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North Field (Iwo Jima)
Encyclopedia
North Field or Iwo Jima Air Base is a World War II
airfield on Iwo Jima
in the Bonin Islands, located in the Central Pacific. The Bonin Islands are part of Japan
. Today, the airfield is operated by the Japan Self-Defense Forces
as a military airfield.
Located south and west of the midpoint between Tokyo
and Saipan
, the island of Iwo Jima was needed by the United States Army Air Force Twentieth Air Force
as an emergency landing facility for its B-29 Superfortress
strategic bombing campaign against the Empire of Japan
.
United States Marines landed on Iwo Jima February 19, 1945. The first day saw 2,400 American casualties. During the battle U.S. Marines, sailors and soldiers killed an estimated 20,000 Japanese and captured over 1,000 prisoners. On March 25 the Battle of Iwo Jima was declared over and the island secured, although mopping up continued until July. United States Army
units, including the 147th Infantry also participated in the battle.
North Field was a Japanese airfield which was repaired and lengthened by American forces to accommodate B-29s making emergency landings. Central
and North Fields on Iwo Jima handled over 2,400 emergency landings by American aircraft. It was also the headquarters for VII Fighter Command (assigned to Twentieth Air Force
) from March 1 – December 1, 1945, along with the intelligence-gathering 41st Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron
from August though mid-September 1945. Operational fighter squadrons which performed B-29 escort missions from North Field were:
After the war, North Field stayed in American hands until after the Korean War, when it was turned over to the Japan Self-Defense Forces as an interceptor base. It continues in that role today.
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
airfield on Iwo Jima
Iwo Jima
Iwo Jima, officially , is an island of the Japanese Volcano Islands chain, which lie south of the Ogasawara Islands and together with them form the Ogasawara Archipelago. The island is located south of mainland Tokyo and administered as part of Ogasawara, one of eight villages of Tokyo...
in the Bonin Islands, located in the Central Pacific. The Bonin Islands are part of Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. Today, the airfield is operated by the Japan Self-Defense Forces
Japan Self-Defense Forces
The , or JSDF, occasionally referred to as JSF or SDF, are the unified military forces of Japan that were established after the end of the post–World War II Allied occupation of Japan. For most of the post-war period the JSDF was confined to the islands of Japan and not permitted to be deployed...
as a military airfield.
History
- See also: Battle of Iwo JimaBattle of Iwo JimaThe Battle of Iwo Jima , or Operation Detachment, was a major battle in which the United States fought for and captured the island of Iwo Jima from the Empire of Japan. The U.S...
Located south and west of the midpoint between Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
and Saipan
Saipan
Saipan is the largest island of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands , a chain of 15 tropical islands belonging to the Marianas archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean with a total area of . The 2000 census population was 62,392...
, the island of Iwo Jima was needed by the United States Army Air Force Twentieth Air Force
Twentieth Air Force
The Twentieth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming.20 AF's primary mission is Intercontinental Ballistic Missile operations...
as an emergency landing facility for its B-29 Superfortress
B-29 Superfortress
The B-29 Superfortress is a four-engine propeller-driven heavy bomber designed by Boeing that was flown primarily by the United States Air Forces in late-World War II and through the Korean War. The B-29 was one of the largest aircraft to see service during World War II...
strategic bombing campaign against the Empire of Japan
Empire of Japan
The Empire of Japan is the name of the state of Japan that existed from the Meiji Restoration on 3 January 1868 to the enactment of the post-World War II Constitution of...
.
United States Marines landed on Iwo Jima February 19, 1945. The first day saw 2,400 American casualties. During the battle U.S. Marines, sailors and soldiers killed an estimated 20,000 Japanese and captured over 1,000 prisoners. On March 25 the Battle of Iwo Jima was declared over and the island secured, although mopping up continued until July. United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
units, including the 147th Infantry also participated in the battle.
North Field was a Japanese airfield which was repaired and lengthened by American forces to accommodate B-29s making emergency landings. Central
Central Field (Iwo Jima)
Central Field was a World War II airfield on Iwo Jima in the Volcano Islands, located in the Central Pacific. The Volcano Islands are part of Japan. The airfield was located on the southern corner of Iwo Jima located on the Motoyama plateau, to the north of Mount Suribachi.It was abandoned after...
and North Fields on Iwo Jima handled over 2,400 emergency landings by American aircraft. It was also the headquarters for VII Fighter Command (assigned to Twentieth Air Force
Twentieth Air Force
The Twentieth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming.20 AF's primary mission is Intercontinental Ballistic Missile operations...
) from March 1 – December 1, 1945, along with the intelligence-gathering 41st Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron
41st Electronic Combat Squadron
The 41st Electronic Combat Squadron is a United States Air Force unit. Its current assignment is with the 355th Operations Group, being stationed at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona.-History:...
from August though mid-September 1945. Operational fighter squadrons which performed B-29 escort missions from North Field were:
- 506th Fighter Group506th Air Expeditionary GroupThe 506th Air Expeditionary Group is a provisional United States Air Force unit. The group is assigned to the United States Air Forces Central 332d Air Expeditionary Wing, stationed at Joint Base Balad, Iraq....
, April 24 – December 3, 1945 - 414th Fighter Group414th Fighter GroupThe 414th Fighter Group is an active United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to Air Force Reserve Command, being activated at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina 2010.-Overview:...
, July 7 – December 23, 1945 - 21st Fighter Group21st Space WingThe 21st Space Wing is a unit of the Air Force Space Command based at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado. The unit is tasked with the operation of early missile warning and space object detection equipment around the world in support of NORAD and USSTRATCOM through a network of command and control...
, July 16 – December 4, 1945 - 548th Night Fighter Squadron, March 5 – June 12, 1945
- 549th Night Fighter Squadron549th Night Fighter SquadronThe 549th Combat Training Squadron is a non-flying United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the 57th Operations Group, and is stationed at Nellis AFB, Nevada.-Overview:...
, (Ground Echelon), March 14, 1945 – February 5, 1946
After the war, North Field stayed in American hands until after the Korean War, when it was turned over to the Japan Self-Defense Forces as an interceptor base. It continues in that role today.
See also
- USAAF in the Central PacificUnited States Army Air Forces in the Central Pacific AreaDuring World War II, the United States Army Air Forces engaged in combat against the Empire of Japan in the Central Pacific Area. As defined by the War Department, this consisted of most of the Pacific Ocean and its islands, excluding the Philippines, Australia, the Netherlands East Indies, the...
- Central FieldCentral Field (Iwo Jima)Central Field was a World War II airfield on Iwo Jima in the Volcano Islands, located in the Central Pacific. The Volcano Islands are part of Japan. The airfield was located on the southern corner of Iwo Jima located on the Motoyama plateau, to the north of Mount Suribachi.It was abandoned after...