The Korea
Conflict of 1950 emphasized the need for maintaining a naval presence in Okinawa. On
February 15, 1951, the U.S. Naval Facility, Naha, was activated and later became
commissioned on April 18th. Commander Fleet Activities, Ryukyus was commissioned on March
8, 1957. On May 15, 1972, upon reversion of Okinawa to Japanese administration, the two
organizations were combined to form Commander Fleet Activities, Okinawa.
With the relocations of
Commander Fleet Activities, Okinawa to Kadena Air Base on May 7, 1975, the title then
became Commander Fleet Activities, Okinawa/U.S. Naval Air Facility, Kadena. History of
Kadena Air Base, Okinawa Home of Fleet Activities Okinawa.
Kadena AB history dates
back to just before the April 1, 1945, U.S. invasion of Okinawa, when a local construction
firm completed a small airfield named Yara Hikojo near the island's village of Kadena. The
airfield, used by Japanese warplanes, was one of the first targets of the U.S. 10th Army
and was captured just hours after American troops stormed the island.
What the Americans
captured was nothing more than a 4,600 foot strip of badly-damaged coral runway. Army
engineers quickly made repairs and, by nightfall the same day, the runway could accept
emergency landings. Eight days later, and after some six inches of coral were added, the
airfield was declared operational and put into immediate service. By August 1945, an
additional runway was built and the original runway lengthened and improved to accommodate
bombers. Kadena Air Base was born.
The surrender of Japanese
forces in the Ryukyu Islands came Sep 7 the same year. General Joseph Stilwell accepted
the surrender in an area that would later become Kadena's Stearley Heights housing area.
The 316th BMW remained at Kadena until deactivation in 1948.
Although Kadena originated
as a fighter base, a B-29 organization -- the 316th Bombardment Wing -- was the first
element responsible for operating the base. An advance element of the 316th was prepared
to fly combat and returned to Kadena in June 1950 when the 19th Bombardment Group arrived
from Andersen AB, Guam to fight in the Korean War. In August 1950, the 307th Bombardment
Group arrived at Kadena from MacDill AFB, FL, adding to the base's growing bomber force.
When the Korean War ended,
the B-29s departed and, by 1954, had been replaced with F-86F fighters from the 18th
Fighter-Bomber Wing. In March 1955, the 313th Air Division was activated at Kadena,
replacing 20th Air Force as the senior U.S. Air Force organization in the Ryukyus.
The primary support unit
for the newly-activated 313th AD was the 6332nd Air Base Wing. This wing went through many
changes throughout the years, however, it was not until President Harry Truman announced
the end of offensive action against Japan, August 15, 1945 that they could take to the
skies. They later became the 6313th ABW from 1957-64, and then the 824th Combat Support
Group from 1974-85.
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