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Kadena Air Base is the largest American airbase in Asia. It is located on Okinawa Island, and was captured from the Japanese by American forces early in the Battle of Okinawa in World War II. The 18th Wing is the host unit.

History
Kadena Air Base history dates back to just before the United States invasion of Okinawa during World War II. A local construction firm completed a small airfield near the island's village of Kadena. The airfield, used by Japanese warplanes, was one of the first targets of the U.S. Tenth Army.

By August 1945, repairs were made and an additional runway was built and the original runway lengthened and improved to accommodate bombers. The surrender of Japanese forces in the Ryukyu Islands came 7 September the same year. General Joseph Stilwell accepted the surrender in an area that would later become Kadena's Stearley Heights housing area.

Although Kadena originated as a fighter base, a B-29 organization -- the 316th Bombardment Wing -- was the first element responsible for operating the base. The 19th Bombardment Group arrived from Andersen Air Force Base, Guam to fight in the Korean War. In August 1950, the 307th Bombardment Group arrived at Kadena from MacDill Air Force Base , Florida, 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-86 fighters. In March 1955, the 313th Air Division was activated at Kadena.

During the Vietnam War Kadena acted as a host base for B-52s conducting Arclight and Operation Linebacker bombing missions in Southeast Asia, for A-12 and SR-71 strategic reconnaissance aircraft, and for the KC-135 tankers which provided aerial refueling support for them.

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