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    Susaki Airfield (Chi Chi Jima Airfield) Chi Chi Jima | Ogasawara Subprefecture Japan
Click For Enlargement
George Pierce 1951

Click For Enlargement
Roy Wiggs 1962
Location
Susaki Airfield was located at the top of a hill on Chi Chi Jima (Father Island) in the Father Island Group in the Bonin Islands (Ogasawara Islands) of Ogasawara Subprefecture in Japan. Also known as "Chi Chi Jima Airfield", "Chichi Jima Airfield" or "Chichi Airfield".

Construction
Built by the Japanese with a single runway surfaced with dirt.

Wartime History
Susaki Airfield was used by the Japanese to a limited capacity as the only airfield on Chi Chi Jima. Starting in the middle of August 1944 attacked by American bombers and later fighters until the end of March 1945 when deemed to be neutralized.

American missions against Susaki Airfield (Chi Chi Jima Airfield)
August 12, 1944–March 31, 1945

In July 1945, U.S. intelligence described the airfield as a landing ground without an all-weather runway and without complete facilities. Occupied by the Japanese until the official surrender of Japan on September 2, 1945.

Today
Disused since the Pacific War as an airfield. The former runway is overgrown an abandoned.

Roy Wiggs recalls:
When I flew into Chi Chi from Guam in 1962 in an HU-16 Albatross. There wasn't any airfield, we landed in the bay. We carried our own jato bottles and used them to take-off. There was no way to re-supply the Japanese garrison there, we blockaded the shipping lanes, shot down all their Emilys, and tried to starve them out. In desperation they tried to make some place for land planes to get in and out but that didn't work very well either."

G4M2 Betty
Force landed at the airfield

Ki-49 Helen
Force landed at the airfield

References
Airfields in the Japanese Empire, Office of Assistant Chief of Air Staff, Intelligence. July 1945

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Last Updated
April 19, 2021

 

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