Miho-Yonago Airport

Miho-Yonago Airport 美保飛行場
IATA: YGJ – ICAO: RJOH
Summary
Airport type		Militayr/Public
Operator		JASDF
Serves		Yonago, Tottori, Japan
Elevation AMSL		13 ft / 4 m
Coordinates		35°29′36″N 133°14′21″E / 35.49333°N 133.23917°E / 35.49333; 133.23917Coordinates: 35°29′36″N 133°14′21″E / 35.49333°N 133.23917°E / 35.49333; 133.23917
Map
RJOH Location in Japan
Runways
Direction	Length		Surface
	m	ft
07/25	2,500	8,202	Asphalt concrete
Source: Japanese AIP at AIS Japan[1]

Miho-Yonago Airport (美保飛行場) (IATA: YGJ, ICAO: RJOH), also known as Yonago Airport or Miho Air Base, is an airport serving Yonago, a city in the Tottori Prefecture of Japan. It is controlled by Japan Air Self-Defense Force and is jointly used by civil aviation, JASDF and Japan Coast Guard.

History

Built as a World War II Imperial Japanese Army Air Force airfield; it was attacked by USAAF B-24 Liberator very long range bombers only once at the end of the war during July 1945. After the war, the airfield was taken over by the British Commonwealth Occupation Force (BCOF) in Japan. The Royal Australian Air Force's No. 5 Airfield Construction Squadron refurbished the airfield and later No. 77 Squadron was stationed at the airfield until 1950.

In December 1950, the United States Air Force 452d Bombardment Wing moved B-26 Invader light bombers to Miho Air Base. They moved to Pusan-East AB (K-9), South Korea in May 1951 for combat duty during the Korean War. The only other operational USAF unit to use the airfield was the 17th Bombardment Wing, which also flew B-26s from the field between October 1954 – March 1955 before returning to the United States.

Miho AB, however was used primary a Radar Station by the 618th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron beginning in December 1950, operating defensive radar sites as part of the air defense of Japan until May 1957. The 6135th Support Squadron maintained airfield facilities and the small ground station. The Air Weather Service 15th Weather squadron also used the airfield, along with transient C-47 Skytrain transports carrying supplies and personnel.

USAF units were withdrawn and Miho Airport was returned to Japanese control in May 1957 as part of a general drawdown of American forces in Japan.

Airlines and destinations

Airlines	Destinations
All Nippon Airways	Tokyo-Haneda
Asiana Airlines	Seoul-Incheon

Access

The airport is connected to various locations by bus. Also, there is a railway line, the Sakai Line, which connects the airport with the Yonago Station and Sakaiminato Station.

References

	United States Air Force portal
	Military of the United States portal
	World War II portal

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.

• Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-89201-092-4.
• Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings Lineage and Honors Histories 1947–1977. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9.

1. ^ AIS Japan

External links

• Yonago Airport brochurePDF (616 KiB)
• Miho-Yonago Airport info and photos at AOPA Japan
• Current weather for RJOH at NOAA/NWS
• Accident history for YGJ at Aviation Safety Network