Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan

Photo by Sgt. Randall Whiteman - The Furukawa family memorial was created by Kazuzou Furukawa to mourn the deaths of his family following the end of World War II after the 80th anniversary of the Marukoyama Memorial Ceremony in Kure City, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan, April. 3, 2025. The Marukoyama Memorial Ceremony is held every year in Kure during cherry blossom season to honor the crew members of the U.S. Navy TBM-3 Avenger, Torpedo Squadron 6, who died in Kure City, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan, on July 24, 1945. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Randall Whiteman)

Go For Gold Olympic Swimming Workshop with Anthony Ervin - Anthony Ervin, an Olympic swimmer, demonstrates swimming techniques and movements to Japanese children at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Iwakuni, Japan, Aug. 26, 2019. Ervin spoke to children from local Japanese swim teams and the MCAS Iwakuni Tsunami swim team during a State Department sponsored visit to various locations in Japan. The purpose of Ervin’s visit was to inspire children, teach them how to swim better, and provide insight into what it is like to be an Olympian. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Andrew Jones)

MCAS Iwakuni Change of Command - U.S. Marine Corps Brig. Gen. William Bowers, commanding general of Marine Corps Installations Pacific, salutes Marines and Sailors during a change of command ceremony at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Iwakuni, Japan, Aug. 22, 2019. U.S. Marine Corps Col. Richard Fuerst, outgoing commanding officer of MCAS Iwakuni, relinquished command to Col. Lance Lewis, commanding officer of MCAS Iwakuni. MCAS Iwakuni is a mission-ready air station, capable of providing continuous base-operating support for tenant organizations and follow-on U.S. and allied forces during training, combat or contingency operations throughout the Indo-Asia Pacific region. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Lauren Brune)

Seventeen air station employees retire - U.S. Marine Corps Col. Richard Fuerst, center, commanding officer of Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Iwakuni, gives a speech during a retirement ceremony for master labor contractors and individual hire agreement employees at MCAS Iwakuni, June 28, 2019. The ceremony was held to congratulate and award the retirees with certificates of appreciation for all their work and time spent with units on MCAS Iwakuni. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Pfc. Triton Lai)

History in the making: “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band visits Japan for first time - "The President’s Own” United States Marine Band performs at the Yamaguchi Prefectural Culture Hall Sinfonia Iwakuni in Iwakuni City, Japan, May 19, 2019. Nearly 1,200 Japanese locals and Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni residents attended the concert. The centuries-old musical group rarely travels outside of the United States and has never before visited Japan. The last time the band performed internationally was 2001 in Switzerland, making this trip truly historic and unique. (U.S. Marine Corps photo illustration by Cpl. Andrew Jones)

JMSDF, MCAS Iwakuni take Friendship Day 2019 to new altitudes - Japanese guests view various U.S. and Japanese static display aircraft during the 43rd Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force – Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni Friendship Day at MCAS Iwakuni, Japan, May 5, 2019. Since 1973, MCAS Iwakuni has held a single-day air show designed to foster positive relationships and offer an exciting experience that displays the communal support between the U.S. and Japan. The air show encompassed various U.S. and Japanese static display aircraft, aerial performances, food and entertainment. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Timothy Valero)

26.2 miles of farmland and fighter jets - A local Japanese resident runs through the finish line during the 52nd Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Iwakuni Marathon and Half Marathon at MCAS Iwakuni, Japan, April 7, 2019. The event was held by Marine Corps Community Services Iwakuni in order to strengthen the bond between the local Japanese community and the air station. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Andrew Jones)

Walking together in unity - From left to right, Yoshihiko Fukuda, the mayor of Iwakuni City; Masahiro Akase, the director general of Chugoku Shikoku Defense Bureau; Yasutake Lida, the director of the Yamaguchi Prefectural Iwakuni Citizen Affairs Bureau; and U.S. Marine Corps Col. Richard Fuerst, commanding officer of Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, came together to participate in the 10th Joint Leadership Walk in Iwakuni City, Japan, March 15, 2019. The walk consisted of touring popular local areas where they spoke to business owners as well as Japanese and American customers. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Stephen Campbell)

SOFA drivers gain additional knowledge on local roads - U.S. service members drive on an Iwakuni Driving School course in Iwakuni City, Japan, June 23, 2018. The class, promoted through the city of Iwakuni, was held in order to educate Status of Forces Agreement drivers on common driving errors that are made in the city and how to correct them. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Stephen Campbell)

Japanese employees retire from air station with 488 combined years of service - U.S. Marine Corps Col. Richard F. Fuerst, commanding officer of Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Iwakuni, Sgt. Maj. Joseph S. Gregory, sergeant major of MCAS Iwakuni, other senior ranking air station leadership, master labor contractors and individual hire agreement employees pose for a photo during a retirement ceremony at MCAS Iwakuni, Japan, June 20, 2018. The retirement ceremony was conducted by the station Civilian Human Resources Office and air station leadership in order to thank the retiring employees for their years of service. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Andrew Jones)