Misawa Air Base

Misawa Air Base is located in the Honshu Island of Japan, only 5 km away from the Pacific Ocean. It is run by the Pacific Air Forces and represents the one and only combined military base in the Pacific. It hosts both Japanese and American troops. It is a co-base operated by the Air Force, under the regulations of the Japanese government. The American population on site goes around 5500 individuals. The primary objectives of the base include space surveillance using the satellites and geosyncronous operations. It is considered to be the largest ECHELON ground base. At the same time, the installation is also used for civilian flights, making it one of the few such combined bases in the area.

History

The base history dates since the Meiji era, as the first half of the Japanese Empire is referred to. The era lasted between 1868 and 1912. It was used by the Imperial Army for cavalry training sessions. The operations went on until 1938, when the authorities decided to build the first runway for an airport. Starting with the same year, the the place hosted some of the most important and experienced bombardment units. In 1944, it was taken through a round of renovations and improvements for the Kamikaze Special Attack troops.

Prior to World War II, the base was used for the training sessions of those who attacked Pearl Harbor. The lake in the area was relatively similar to the waters around Pearl Harbor, so the place was perfect. When the United States of America were drawn into World War II, Misawa Air Base experienced an almost total damage, with up to 90% of the base completely destroyed by the US bombardment troops.

The American history in the area starts with 1945. The base was completely reconstructed and supported plenty of flights during the Korean War and the Vietnam War. At the same time, it was an excellent spot for secret surveillance missions in Russia and China during the ’50s. The first Japanese troops joined the base in 1954.

In the modern era, the base suffered from most earthquakes that hit Japan. At the same time, the officials discovered that almost 50% of the military personnel was overweight.

Units

The host unit at Misawa Air Base is American – the 35-th Fighter Wing. The mission support group hosts 7 squadrons, while the medical group consists of 5 only. At the same time, the operations group and the maintenance group have 4 squadrons each. Among the staff agencies, you can count the Wing Protocol, the Retiree Activities Office and the Comptroller Squadron. The base is also the home for the Japan Self Defense Forces, as well as two other American units.

Housing

The housing service at Misawa Air Base is very ramified. It depends if you come there as a single soldier or with your family. You have one to four bedroom housing opportunities. At the same time, the non government housing or the off site privatized system are just as popular in the area. Make sure you deal with your application correctly and understand all the terms.