List of Military Units of Clark Air Base - Military Units During The Cold War

Military Units During The Cold War

With the end of the war in September 1945, Clark became an immediate dumping ground for aircraft of all types from inactivating fighter and bomber units in the southwest Pacific. Aircraft were flown to Clark and the pilots (along with aircrews and maintenance and support personnel) would get on transports back to the United States for discharge. Many of the aircraft (some almost brand-new) were scrapped although low-hour planes were retained and flown back to the United States storage fields and mothballed.

The 20th Air Force 313th Bombardment Wing with four Boeing B-29 Superfortress (6th, 9th, 504th, 505th) Very Heavy bomb groups was reassigned from North Field, Tinian on 13 March 1946. Between 1946 and 15 June 1948, all of these groups were reassigned or inactivated:

• 6th Bombardment Group -> Kadena AB, Okinawa (1 June 1947)
• 9th Bombardment Group -> Harmon Field, Guam, (9 June 1947)
• 504th Bombardment Group -> Inactivated 15 June 1946.
• 505th Bombardment Group -> Inactivated 30 June 1946.

On 14 March 1947, the U.S. and the Philippines signed the Military Bases Agreement which provided for use of Clark Air Base until the year 2046 (later amended by the 1966 Rusk-Ramos agreement to 1991).

The 18th Fighter Group was assigned to Clark on 16 September 1947. The 18th was the major Far East Air Force unit in the Philippines in the immediate postwar years, flying a mixture of fighter (P/F-47, P/F-51, F-80), and reconnaissance (RB-29, RB-17G) aircraft. The 18th Flew patrols and trained with Lockheed F-80 Shooting Stars, with the distinction of being the first overseas fighter unit to be jet-equipped. On 20 January 1950, the wing was re-designated the 18th Fighter-Bomber Wing. As a result of the Korean War, the 18th was reassigned from Clark to Pusan AB, South Korea on 1 December 1950.

During the Korean War, the 6204th Photo Mapping Squadron was deployed for three months in 1950 performing aerial mapping of both North and South Korea before being replaced. The unit flew adapted Boeing B-17s (as RB-17Gs) for photographic mapping by having its bombing equipment deleted and replaced by photographic equipment. Some cameras were installed in the nose and in the aft fuselage as well.

During the Korean War and First Indochina War (1950–1954), the 581st Air Resupply and communications Wing performed psychological warfare and unconventional operations. Conducted limited operations in French Indochina in 1953 with C-119, B-29, C-54, and C-118 aircraft.

During the immediate postwar years and throughout the 1950s, Clark's mission was that of a major supply and maintenance depot for Far East Air Forces (later Pacific Air Forces) along with being a command base with Headquarters, 13th Air Force taking up residence in 1949. 13th Air Force would remain at Clark until its closure in 1991.

The 39th Air Division at Misawa AB, Japan deployed the 26th, and later the 509th Fighter-Interceptor Squadrons to Clark from 1954–1960 flying North American F-86F & F-86D Sabres to provide air defense of the Philippine Islands.