On 23 October 2026, YCAPS hosted a talk and self-guided tour of the ‘Zero hangar’ aboard Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, in Yamaguchi Prefecture. The event was led by YCAPS member LCDR Tony Boccia, who is assigned to Carrier Air Wing FIVE aboard the Air Station.
During the presentation, Tony presented a brief history of the Air Station, founded in 1938 by the Imperial Japanese Army. The base was turned over to the Imperial Japanese Navy in 1940, who trained pilots and aircrews aboard the station. From the late summer of 1944, the 332nd Air Group was established here, tasked with defending against Allied bombing campaigns.
Tony covered some late-Second World War history as well, discussing ‘Japan’s Longest Day’ and how Iwakuni fit into it; the bombing of Iwakuni Air Station and Marifu Railyard occurred on 14 August 1945. The hangar, which is in fact not technically a hangar but a reinforced structure called ‘entaigo’ still bears the marks of the bombs and shrapnel dropped on the base that day.
Post-war, the air station fell under control of the Royal Australian Air Force, or RAAF, who had a mix of aviation and combat support units not unlike the JMSDF FAW, U.S. Navy CAG, and Marine Corps MAG that call the base home today. In 1952, the occupation ended and the U.S. Air Force took over the base, later turning it over to the U.S. Marine Corps ten years later.
The entaigo was actually on private property, along with two others, when the base was taken over by the United States. The land was purchased with the entaigo on it; and it has been a colorful, to say the least, member of the Air Station ever since. Tony offered a word of thanks to Dr. Shawn Harding, YCAPS member and all-around great American, for his efforts in providing much-needed historical context to the base and the history of this proud structure.
The Zero inside is actually a mockup, made for a film. It was built by Mitsubishi in the 1970’s then offered as a museum piece. The mayor of Iwakuni, CO of the air station, and local Diet representative all worked alongside the Japan American Cultural Friendship Association to win the bidding; in 1984 it was installed. In 2025, the entaigo was re-dedicated after an extensive, all-volunteer led renovation.
Following the talk, the group broke down into self-guided tours of the structure, and a Q&A. There was some great discission among some of our most junior military personnel regarding the Second World War, and it is encouraging to see a love of history being held among the newer generations. I’m looking forward to more such tours aboard Iwakuni, and in the surrounding area! Special thanks to Dr. Shawn Harding, AECS Kevin Arnold, and Mr. Nick Millward for their assistance in putting this all together.
LCDR Tony Boccia has more than 23 years on active duty, with 19 years’ experience serving with the Forward-Deployed Naval Forces in Japan and Guam. He is currently serving as Officer in Charge of Carrier Air Wing FIVE Home Guard. His website, PacificHistoryGuide.com is designed for servicemembers, DOD civilians and their families to get connected with local and regional history, where they are. He is a proud YCAPS member since 2022; this is his fifth such tour.
