Do original buildings exist at Itazuke?

My birthplace was Itazuke Air Base at Fukuoka, Japan in 1953. I was a citizen of Japan until I was 14 years old at which time I became an American citizen. I believe I was born in the old hospital.

I was born in Johnson AFB near TOKYO in 1953. My parents were staioned in Itazuke 1960-63. I am doing research right now on Itazuke annex area. Please get in touch. We probably went to school together dude!! Reply to geckotrap@yahoo.com My name is Coe

We were stationed in Itazuke 1960-63 also. Always wanted to go back myself to see what was left. The research I've done shows there's little if anything left of the annex. The base tower might still be there. Too bad.

I also was an air force brat born in 51,my dad was stationed at itazuke in 1959 to 1963.He was the mess sargent at the annex messhall.

What city was the base in? We lived in a compound of 5-6 houses off base near a hospital and university. I've been trying to find it on google earth.

I would have been in the 1st or 2nd grade. We were there when JFK was shot.
I was young but still remember having a great time.

I was at ITAZUKE air base from 63-66. I was young but remember many things. Does anyone from this time remember my fater Alex Bissland? I know he was a Navagator and did a lot of photo taking.

We also lived off base near the Japanese military hospital. I remember a rice paddy nearby and a night watchman who would scare us when he said goodnightin Japanese by our window. Our next door neighbors were the Hightower's and the watchman had a little shed in front of their house. I too remember when JFK was shot. My dad was on early alert and heading to the flightline. I believe my parents still have the copy of the Stars and Stripes from that day.It is hard to say if anything still exists today. You can barely make out this area on Google Earth with all the growth in the last 45 years. I would like to hear from anybody else who lived here. Unfortunately the only photos my parents have are inside all else exists from my childhood memories.

My family lived off base in K-Bar for one year and then moved on base. I started school in the big building, then moved to the quonset huts and finally to the annex. I think we were at Itazuke December 1958-61

We were at Itazuke from 1963 to 1967. We lived off base before moving on base. I was in kindergarten the last year that were there. I remember bits and pieces, but would love to revisit. I did revisit Craig AFB and it was great seeing where I spent my childhood.

We were at Itazuke from 1960 to 63. My Dad was SSGT Robert Cornett. I have the same memory of JFK being shot and my Dad leaving my birthday party that day. Still remember the 1st grade there and the smell of salisbury steak in the school lunch room which was in an old quonset hut. Teacher was Mrs. McQuiston I think. Anyone else remember her or my Dad?

There is a group on Facebook and I think someone there would be able to answer. There is also a group that meets for reunions with a newsletter etc. If you are on FB you can just look up Itazuki and join the group. LOTS of folks who used to live there but most were older than I was. I was only in Kindergarten and first grade. We were there in 62 and 63 I think, and lived in KBar and then moved to Brady, on base.
My Dad was Staff Sgt Fannin. My Mom also worked on the base, Patsy Fannin.

I was at itazuke in the 6-8 grades...1955-57. lived in the village of Takamiya then between s-bar and k-bar, just ouside the 'back gate', behind the base pool. Best time of my life...still in contact with former classmates. Went back in 2008....nothing is there but did reconize the canal and bridge between the New and Old area....Follwing the road that ran in front of of the old radio station, next to the pool, I followed it and actually found my old house, with a few modifications and a guy who lived in the rice paddie close by and often palyed with us.

I was stationed at Itazuke from April 1965 to April 1967, and returned on leave in '68 and '69 to visit Japanese friends. I like to say I grew up there as I was only 18 when I first arrived, and learned many lifelong lesions while there. The airport has changed into a facility for commercial use and is barely recognizable. That which was called the Annex in S'Bar is completely gone. (Even Side Board Sal's Place, Toko's Cafe and The Chicken Roost.) Fukuoka, too, has changed and one would be lost trying to find old remembered places.

I lived at Itazuke from '67 to '71 when the base got realigned. While I was working on my Master's in Fukuoka from 2000-02, I, my father and my wife (Japanese) went to the old annex site. All that remains there are old rusted fire hydrants and some of the old asphalt streets. You have to really look to find them as they're all overgrown. All of the structures that existed are long gone and the best I could determine, my old BOQ used to exist where the pitcher's mound of a high school. The American side of the Fukuoka Airport has become the International terminal of that airport. That part was built when I lived in Japan from 1990-93.

NOTHING, other than what I have mentioned, exists of Itazuke except of the Japanese Self-Defense bomb dump behind the base and the Kasuga(baru)"K-Bar" Self-Defense base.

I was knocked off my feet by seeing the old Itazuke Tower sign (complete with peeling paint) at the Air Force Museum at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. When I discussed it being there with the assistant curator, he mentioned that it was the ONLY memorabilia of a former air force base displayed at the museum and is only there by popular demand.

Hope this helps some.

To: Gary Rivard (guest)

1967-1971 is exactly when I was stationed at Itazuke. I worked in the budget office at the annex, in the HQ bldg. The base commander was Col. Ben Matlick. About 1970 he was replaced by Col. Lovelace, and about the same time Lt Col Brown replaced Lt Col Jenkins as vice commander. I left in Mar 1971, after they started closing the base. I've got many a fond memory of that old place. Sorry to hear it's completely overgrown. Guess S-Bar and K-Bar will always be there, though. Guess I can't leave my e-mail address, but maybe it'll show up when you get this.

If you haven't looked at the Itazuke.org site, you should. Lots of good memories and a few recent pictures.

I was there from 1962 ti 1964 and lived in IAB-792 and I think IAB-736 in S-Bar. You can still see where the river flows on Google. It was right behind my house, with some rice paddies in between.

I was in F-105 Fire Control and worked on the F-100 for a time before the F-105's arrived. The base commander was "Bed Check Charlie Roach". The 8th A&E Squadron Commander was Colonial Tim Cummins. I remember him as a real gentleman. Trying to remember the name of the Colonial killed when his F-105 crashed on the runway in Korea. (Michaelowski??) We also lost an F-100 on takeoff while I was there.

I've seen pictures that show the old underground hanger up on the hill is still in existence. I worked there in 1961-63 when it was used to house air-to-air missiles.

I'm sure all buildings are long gone. I was there 70-72. Good memories of great place and time.

One mentions that the Itazuke Tower Sign is or was at Wright Pat, I was stationed at Itazuke 1968 to 1971 and ran a Transportation Packaging shop in the shadow of the tower. In 1971 they took down the sign and I crated it for shipment to WP,some where I have a picture of it in the crate. Glad it made it, never knew as went on to U-Tapao, Thailand from there.

I was sitting in front of the tower in April, 1969, when the F-105 crashed on take-off and went into the rice paddy off base! Took most of the maintenance complex all day to recover it.