Forged In History

Staff Sgt. Michael Smith, 374th Maintenance Squadron metals technology, draws a blueprint of the new 374th Airlift Wing sword at Yokota Air Base, Japan, Aug. 31, 2022. Smith volunteered to make a new Wing ceremonial sword which will be unveiled during the 2022 Yokota Air Force Ball. Col. James I. Baginski, 374th Tactical Airlift Wing commander, made the former ceremonial sword at Clerk Air Base, Philippines in 1974 in memory of fellow Airlifters who lost their lives in defense of freedom. (U.S. Air Force photo by Yasuo Osakabe)

Forged In History

Staff Sgt. Michael Smith, 374th Maintenance Squadron metals technology, operates a manual milling machine for cutting the bevel of the blade at Yokota Air Base, Japan, Aug. 31, 2022. Smith volunteered to make a new Wing ceremonial sword which will be unveiled during the 2022 Yokota Air Force Ball. Col. James I. Baginski, 374th Tactical Airlift Wing commander, made the former ceremonial sword at Clerk Air Base, Philippines in 1974 in memory of fellow Airlifters who lost their lives in defense of freedom. (U.S. Air Force photo by Yasuo Osakabe)

Forged In History

Staff Sgt. Michael Smith, 374th Maintenance Squadron metals technology, operates a manual milling machine to cut the bevel of the blade at Yokota Air Base, Japan, Aug. 31, 2022. Smith volunteered to make a new Wing ceremonial sword which will be unveiled during the 2022 Yokota Air Force Ball. Col. James I. Baginski, 374th Tactical Airlift Wing commander, made the former ceremonial sword at Clerk Air Base, Philippines in 1974 in memory of fellow Airlifters who lost their lives in defense of freedom. (U.S. Air Force photo by Yasuo Osakabe)

Forged In History

Staff Sgt. Michael Smith, 374th Maintenance Squadron metals technology, compares the new Wing ceremonial sword’s hilt and former sword’s hilt at Yokota Air Base, Japan, Aug. 31, 2022. Col. James I. Baginski, 374th Tactical Airlift Wing commander, made the former ceremonial sword at Clerk Air Base, Philippines in 1974 in memory of fellow Airlifters who lost their lives in defense of freedom. The sword has been utilized at various ceremonies since 1974. (U.S. Air Force photo by Yasuo Osakabe)

Forged In History

Staff Sgt. Michael Smith, 374th Maintenance Squadron metals technology, operates a grinder to sharpen edges of the new 374th Airlift Wing ceremonial sword at Yokota Air Base, Japan, Aug. 31, 2022. Smith volunteered to make a new Wing ceremonial sword which will be unveiled during the 2022 Yokota Air Force Ball. Col. James I. Baginski, 374th Tactical Airlift Wing commander, made the former ceremonial sword at Clerk Air Base, Philippines in 1974 in memory of fellow Airlifters who lost their lives in defense of freedom. (U.S. Air Force photo by Yasuo Osakabe)

Forged In History

Staff Sgt. Michael Smith, 374th Maintenance Squadron metals technology, operates a grinder to sharp edges of the new 374th Airlift Wing ceremonial sword at Yokota Air Base, Japan, Aug. 31, 2022. Smith volunteered to make a new Wing ceremonial sword which will be unveiled during the 2022 Yokota Air Force Ball. Col. James I. Baginski, 374th Tactical Airlift Wing commander, made the former ceremonial sword at Clerk Air Base, Philippines in 1974 in memory of fellow Airlifters who lost their lives in defense of freedom. (U.S. Air Force photo by Yasuo Osakabe)

Forged In History

Staff Sgt. Michael Smith, 374th Maintenance Squadron metals technology, polishes the new 374th Airlift Wing ceremonial sword at Yokota Air Base, Japan, Sept. 7, 2022. Smith volunteered to make a new Wing ceremonial sword which will be unveiled during the 2022 Yokota Air Force Ball. Col. James I. Baginski, 374th Tactical Airlift Wing commander, made the former ceremonial sword at Clerk Air Base, Philippines in 1974 in memory of fellow Airlifters who lost their lives in defense of freedom. (U.S. Air Force photo by Yasuo Osakabe)

Forged In History

Staff Sgt. Michael Smith, 374th Maintenance Squadron metals technology, assembles the new 374th Airlift Wing sword at Yokota Air Base, Japan, Sept. 1, 2022. Smith volunteered to make a new Wing ceremonial sword which will be unveiled during the 2022 Yokota Air Force Ball. Col. James I. Baginski, 374th Tactical Airlift Wing commander, made the former ceremonial sword at Clerk Air Base, Philippines in 1974 in memory of fellow Airlifters who lost their lives in defense of freedom. (U.S. Air Force photo by Yasuo Osakabe)

Forged In History

Staff Sgt. Michael Smith, 374th Maintenance Squadron metals technology, conducts a quality check before delivering the ceremonial sword to the Yokota Air Force Ball committee at Yokota Air Base, Japan, Sept. 7, 2022. Smith volunteered to make a new Wing ceremonial sword which will be unveiled during the 2022 Yokota Air Force Ball. Col. James I. Baginski, 374th Tactical Airlift Wing commander, made the former ceremonial sword at Clerk Air Base, Philippines in 1974 in memory of fellow Airlifters who lost their lives in defense of freedom. (U.S. Air Force photo by Yasuo Osakabe)

Forged In History: 374th MXS Airman yields new ceremonial sword for Yokota

Published Sept. 11, 2022
By Yasuo Osakabe
374th Airlift Wing public affairs

YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan -- Staff Sgt. Michael Smith, 374th Maintenance Squadron metals technology, draws a blueprint of the new 374th Airlift Wing sword at Yokota Air Base, Japan, Aug. 31, 2022. Smith volunteered to make a new Wing ceremonial sword which will be unveiled during the 2022 Yokota Air Force Ball. Col. James I. Baginski, 374th Tactical Airlift Wing commander, made the former ceremonial sword at Clerk Air Base, Philippines in 1974 in memory of fellow Airlifters who lost their lives in defense of freedom. (U.S. Air Force photo by Yasuo Osakabe)