Looking back at Misawa's history

  • Published
  • By Senior Master Sgt. Don Koser
  • 35th Fighter Wing historian
MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan --  March 24, 1941: The Army officially approved the 35th Fighter Group's "Attack to Defend" emblem. The group was the U.S. Army Air Corps' predecessor to the 35th Fighter Wing.

March 17, 1942: The first aircraft landed on Misawa AB's newly constructed triangular runway. The aircraft was a Type One, twin engine, attack bomber code named, "Betty" and was assigned to the Misawa Air Group.

March 3, 1943: The 35th Fighter Group took part in the Battle of the Bismarck Sea; proving land-based aircraft could destroy a convoy at sea. The group flew P-38 Lightnings out of Port Moresby, New Guinea, providing top cover for the attack formations. Twenty aircraft were shot down by Allied Forces with only three losses.

March 1, 1950: The Air Force assigned the 35th Fighter-Interceptor Wing under 5th Air Force for the first time and moved the wing from Johnson AB to Yokota AB, Japan, the following month.

March 1, 1952: The Air Force assigned the 35th Fighter-Interceptor Wing under the Japan Air Defense Force while stationed at Johnson AB, Japan.

March 8, 1954: The Air Force redesignated the 35th Medical Group as the 35th Tactical Hospital stationed at Yokota AB, Japan.

March 1, 1955: The Air Force assigned the 35th Fighter-Interceptor Wing under the 41st Air Division at Yokota AB, Japan.

March 14, 1966: The Air Force activated the 35th Fighter-Interceptor Wing and redesignated it the 35th Tactical Fighter Wing, assigned to Pacific Air Forces. The wing, inactive since 1957, entered the Vietnam War one month later stationed at Da Nang AB, South Vietnam, flying F-4 Phantom and F-102 Delta Dagger aircraft. 
    
     -- Air Force also activated the 35th Tactical Hospital and redesignated it the 35th Tactical Dispensary. The Air Force also activated the 35th Air Base Group and redesignated it the 35th Combat Support Group, which later became the 35th Mission Support Group. 

     -- The 35th Consolidated Aircraft Maintenance Squadron was activated. In 1984, the Air Force merged the lineage of the 35th CAMS into the 35th Equipment Squadron, the lineal predecessor of today's 35th Maintenance Squadron.

     -- The 35th Installations Squadron was activated and redesignated the 35th Civil Engineering Squadron at Da Nang AB, South Vietnam.

     -- The 35th Supply Squadron was activated at Da Nang AB, South Vietnam, which later became the 35th Logistics Readiness Squadron.

     -- The 35th Air Police Squadron was activated at Da Nang AB, South Vietnam, which later became the 35th Security Forces Squadron.

     -- The 35th Services Squadron was constituted and activated at Da Nang Airport, South Vietnam.

March 2, 1972: The 35th Services Squadron's emblem was approved by the Air Force Historical Research Agency.

March 31, 1978: The Japan Air Self-Defense's 3rd Air Wing headquarters relocated to Misawa AB along with its two fighter squadrons.

March 18, 1979: The first Cope Eagle exercise took place on Misawa AB. It involved four F-15A Eagles from the 27th Fighter Squadron, Langley AFB, VA, and a variety of JASDF aircraft including two F-4Ejs and two F104Js from Chitose, and two F-1s and two F-86s from Misawa's 3rd Air Wing.

March 28, 1980: Lieutenant Colonel Everett H. Pratt Jr., assumed command of the 13th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron at MacDill AFB, Fla. He later served as the 432nd Fighter Wing vice commander at Misawa and finished his 33-year career as vice commander, Headquarters U.S. Air Forces in Europe, Ramstein Air Base, Germany.

March 23, 1981: General Lew Allen Jr., Air Force Chief of Staff, visited Misawa to observe the beginning of Cope North 81-2 as a guest of the government of Japan.

March 9, 1985: The 432d Transient Alert Section performed its first official function when it parked a KC-10 Extender on Misawa's flightline. This was the first time a KC-10 Extender landed at Misawa.

March 23, 1989: The Army and Air Force Exchange Service opened its new $12 million, 93,000 square foot shopping center to the Misawa public.

March 31, 1991: The 35th Tactical Fighter Wing is assigned to 12th Air Force while stationed at George Air Force Base, Calif. The Air Force also activated the 35th Tactical Hospital under the 35th Tactical Fighter Wing and redesignated it as the 35th Medical Group. 

    -- The 35th Operations Support Squadron was activated at George AFB, Calif.

    -- The 35th Civil Engineering Squadron was activated at George AFB, Calif.

     -- The 35th Supply Squadron was activated at George. The squadron later became the predecessor to 35th Logistics Readiness Center. 

     -- The 35th Mission Support Squadron was activated at George. 

     -- The 35th Security Police Squadron was activated at George. 

      -- The 35th Services Squadron was activated at George.

March 1, 1994: The 35th Civil Engineering Squadron was redesignated the 35th Civil Engineer Squadron at Keflavik Naval Air Station, Iceland.

March 13, 2003: The 35th Logistics Readiness Squadron's emblem was approved by the Air Force Historical Research Agency.

March 21, 2003: The 14th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron flew the first non-stealth missions over Baghdad and fired the first AGM-88 HARM of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM. The 14th EFS employed all of the air-to-ground ordnance in its inventory, including the AGM-65 Maverick, AGM-88 HARM, GPS-guided bomb and cluster munitions, and the 20-millimeter cannon.