Reconstruction: late-1940s and 1950s History of Clark Air Base

the little pentagon @ clark air base

clark s base headquarters nicknamed little pentagon because consisted of 5 long quonset huts radiating out central area. built on henry avenue @ east end of parade ground in 1947 administrative offices on site of original 217-bed post hospital, dated september 1903. behind hospital open field used horse grazing, troop drills, , cavalry practice. old houses still in area used doctors quarters. on site of philippine long distance telephone company office, nurses quarters. during japanese occupation, old hospital used both dispensary , barracks. soldiers heated water bathing in big steel drums directly in front of building. doctors , families occupied barns clustered around hospital. adoption of 1979 amended military bases agreement , establishment of philippine sovereignty on clark ab, base headquarters moved clark air base compound building @ intersection of bong , dyess highways. in 1986, workers began demolishing pentagon make new combat support group headquarters building.

at end of world war ii, clark field, many other american bases in western pacific, became dumping ground battle-damaged equipment. clark major dumping ground p-38 lightnings , mainstay of allied air forces in pacific. after being stripped of usable material, these aircraft pushed giant pits , covered dirt. such boneyards exist @ several locations on clark , occasionally, new construction efforts result in rediscovery of 1 or more of these decomposed aircraft , equipment. although sixth army s 37th infantry division declared clark field , fort stotsenburg had been liberated on 31 january 1945, remnants of japanese forces hiding in zambales foothills west of field still damage.

from army air force

a boeing b-29 superfortress undergoing maintenance @ clark field

clark field remained army air base until may 1949, when facilities transferred u.s. air force. prior build-up of aircraft, air wings , maintenance facilities being staged @ clark. on 14 august 1948, 18th fighter wing organized @ clark.

in 1950s larger, more modern facility located along o leary avenue, near intersection dyess highway, constructed house clark base exchange. structure last housed philippine area exchange arcade, conglomeration of conessionaire businesses.

the silver wing recreation center, constructed in 1949, provides host of activities assigned personnel , dependents, including tours, musical instruction, chess, card, , billiard tournaments. base telegraph office occupied space in large building.

named lieutenant colin p. kelly, b-17 pilot killed in action against japanese during air defense of philippines, theater opened in 1953. served 1 of 2 auditoria/theaters on clark, other being bobbitt theater near main base exchange. kelly theater located off dau avenue, adjacent kelly cafeteria.

the airmen s open mess established in building 5721 on bong highway in 1954. known lower 4 club (referring rank), facility later received name coconut grove.

this large stadium, southwest of main base , completed in 1955. bowl named sebille stadium in honor of major louis j. sebille, medal of honor recipient, killed in action in korea on 5 august 1950. since designation never made official, facility later renamed. while has played host numerous sporting , entertainment events, bamboo bowl s shining hour came in spring of 1975, when , grounds served site massive tent city supported operations new life , babylift. in 1986, honor memory of 7 astronauts perished aboard space shuttle challenger, stadium renamed challenger field.

2011 photo of existing clark veterans cemetery mt. arayat visible in background


clark veterans cemetery

a cemetery american veterans , filipino workers established near front gate of clark base in 1900. cemetery undergoing restoration , remains active.