Kadena AB, Okinawa – NEW Kadena AB, Okinawa In the Far East, the tactical nuclear missiles first deployed by the USAF were Matadors, in South Korea and Taiwan, but when the longer-range Mace missiles were available, a new installation at Kadena AB, on the island of Okinawa, was created to replace the earlier missiles. The tactical units were the 873d and 874th Tactical Missile Squadrons, and they were placed under the 498th Tactical Missile Group, activated at the same time. In 1965, for reasons not entirely clear, the two tactical squadrons were inactivated and the 498 TMG took direct control of the missiles those units had been responsible for and maintained it until Mace operations ended in 1969. Until 1964, support was provided by the 6313 ABW; after 1964 it was the 824 CSG. Some of the patches and much of the information about the Mace operation at Kadena were provided by retired SMSgt John W. Cook, who served in the 498th during the late 1960s and made available his copy of a 498 TMG yearbook that was published while he was there. Especially noteworthy are the many crew patches and emblems. A footnote here: Some people refer to Kadena AB’s location as Japan, and today that is true, but during the time Mace missiles were based there, Okinawa was still a U.S. possession. It was not returned to Japan until 1972. Order by Default Title Date Filename Size Random Search within this gallery 873d Tactical Missile Squadron (Type I, Style A) 873d Tactical Missile Squadron (Type I, Style B) 873d Tactical Missile Squadron (Type I, Style C) 873d Tactical Missile Squadron (Type II) 873d Tactical Missile Squadron - ‘Archery Team’ 874th Tactical Missile Squadron (Style A) 874th Tactical Missile Squadron (Style B) 498th Missile Maintenance Squadron (498 MIMS) (Style A) 498th Missile Maintenance Squadron (Style B) 498th Missile Maintenance Squadron (Style C) 498th Tactical Missile Group (Style A) 498th Tactical Missile Group (Style B) 498th Tactical Missile Group (Style C) 498th Tactical Missile Group (Style D) 498th Tactical Missile Group (Style E) 498th Tactical Missile Group (Style F) 498th Tactical Missile Group (Style G) 498th Tactical Missile Group (Style H) 498th Tactical Missile Group (Style I) 498th Tactical Missile Group - Site 1 498th Tactical Missile Group - Site 2 498th Tactical Missile Group - Site 3 498th Tactical Missile Group - Site 4 498th Tactical Missile Group - Crew 1 (Type I) 498th Tactical Missile Group - Crew 1 (Type II) 498th Tactical Missile Group - Crew 2 498th Tactical Missile Group - Crew 3 498th Tactical Missile Group - Crew 4 498th Tactical Missile Group - Crew 5 498th Tactical Missile Group - Crew 6 498th Tactical Missile Group - Crew 7 498th Tactical Missile Group - Crew 8 498th Tactical Missile Group - Crew 9 498th Tactical Missile Group - Crew 10 498th Tactical Missile Group - Crew 11 498th Tactical Missile Group - Crew 12 498th Tactical Missile Group - Crew 13 498th Tactical Missile Group - Crew 14 498th Tactical Missile Group - Crew 15 498th Tactical Missile Group - Crew 16 498th Tactical Missile Group - Crew 17 498th Tactical Missile Group - Crew 18 498th Tactical Missile Group - Crew 19 498th Tactical Missile Group - Crew 20 498th Tactical Missile Group - Crew 21 498th Tactical Missile Group - Crew 22 498th Tactical Missile Group - Crew 23 498th Tactical Missile Group - Crew 24 498th Tactical Missile Group - Crew 25 498th Tactical Missile Group - Crew 26 498th Tactical Missile Group - Crew 27 498th Tactical Missile Group - Crew 28 498th Tactical Missile Group - Crew 29 498th Tactical Missile Group - Crew 30 498th Tactical Missile Group - Crew 31 498th Tactical Missile Group - Crew 32 498th Tactical Missile Group - Crew 33 498th Tactical Missile Group - Crew 34 (Type I) 498th Tactical Missile Group - Crew 34 (Type II) 498th Tactical Missile Group - Crew 35 498th Tactical Missile Group - Crew 36 498th Tactical Missile Group - Crew 37 498th Tactical Missile Group - Crew 38 498th Tactical Missile Group - Crew 39 498th Tactical Missile Group - Crew 40 498th Tactical Missile Group - Missile Crew Instructor CGM-13B 498th Tactical Missile Group - Missile Examiner CGM-13B 498th Tactical Missile Group - Missile Crew Evaluator CGM-13B 498th Tactical Missile Group - Missile Crew Evaluator CGM-13-B 498th Tactical Missile Group - Aerospace Ground Equipment Support Branch 498th Tactical Missile Group - Airframe and Engine Branch, Corrosion Control 498th Tactical Missile Group - Airframe and Engine Branch, Missile Replacement 498th Tactical Missile Group - Airframe and Engine Branch, Non-Powered A.G.E. 498th Tactical Missile Group - Airframe and Engine Branch, P.E. Dock 498th Tactical Missile Group - Guidance Branch 498th Tactical Missile Group - Maintenance Control Division 498th Tactical Missile Group - Mission Planning 498th Tactical Missile Group - Pistol Team 7th Tactical Depot Squadron (Style A) 7th Tactical Depot Squadron (Style B) 7th Tactical Depot Squadron (Style C) 7th Tactical Depot Squadron (Style D) 7th Tactical Depot Squadron (Style E) 400th Munitions Maintenance Squadron (Theater) (Style A) 400th Munitions Maintenance Squadron (Theater) (Style B) 824th Combat Support Group (Style A) 824th Combat Support Group (Style B) 824th Transportation Squadron 824th USAF Dispensary 1962d Airways and Air Communications Service (AACS) Squadron & 1962d AACS Group (Style A) 1962d Airways and Air Communications Service Squadron & Group (Style B) 1962d Communications Group 6313th Air Police Squadron (Style A) 6313th Air Police Squadron (Style B) 6313th Air Police Squadron - K-9 (Canine) 6313th Supply Squadron (6313 SUPS) & 6313th Materiel Squadron (6313 MATRON) 6313th Support Squadron (6313 SPTS) - Food Service 6313th Transportation Squadron (6313 TRNS) 6332d USAF Dispensary Depot Maintenance Facility, Okinawa 1961-1968