Construction
Built in 1937, this base was the air academy
for the Japanese Army Air Force, with its academy located
at the nearby town. Mostly training aircraft operated from
the base, including Type 95 biplanes painted orange.
Units based at Irumagawa
14th Sentai (Ki-67) 1945
American Occupation
When American forces occupied
the base, they discovered a mock-up B-29, used for training
suicde
teams
on how to disable a B-29, for paratrooper missions to the
Marianas, that never happened.
Renamed Johnson Air Base by
the Americans, in honor of the 49th FG's former C.O., Gerald
A. Johnson, who scored 22 victories but was killed post war
in a B-25 crash over Tokyo Bay.
American Units based at Irumagawa
5th Air Force Headquarters
41st Air Division
35th FG 8th Photo Recon Squadron
3rd Bombardment Wing
35th FG, 41st FS (P-51s) Yontan Oct 10, 45 - March 25, 50 to Yokota
Postwar
An 'Ohka' flying bomb was displayed
at the entrance to the base as early as 1953. The base was returned
to the Japanese during the 1960s.
MXY7 Ohka
Displayed as gate guard at the air base until the 1950s
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