Photo By Ryo Isobe | Raising the United States flag at Yokosuka, Aug. 30 1945, as the U.S. Marines and...... read more read more
YOKOSUKA, Japan (Aug. 26) ― It has been 77 years since Japan accepted the Proclamation Defining Terms for Japanese Surrender or the Potsdam Declaration, and World War II came to an end for Japan. The declaration was accepted Aug. 14, 1945 and Japanese Emperor Hirohito’s broadcast of surrender was given through the radio to Japanese nationals all over the country the next day, Aug. 15, which Japanese still celebrate as End of War Memorial Day.
Over the years, the end of the war has been symbolically remembered by the image of Gen. Douglas MacArthur’s arrival with a big corn pipe in his mouth at the base in Atsugi on Aug. 30, 1945, when the Allies’ occupation began. It has remained an iconic image in Japanese history books and Japanese people’s memories.
As a matter of fact, however, occupation operations were conducted simultaneously by the U.S. Navy and Army — including the other components from the Allied Forces — as a result of some negotiations and compromises of several occupation plans, in which Yokosuka was also being occupied while MacArthur was welcomed at Atsugi airfield at the same time.
It is still not widely known that months before the war’s end, several potential occupation operation plans were in consideration at the headquarters of the U.S. Joint Chiefs Staff (JCS); and General of the Army Douglas MacArthur in Manila and Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz in Guam were competing against each other with their respective plans.
One plan was spearheaded by the U.S. Navy, called Operation Campus, with the Navy aiming first to occupy Japan peacefully from Tokyo Bay, pending the U.S. Army’s landing on Japan’s soil later. On the other hand, MacArthur’s plan was called Operation Olympic, which was part of a maneuver called Operation Downfall, and included occupying Japan more aggressively where the U.S. forces took up Japan’s Kyushu area by Olympic, then proceeded to northern Japan by an operation called “Coronet.”
However, in the wake of the atomic bombings in Hiroshima and Nagasaki Aug. 6 and Aug. 9 respectively, and upon news that the Soviet Union entered the war Aug. 8, Nimitz and MacArthur shifted and focused yet another plan called, Operation Blacklist, where they were to occupy Japan and Korea following the surrender, utilizing all of the U. S. forces available in the Pacific Theater at the time. Given that Japan had accepted the Potsdam Declaration and defeat, the plan called for the progressive occupation of several areas in Japan and Korea so that Allied forces could exert undisputed military, economic, and political control of the region. Subsuming Operation Campus under Operation Blacklist, the resulting, integrated plan including moderately to occupy Japan while the U.S. Army would also land on Japan at Atsugi around at the same time was agreed upon by JCS.
Even though there might still have been dissatisfaction between Nimitz and MacArthur involving their leadership and pride, the ultimate result was a compromise, wherein Operation Campus was incorporated as a part of Operation Blacklist.
In order to secure the surrender, the U.S. military needed to ensure that it was safe for the U.S. Navy vessels to transit through shipping channels into Tokyo Bay, free from minefields. Even though there was a vast air raid on Yokosuka, July 18, 1945, mine fields and coast batteries were still regarded as considerable threats to the U.S. forces.
The U.S. military force nearest to Japan at the time was the U.S. Navy’s 3rd Fleet, led by Fleet Adm. William Halsey Jr. For the purpose of seizing Yokosuka, in mid-August, 3rd fleet established the Yokosuka Occupation Task Force, or Task Force (TF) 31, led by Rear Adm. Oscar C. Badger, Commander, Battleship Division 7.
Including 65 vessels, TF 31’s missions included mine-sweeping, occupying Yokosuka naval base, securing and managing Yokosuka airfield, releasing American and Allied war prisoners, disarming Japanese naval ships and military facilities, and preparing for the ensuing landing units. The operation also incorporated battalion regiments of TF 38, also part of the 3rd Fleet, led by Vice Adm. John S. McCain, with several subordinate task units and Royal Marines from the British Carrier Task Force.
The occupation of Yokosuka commenced on the morning of Aug. 30, and the 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines Regiment began to land at Futtsu Misaki, and the occupation of Japan at its forts and batteries was initiated.
Among a slew of units, the first to land on Yokosuka was the 4th Regiment, 6th Marine Division. They stepped on Yokosuka’s soil at “Green Beach” — an area currently around the back of McDonald’s onboard Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka (CFAY) — along with “Red Beach” to the north, and proceeded further into the Navy Yard.
During those occupation operations, Japanese forces complied with the terms of surrender. There was no resistance, as Japanese emissaries agreed upon beforehand, and almost all the planned actions went smoothly, even though TF 31 was prepared to deal with contingent skirmishes or individual fanaticism.
Soon after that, Brigadier General William T. Clement, 4th Marines, U.S. Marine Corps, landed on Green Beach, and then was escorted to the headquarters buildings, and an American flag was raised with an appropriate ceremony. At berth no. 36, Vice Adm. Michitaro Totsuka, commander of the Yokosuka Naval District, surrendered the entire naval area of Yokosuka to Rear Adm. Robert Carney, acting for Halsey and Commander, 3rd Fleet Landing Force, and to Badger (TF 31). Thus, the surrender and occupation of Yokosuka were completed.
Badger temporarily became the first commanding officer of CFAY, which was established Aug. 30, and executed orders that the base be “squared away” and put into operational condition. This was the birth of CFAY.
Nine days later, Sept. 8, Badger was relieved by Capt. Oliver. O. Kessing, assigned to Naval Operating Base Subic Bay and Amphibious Task Force 31, and who was also present aboard the battleship USS Missouri (BB 63) in Tokyo Bay when the Japanese Instrument of Surrender was signed Sept. 2.
Badger returned to the United States in command of a large portion of U.S. 3rd Fleet.
For the next six years, until 1951, the occupational period of Japan by the Allies continued, until the Treaty of San Francisco was signed, and Japan regained its independence and re-established peaceful relations with the Allied Forces. The Security Treaty between the United States and Japan was also signed at the same time, and was later revised in 1960 as the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security between the United States and Japan, simply called “the U.S.-Japan Security Treaty,” ensuring safety and stability of Japan and surrounding regions, and friendly bilateral relationship of Japan and the U.S.
For more than 75 years, CFAY has provided, maintained, and operated base facilities and services in support of the U.S. 7th Fleet’s forward-deployed naval forces, tenant commands, and thousands of military and civilian personnel and their families.
| Date Taken: | 08.26.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 03.24.2023 00:09 |
| Story ID: | 441095 |
| Location: | YOKOSUKA, KANAGAWA, JP |
| Web Views: | 653 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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