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Clark Air Base Scrapbook

Gateway

"Mabuhay"

Welcome to the the
Clark Air Base Scrapbook. Take a
cyber leap back to a 20th Century icon of
the American military experience. The Site Lines
below will transport will you through time and space
to that very special place in the land we mostly called 'da PI.

With apologies to those who served at Subic Bay and other Navy
and Marine locations, this one is for the Air Force -- mostly central Luzon,
that huge outpost that was first a  U.S. Army cavalry post,  Fort Stotsenberg,
until the creation of the Air Force in 1947,  when it then became  Clark Air Base.

..

1972 -- Landing at Clark, with a Phantom and a Thud parked on the flightline.
(Photo by Tom Utts)

***
Clark Air Base was the largest overseas U.S. military base in the world, with
156,204 acres. While most of that was unoccupied fields and jungle, the base grew up
around the old cavalry post's large parade field, surrounded by wide, magnificent trees. At one
end, the 13th Air Force Headquarters occupied buildings that went back to the early part of the 20th
Century. At the opposite end stood the base headquarters and the administrative centers for GIs assigned
there.  Along the sides of the parade field  that  once resounded with the thunder of polo ponies and  Sunday
afternoon band concerts in bygone days, was housing both new and old. On one side, dating back to back to the
the horse soldiers days, stood the Officers' Club surrounded by the graceful old homes with large verandahs,
another remnant from the past, affectionately called barns by the occupants. Across the field was housing
build after World War II. From the old center of the base, curved boulevards wound past the shopping
areas, clubs, recreational facilities, barracks and work centers, on the way to the new center of
the base, the flightline. There in the huge expanse of concrete and buildings were the aircraft
operations and maintenance centers. And behind all, mountains loomed from the dark
green jungle, including Mount Pinatubo, though few at Clark were aware
of its existence until those fateful days and nights
that began unfolding in April 1991.

From the area pictured above, it was
nearly three miles to the main gate, (below), that
provided access to Balibago and Angeles City. Beyond the
gate the land was flat, except for one magnificent peak, Mount Arayat,
a dramatic symbol of the time and place for those who served in the Philippines.

***

1963 -- Entering
the base through
the Main Gate on
a rainy morning.
(Photo by Dave Redman)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

1985
Mount Arayat
at sunrise, view
from officer's
housing area
by water tower
at sunrise.
(Photo by
Pat Snyder)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

1982
Your host and web master.
A year after retiring I lived in Honolulu
while working on my book,  KOREA BLUE.
The picture was taken on a time-out
trip for research. First to Osan,
then Clark. Tough work, but
you know what they say:
Somebody had to do it.
 
 
 
 
 

Pictures by Your Host
Combing through boxes of old slides your host
found these pictures, most from 1971 and 1973.

Have It Your Way

For the next few months I will be traveling the Space A road and won't be able to fill
any orders for the Scrapbook or GI JOE DOESN'T LIVE HERE ANYMORE.
The books are available from online books sites, see the Book Report page
for more information. Once I get settled an address where copies of the
CD can be ordered will be posted. Thanks for your interest.

Thomas C Utts