Looking down at the river and mountains from the observation room atop Iwakuni Castle, I could easily imagine why a feudal-time lord built his castle here.
Two B-1B Lancers took off from Andersen AFB, to conduct a Bomber Task Force (BTF) mission in the Indo-Pacific command theater, Dec. 16, 2020, integrating with Japanese fighters and making history landing at Iwakuni.
U.S. Marines and sailors with 3D Marine Expeditionary Brigade deployed to Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni in order to rehearse distributed operations capabilities beginning Jan. 21, 2021.
Iwakuni, home to the U.S. Marine Corps base, is a small castle city with a population of 130,000. The city is known for scenic Kintaikyo Bridge and majestic Iwakuni Castle located on the top of a mountain. World Heritage sites, Hiroshima and Miyajima are only within an-hour drive from the base, as well.
On October 16, 2020 Marine Aircraft Group (MAG) 12 redesignated Marine All Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 242 to Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 242 as part of the Marine Corps’ ongoing transition process from legacy F/A-18 Hornet aircraft to the newer 5th generation F-35B Lighting II.
U.S. Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Edward York II, an expeditionary firefighter and rescue specialist with Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron, is presented with a letter of appreciation from the Iwakuni Regional Firefighting Organization in Iwakuni City, Japan, July 9, 2020.
U.S. Marine Corps Col. Lance Lewis, Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Iwakuni commanding officer, and Iwakuni City Mayor Yoshihiko Fukuda tour MCAS Iwakuni, Japan, April 14, 2020.
Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni and Japanese residents, students, and leaders take part in kakizome, or, first calligraphy of the New Year at Waki Elementary School, Waki Town, Japan, Jan. 11, 2019.
U.S. Marines and sailors from Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Iwakuni and local Japanese residents participated in the Iwakuni Friendship Relay Marathon in Iwakuni City, Dec. 1, 2019.
