Active-duty service members and civilian staffers pose to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Sasebo Naval Base, Japan, on Feb. 4, 2026. (Raquell Williams/U.S. Navy)
U.S. sailors recently joined American and Japanese civilian employees to mark Sasebo Naval Base’s 80th anniversary, gathering to form the number 80 for a commemorative photo at the installation in southern Japan.
The image, taken Wednesday, was shared on the base’s official Facebook page along with a brief account of its history.
“Today we celebrate our 80-year history as we look forward to our future and our continuing mission to support security, stability, and freedom in the Indo-Asia-Pacific Region in partnership with the Japan Self-Defense Forces and our regional allies,” the post said.
Base spokesman Aki Nichols organized the photo and social media post, he told Stars and Stripes by email Thursday. Originally planned for summer 2025, the group photo was rescheduled to coincide with the anniversary of Sasebo’s establishment as a U.S. naval base on Feb. 4, 1946.
“Setting up the ‘80’ and taking the photo took approximately two hours, thanks to the cooperation of the volunteer participants and the fire department who provided their ladder truck to use as the platform for the photographer,” Nichols wrote.
Before the arrival of U.S. forces in September 1946, Sasebo had already played a significant military role for decades. Established in 1889, it served as headquarters for the Imperial Japanese Navy’s Third Naval District, according to the base’s website. Today, the facility is jointly used by the U.S. Navy and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.
Sasebo serves as the homeport for the U.S. 7th Fleet’s amphibious and mine warfare forces, including eight warships, along with their crews and families. Among them is the amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli, which arrived in June to replace the USS America as the flagship of an amphibious ready group.
The group also includes the guided-missile cruiser USS Robert Smalls and the guided-missile destroyer USS Rafael Peralta. Sasebo is also homeport for the amphibious transport dock USS San Diego and the dock landing ship USS Rushmore.
Capt. Michael Fontaine took command of the base in September 2023.
Nichols’ Facebook post gained 488 reactions as of Friday; some commenters wrote that Sasebo is the “best base in Japan” and shared memories from their past assignments there.
“Spelling out the number 80 to commemorate our 80-year history in Sasebo was important and fun,” Fontaine said via the spokesman. “It was especially meaningful that we did it with a mix of Sailors, American and Japanese employees, and even family members who volunteered to stand out in the cold, perfectly showcasing the teamwork and community pride [Sasebo] is known for.”
AloJapan.com