Clark AF Base - Philippines

Clark Air Force Base, located on Luzon Island in the Philippines, was established as Fort Stotsenburg in 1903 and became a key U.S. military installation in the Pacific. During World War II, the base was a focal point of the initial Japanese attack following Pearl Harbor and was occupied by Japanese forces until its liberation in 1945. Throughout the Cold War and Vietnam War, Clark served as a major logistics, maintenance, and command center for U.S. Air Force operations in Southeast Asia. The base remained a vital hub for regional security until it was evacuated and handed over to the Philippine government following the eruption of Mount Pinatubo in 1991.