CLARK AIR FORCE BASE LUZON, PHILIPPINE ISLANDS

Clark Air Base has had several names over the years, beginning with Ft. Stotsenberg after the Spanish-American War. When an airfield was added, the name was changed to Clark Army Air Field, then to Clark Army Air Base, home of the 13th Air Force. When the US Air Force was born in 1947, it became Clark Air Force Base. Sometime later the word “Force” was dropped from all military bases outside the US and Clark Air Force Base became Clark Air Base. I still think of it as Clark Air Force Base. In 1991 it was turned over to the Philippine government along with all US military assets in the Philippines. At 165,000 acres, Clark was the largest US military installation in the world (outside of the US). We also turned over the $7-billion Subic Bay shipyard at Olongapo, and Wallace Air Station at Poro Point on Lingayen Gulf. The Filipinos wanted us out; we got out.

Insignia of Thirteenth Air Force. I wore this on my uniforms at Clark.

General MacArthur was commander of US forces in the Philippines when the Japanese attacked eight hours after Pearl Harbor and destroyed our Air Force at Clark. It has never been fully explained how they were able to destroy our B-17s and fighter planes on the ground with 8-hours warning that they were coming.    The Japanese occupied the Philippines for 3-years. They were known for their cruel torture and punishment of prisoners, especially Americans. In the Japanese mindset, surrender equaled cowardice. A brave soldier died fighting. Filipinos who defied the occupation were treated the same as POWs. In contrast, American prisoners in German camps suffered a mortality rate of less than 10%. In the Far East, under the Japanese  the POW death rate was 40%.    I arrived at Clark 5-years after the end of WW II, and two-weeks after the beginning of the war in Korea.

First day at Clark. I was assigned to the 854th AC&W, Aircraft Control and Warning squadron.