with Capts. Jim Cleet, Darrell Thomas and Craig McCarty, successfully suppressed an enemy air defense system while flying in support of Operation Southern Watch. The flight responded after British aircraft operating near Basra received Iraqi missile threat indications. Shortly thereafter, Colonel Angelella, 13th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron commander, fired a single AGM-88 HARM at the site suppressing the threat.

June 16, 2000: The U.S. Army's 750th Military Intelligence Detachment, part of the Misawa Cryptologic Operations Center was inactivated. The 403rd MID activated the same day and absorbed a portion of the 750th's personnel.

June 27, 2004: Misawa's Northern Aircraft Control and Warning Wing, part of Japanese Air Self-Defense Force, celebrated their 50th Anniversary with a ceremony and reception.

June 14, 2006: The Misawa Family Support Center held a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate 25 years of service and announced a name change to the Airman and Family Readiness Center. The name change reflected a move across the Air Force to highlight readiness.