Clark Field

  March 1912 to present

  Philippines

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CITY: Angeles

IATA/ICAO CODES: CRK / RPLC

COORDINATES: 15°11'N / 120°34'E

OTHER NAMES: Clark Field (1919-1949), Clark AB (1949-1991), Clark International Airport (CIA) (1991-present)

 

Right: tents and quonset huts: Clark in the summer of 1945, shortly after the US takeover of Luzon.
Photo credit: Flickr

US Army camp Fort Stotsenburg was established in the close proximity of Angeles, Luzon Island, following the US-Philippine war of 1899. In March 1912, the first aircraft in the Philippines landed at Fort Stotsenburg, and in 1917 eight aircraft hangars were constructed to support aviation activities there. By September 1919, the US Army 3^rd Aero Squadron was based at the airfield, which now featured a proper runway and dormitories, and took the name of Clark Field.

From 8 December 1941, Clark was bombed by Japanese aircraft to clear the way for their landings in Luzon. US airpower in the Philippines, numbering 142 aircraft, was wiped out in a matter of days. Clark fell in early January 1942 as US and Filipino troops withdrew south to the Bataan Peninsula and eventually fled the archipelago. Clark was occupied by the Japanese during most of the war, and it was bombed repeatedly by US aircraft from October 1944 in preparation of US reconquest of Luzon. Clark was defended fiercely by the Japanese army, and it was counterattacked many times after falling to the Americans on 31 January 1945.

World War II left Clark in ruins, but the base was rebuilt swiftly to become again one of the largest US bases in Southeast Asia. In 1945-1946, the base became a dumping ground for battle-damaged equipment, mostlyLockheed P-38 Lightnings. After being stripped of all usable material, these aircraft were simply pushed into giant pits and covered with dirt. Clark was transferred to the USAF in May 1949 and became a major support base during the Vietnam War.

Clark was returned to the Philippines government in 1991 and became Clark International Airport (CIA), which includes a Philippine Air Force base.

317^th Troop Carrier Group (March 1945 to August 1945)

375^th Troop Carrier Group (unknown dates)

54^th Troop Carrier Wing (June 1945 to September 1945)

433^rd Troop Carrier Group (June 1945 to September 1945)

67^th Troop Carrier Squadron (June 1945 to August 1945)

• Curtiss C-46D-1-CU Commando: 42-96708,  42-96709, 42-96722
• Curtiss C-46D-5-CU Commando: 42-96808
• Curtiss C-46D-10-CU Commando: 44-77481, 44-77493