Chimu Airfield or NAB Chimu is a former

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

airfield on the Pacific coast of

Okinawa most commonly refers to: * Okinawa Prefecture, Japan's southernmost prefecture * Okinawa Island, the largest island of Okinawa Prefecture * Okinawa Islands, an island group including Okinawa itself * Okinawa (city), the second largest city in th ...

. The airfield was inactivated after October 1945.

History

World War II

The Chimu Wan area was captured during the first week of the

Battle of Okinawa The , codenamed Operation Iceberg, was a major battle of the Pacific War fought on the island of Okinawa Island, Okinawa by United States Army and United States Marine Corps forces against the Imperial Japanese Army during the Pacific War, Impe ...

. The Chimu Wan area was surveyed for possible airbase construction in late April 1945 and the

Seabees United States Naval Construction Battalions, better known as the Navy Seabees, form the U.S. Naval Construction Forces (NCF). The Seabee nickname is a heterograph of the initial letters "CB" from the words "Construction Battalion". Dependi ...

of the 40th CB commenced construction of a fighter airstrip there on 6 May. Despite periodic Japanese mortar and sniper fire, by 1 July 1945 the base with its 5000 ft runway was ready for use by US Navy fighters.

Marine Aircraft Group 22 Marine Aviation Training Support Group 22 (MATSG-22) is a United States Marine Corps aviation training Group (air force unit), group that was originally established during World War II as Marine Aircraft Group 22 (MAG-22). Squadrons from MAG-22 ...

(MAG-22) was based at Chimu in September 1945.

Marine Aircraft Group 31 Marine Aircraft Group 31 (MAG-31) is a United States Marine Corps aviation group based at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina that is currently composed of two F/A-18C Hornet squadrons, one F/A-18A++ Hornet squadron, two F/A-18D ...

(MAG-31) was based at Chimu from 1 July 1945 until moving to

Yokosuka is a city in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. , the city has a population of 373,797, and a population density of . The total area is . Yokosuka is the 11th-most populous city in the Greater Tokyo Area, and the 12th in the Kantō region. The city i ...

for occupation duty on 12 October 1945, MAG-31 squadrons included

VMF-224 Marine All Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 224 (VMFA(AW)-224) was a United States Marine Corps (USMC) F/A-18 Hornet squadron. Also known as the "Fighting Bengals", the squadron is based at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina and fa ...

and

VMF-311 Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 311 (VMFA-311) is a United States Marine Corps fighter attack squadron consisting of F-35C Lightning II. Known as the "Tomcats", the squadron is based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California and falls unde ...

operating F4Us. VMF(N)-533 flying the radar-equipped Grumman F6F-5N Hellcat operated night defense missions; their new

Grumman F7F Tigercat The Grumman F7F Tigercat is a heavy fighter aircraft that served with the United States Navy (USN) and United States Marine Corps (USMC) from late in World War II until 1954. It was the first twin-engine fighter to be deployed by the USN. While ...

s arrived on Okinawa too late to see combat. VMB-612 operating PBJ-1D and PBJ-1Js was based at Chimu from July until the end of the war. The squadron conducted anti-ship operations including use of the Tiny Tim rocket. A seaplane base at Chimu was established in July 1945. On 14 July VPB-208 operating PBM-5s deployed to Chimu, they were followed by VPB-26 operating PBM-5s on 15 July, VPB-22 operating PBM-3Ds on 16 August and VPB-205 operating PBM-5s on 25 on August. The and provided tender support.

VPB-13 VPB-13 was a patrol bombing squadron of the U.S. Navy. The squadron was established as Patrol Squadron 13 (VP-13) on 1 July 1940, redesignated Patrol Bombing Squadron 13 (VPB-13) on 1 October 1944 and disestablished on 1 December 1945. Operati ...

operating

Consolidated PB2Y Coronado The PB2Y Coronado is a large flying boat Maritime patrol aircraft, patrol bomber designed by Consolidated Aircraft, and used by the US Navy during World War II in bombing, antisubmarine, medical/hospital plane, and transport roles. Obsolete b ...

s was based at Chimu from 1–22 September 1945. The seaplane base was disestablished after it was destroyed by typhoons in September and October 1945. Okinawa airfields 1945

Post war

Post war the base was repurposed by USN Mobile Construction Battalions 3, 9 and 11. On September 20, 1965, the base was reopened by the United States Marine Corps as

Camp Hansen Camp Hansen is a United States Marine Corps base located in Okinawa, Japan. The camp is situated in the town of Kin, near the northern shore of Kin Bay, and is the second-northernmost major installation on Okinawa, with Camp Schwab to the nor ...

References

{{reflist

External links

* http://www.vmb612.com Airfields of the United States Navy Airfields in the Pacific theatre of World War II Japan campaign Military installations closed in the 1940s Closed installations of the United States Navy

History

World War II

Post war

See also

References

External links