Clark Air Base Scrapbook

1970s -- War's End

Disco, dreadful clothes, and bad karma marked
most of the 70s back in the world. At Clark the disco wasn't
bad because there were Filipino bands, but as local tailors made
anything one desired at really cheap prices, the clothes were really awful.
The war in Vietnam was in the toilet, and it was just a matter of hanging on until
someone figured out how to get it over. Finally, in 1973 the POWs were released. Since
Clark was the first stop on the flight home to freedom, it was a major event for everyone at
the base. The last gasp came shortly after the beginning of 1975. Again Clark was a main player.
Refugee flights from Saigon transported thousands of fleeing Americans and Vietnamese.
A tent city was put up for the refugees for a while. Don't know where all the pictures went.

The last half of the 70s was a lot better time at Clark. Martial law imposed in 1971
by Marcos kept the bad guys under control. GIs and the families were able to
move around without worrying about anti-American violence. Of course
you still had to keep a sharp eye on your stuff--esepcially the cars.
 
 

1972
Two-page center photo
in Free World magazine,
published in Manila by
the U.S. Embassy. The
issue was devoted to
Clark. Much of the
material was done by
in the 13th Air Force
Public Affairs office
by my section, the
Information Division.
 
 
 
 
 

Cover photo accompanying
a feature story about U.S. and
Philippine Air Force cooperation.
Note classic roster tail on the
USAF Major's flight cap.
(Photo by TSgt. Jim McDermid,
Information Division NCOIC)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

1973
Historic 13th AF Headquarters. The majestic trees were symbolic of the best aspects of Clark .
(Photo by Tom Utts)
 

Flag pole in front of
13th Air Force
Headquarters.
(Photo by Tom Utts)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

1973
CABOOM
(Clark Air Base
Officers Open Mess).
That's your host and
webguy out front.
(Photo by the guy
I handed my
camera to)
 
 
 
 

1973 -- Magnificent tree lined street with bungalow housing that was built
in the early part of the century long before WWII.  (Photo by Tom Utts)
 
 

1973
C-141s gather at Clark to go
to North Vietnam to pickup the
returning America POW's.
 
 
 
 
 

1973 -- The big day
finally arrived. Long held
American were released.
The first stop on the
road to freedom was
Clark Air Base, where
large crowds gathered
to greet them.
 

(Photos courtesy of Marilyn Holmlund, 13th Air Force,
from her Operation Homecoming web page--link at bottom.)

Free World
magazine photos
from the 1973
Homecoming issue.
(R) Cmdr. Raymond
Vohden, USN, was
among the first POWs
to arrived at Clark.
(L) Two pictures of
crowds who swarmed
the Clark flightline
to welcome POWs.
(Color photo by
Edgardo Santigo,
Manila Daily Express,
B&W photo by
Tony Pineda. )
 
 
 
 
 

At Clark the POWs stayed
at the hospital where the
were given complete medical
checkups, and brought
up to speed on what was
going on since they were
shot  down.  (L) Capt. E.
Hawley plays checkers
with Clark nurses.
(Photo by Phil Trabell)
 
 
 

(If anyone knows where former USAF Photographer Phil Trabell is these days, let me know.)
 

While most POWs suffered terrible
physical abuse during captivity,
treatment improved before the
release and most were in better
shape than anticipated. So what
they liked most was the food, and
lots of it. (R) Capt. John Anderson
and Lt. Col. Fred Cherry (in robes)
make up for many missed meals.
(Photo by Tony Pineda)
 
 

(Repro copy of a printed USAF Photo)

More than 100 reporters and photographers from the world new media came to Clark
to cover Homecoming. To handle the large numbers, the Air Force set took over the
Silver Wing Community Center and turned it into a Press Center. In this photo,
taken before the actual releases started, Air Force officials brief the media on
preparations to provide for the POWs when they when they return.

The press center was your host's assignment for the event.
Working with so many media reporters on such an important
and positive event was a major highlight of my 20 year military career.

 More Homecoming Photos

These photos were send by Rex Beetner, from Burlington, Iowa who was a
precision measurement equipment specialist in the 3rd Avionics
Maintenance  Squadron  from  1974  to  1976.

Beetner home off base. Mrs. Beetner in living room with rattan furniture and capice shell lamp.

They lived off base until what he called the his most memorable day in the PI: Thanksgiving, 1974.
"The monsoon season that year, “was exceptionally wet with relentless rains. Our rattan furniture
grew mildew, and everyone kept salt shakers filled with about one third rice to absorb moisture.”
Before Thanksgiving there were several typhoons and tropical storms, fortunately they didn't
hit Clark dead on, “except for a lot of rain.” Still, for weeks AFPN bombarded Clark with storm
warnings. As Thanksgiving neared typhoon watchers spotted Irma, a tropical storm brewing
way out in the Pacific. Unlike before base authorities didn't bother evacuating the base
aircraft to Kadena, “So no one took Irma seriously.”

On Thanksgiving most people were off and Beetner and his family prepared for a big get-together
with other families for a potluck dinner. Then the electrical power failed, a problem because the
stoves supplied by the base had electrical igniters. At first no one was too concerned because,
“It didn't take much to knock the power lines down.” But before long, “we realized this was a
sleeper typhoon -- one of the worst storm of the season. Rain wasn't falling, it was horizontal,
pushed by 99 mph wind.” Soon, all those bamboo TV antenna poles that hadn't been taken down
started snapping off. The wind was hitting the back of Beetner’s house and they realized the roof
was starting to separate from the walls. They made a hasty retreat, but then Beetner decided
to  return to get essential paperwork. Just after he go there,  “Suddenly it got very
dark. In an instant the back third of the roof blew off right over my head.”

Beetner took his family to the Oasis Hotel where
they spend the night. “Our Thanksgiving dinner was
fried rice.” When they returned home the next day
he said,  “Even the little things we left behind were
gone: magazines, used light bulbs, even fuses from
the fuse box. For the next two-and-a-half weeks they
lived at the mobile home park on base while their
house was repaired. Typhoon Irma was nicknamed
Typhoon Turkey, the base commissary sold more
than  a thousand  turkeys  for the  holiday.  Most
never got cooked. The base bought back spoiled
birds  to prevent an  outbreak of  botulism.