Looking back at Misawa's history in April

  • Published
  • By Senior Master Sgt. Don Koser
  • 35th Fighter Wing historian
MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan --  April 1, 1942: The Misawa Air Group of the Imperial Japanese Naval Air Force was reorganized into the 26th Air Combat Group under the command or Rear Admiral Masakuni Yamagata. The group consisted of 27 bombers at Misawa, 27 bombers at Kisarazu, and the 6th Air Force at Kisarazu with 45 fighters and six reconnaissance aircraft.

April 21, 1942: The 313th Bombardment Squadron (medium) moved to Columbia Army Air Base, S.C. The Air Force consolidated the lineage of the 313th BS with that of the 13th Fighter Squadron on September 19, 1985.

April 12, 1943: The 35th Fighter Group, the U.S. Army Air Corps' predecessor to the 35th Fighter Wing, equaled its record of 17 aerial victories in one day set on February 6, 1943.

April 2, 1945: The 14th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron moved from Mount Farm, England, to Chalgrove, England, as the war in Europe drew to a close. The squadron later became 14th Fighter Squadron.

April 15, 1945: The 35th Station Complement Squadron was disbanded at Harrington, England, following the allied victory in Europe. The squadron later became the 35th Mission Support Squadron.

April 1, 1947: The 610th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron was assigned to the 527th Aircraft Control and Warning Group while stationed at Itazuke Air Base, Japan. The squadron later became 610th Air Control Flight.

April 10, 1949: The 35th Station Medical Group was redesignated the 35th Medical Group while stationed at Johnson AB, Japan.

April 1, 1950: The 35th Maintenance and Supply Group and the 35th Air Base Group moved from Johnson AB, Japan, to Yokota AB, Japan, along with the following squadrons:
-- 35th Maintenance Squadron.
-- 35th Installations Squadron, which later became the 35th Civil Engineer Squadron.
-- 35th Communications Squadron.
-- 35th Supply Squadron, which later became the 35th Logisitics Readiness Squadron.
-- 35th Air Police Squadron, which later became the 35th Security Forces Squadron.
-- 35th Food Service Squadron, whihc later became the 35th Services Squadron. 

April 1, 1953: The 14th Troop Carrier Squadron (medium) was inactivated at Mitchel AFB, N.Y., after a short stint as a Reserve unit. The squadron flew Curtiss C-46 twin-engine aircraft.

April 1961: The Amagamori Range was renamed the Misawa Air-to-Ground Gunnery and Bombing Range -- code-named Ripsaw.

April 26, 1966: Maj. Paul J. Gilmore, F-4C pilot, and Lt. William T. Smith, GIB, or better known as the guy-in-the-back seat, of the 480th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 35th Tactical Fighter Wing, scored the first aerial victory over a MiG-21 in the Vietnam War using an AIM-9 missile.

April 1, 1970: Lt. Col. Jack I. Gregory assumed command of the 13th Tactical Fighter Squadron at Udorn Royal Thai AFB, Thailand. He flew more than 250 combat missions while assigned to the 13th FTS. As a lieutenant, Colonel Gregory flew F-86s with the 4th Fighter Interceptor Squadron out of Misawa in the 1950s. He later commanded the 831st Air Division at George AFB, Calif., in charge of Wild Weasel forces. Colonel Gregory went on to become commander-in-chief, Pacific Air Forces before his retirement in 1988.

April 1, 1972: The 35th Organizational Maintenance Squadron was activated at George AFB, Calif. The squadron later became 35th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron.

April 8, 1975: The Air Force Historical Research Agency approved the 35th Civil Engineering Squadron's emblem.

April 17, 1980: The Air Force Historical Research Agency approved the 35th Communications Squadron's emblem.

April 6, 1981: A 250-kilogram bomb was discovered 3.5 meters underground in the Aomori City Shell Oil Company complex. It was believed U.S. forces dropped the bomb in August 1945.

April 2, 1985: The first three F-16 trainer aircraft arrived at Misawa. Colonel Michael E. Ryan, 432nd Fighter Training Wing commander, piloted the first aircraft, which landed at 2:56 p.m.

April 17, 1985: A ground breaking ceremony marked the beginning of construction for the Burger King restaurant on Misawa.

April 4, 1986: Secretary of Defense Casper Weinberger visited Misawa.

April 9, 1993: The 35th Tactical Fighter Wing was redesignated the 35th Wing in preparation for its activation the following month at Keflavik Naval Air Station, Iceland. The wing flew F-15 Eagles in an air superiority role and HH-60 helicopters in a combat rescue role.
--The 35th Fighter-Interceptor Group, inactive since 1957, was redesignated the 35th Operations Group.
--The 35th Combat Support Group was redesignated the 35th Support Group.
--The 35th Consolidated Aircraft Maintenance Squadron was redesignated the 35th Maintenance Squadron.
--The 35th Operations Support Squadron was redesignated the 35th Operations Support Flight.

April 11, 1997: Gen. John Shalikashvili, chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff, visited Misawa.

April 14, 1997: The 14th Fighter Squadron became the first Pacific Air Forces unit to deploy in support of Operation Northern Watch, patrolling the no-fly zone over northern Iraq.

April 13, 1998: Lt. Col. Sam Angelella assumed command of the 13th Fighter Squadron at Misawa. Colonel Angelella later became commander of the 35th Fighter Wing.

April 18, 2000: The Air Force Historical Research Agency approved the 35th Contracting Squadron's emblem.

April 11, 2003: The Air Force Historical Research Agency approved the 35th Operations Support Squadron's Wild Weasel emblem.

April 25, 2003: Ripsaw Range was dedicated in memory of Petty Officer Matthew Draughon, a U.S. Navy diver onboard the USS Safeguard. He was lost on May 5, 2001, during the dive recovery operation of a Misawa F-16DJ aircraft that crashed into the Pacific Ocean east of range. He was posthumously awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal, second highest non-combatant medal awarded by the U.S. Department of the Navy. Draughon Hall, naval combined bachelor housing, was also dedicated by the U.S. Navy the same day.