6200 Air Base Wing-Philippines

• Strategic Location: The 6200th Air Base Wing was primarily based at Clark Air Base, Philippines, a crucial U.S. military installation in Southeast Asia during the Cold War. • Support Role: The wing’s mission was to provide base support operations, including security, logistics, communications, and infrastructure for all units at Clark Air Base. • Vietnam War Involvement: During the Vietnam War, the 6200th Air Base Wing played a vital role in supporting transient combat and cargo aircraft engaged in missions across Southeast Asia. • Mount Pinatubo Eruption: The 6200th was instrumental in coordinating the evacuation and disaster response during the 1991 Mount Pinatubo eruption, one of the most destructive volcanic events of the 20th century. • Humanitarian Missions: The wing supported numerous humanitarian missions, including disaster relief operations throughout the Pacific and Southeast Asia. • Transition and Inactivation: The 6200th Air Base Wing was inactivated in 1991 following the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Clark Air Base after the volcanic eruption and subsequent base closure. • Legacy Units: Its functions and personnel were absorbed by other units, such as the 374th Airlift Wing at Yokota Air Base, Japan, continuing its legacy of support operations. • Cold War Intelligence: The wing supported intelligence-gathering and reconnaissance flights critical to U.S. interests during the Cold War, including operations monitoring Soviet and Chinese activities. • Cultural Impact: The presence of the 6200th and Clark Air Base had a significant cultural and economic impact on nearby Angeles City and the surrounding region in the Philippines. • Notable Units: The 6200th provided support to multiple tenant units, such as the 405th Fighter Wing and the 13th Air Force, ensuring operational readiness across a wide range of missions.