European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - March 16, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Military cat and mouse moves by Denis d. Gray associated press w e re the bad Guys. We re russians says the Jet fighter Pilot standing on Asun seared runway aimed at the heart of the South China sea. It. Michael Shea cradling a flight helmet emblazoned with a red Star is part of a special Squadron that poses As soviet aggressors in Aerial combat exercises games Over the Philippines and surrounding Waters. There at Subic Bay and at nearby Clark air base among the largest american military installations outside the United states the soviets Are unquestionably viewed As bad  the soviets reportedly have tripled their naval strength in the South Pacific since 1978 and have gained a military foothold in Vietnam. . And soviet forces Shadow each other constantly in cat and mouse moves  Over nearby tropical Waters that the United states regards As being As strategically important As any in the world. From Shea a-25-year-old Navy officer from Navesink n.j., to president Reagan the . Military Hierarchy appears optimistic the Pacific s fortress America will not have to relocate following political upheaval in the Philippines. It s business As usual. Life has been rather Calm for us up Here said it. Cmdr. James d. Van sickle the chief spokesman at Subic located 60 Miles Northwest of Manila. In Manila the capital Ferdinand e. Marcos was toppled feb. 25 by a people Power uprising led by Corazon Aquino the new president and fled to Clark air base. A Day later a . Air Force plane flew him and his family and associates to exile in Hawaii. Van sickle said there were no demonstrations outside the bases or attacks against the nearly 40,000 americans at Clark or Subic. Special Security precautions were reportedly considered unnecessary and operations continued uninterrupted. During a tour of the . Naval base at Subic Bay fronting a deep water Bay and backed by Jungle Hills p-3 Orion were being refuelled for 12-hour missions tracking soviet submarines. The submarine tender proteus was tied up for repairs at the Gigantic naval Yard while a detachment of pilots was on Normal 24-hour standby in Case their Carrier the Enterprise got into trouble in the Indian Ocean five senator Mang Lapus and some of his staff have gone Back to the  in Oxon Hill md., in Southern Prince Georges county where there is a Large concentration of filipinos 10,000, it is estimated political differences regarding the Marcos government were largely held beneath the surface before Marcos fell says the Rev. John de wan who has seen his Parish grow Over the years from 50 filipino families to 500. At times literature would be handed out after Church he said but i think a lot of them Are not politically oriented. They want to become americans and build a new life  nevertheless emotions bubbled up when Marcos fled Manila. There were joyous demonstrations outside the philippine embassy. Things have quieted Down outside the embassy while inside the mood is described As  a third of the staff has left Washington if not the country says Henry Tuazon a lawyer who is a member of president Corazon c. Aquino s embassy transition team. The rest he said have been assured that Aquino will recognize  a j f i i new York times graphic the United states has two military installations on the main Island of the Philippines Luzon situated off Asia s Southeast coast and strategically vital to the defense of that area. Hours flying time away. It s very important to the Philippines it s very important for us so we want to keep them bases there just As Long As we can and things look very favourable said defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger after Marcos fled into exile and Aquino assumed the presidency. Although Aquino has not disclosed her policy on continued . Military presence she has made pro american statements and conveys no impression that time is running out for Clark Subic and six smaller . Installations that Are covered by leases due to expire in 1991. Subic and Clark Are situated near the Middle of strategic sea lanes reaching from Northern Japan to the arabian sea. Through these Waters pass about 80 percent of the strategic minerals including Oil consumed by the United states Western Europe and Japan. Numerous allies relying on american military Protection Are in the Region. Ships at Subic can reach the Straits of Malacca the narrow and vital passageway Between the Indian and Pacific oceans in 80 hours. Clark Headquarters of the 13th . Air Force is a 70-minute Jet flight from Vietnam s Cam Ranh Bay where Moscow has deployed Long Range reconnaissance aircraft. The soviets use Cam Ranh Bay to service cruisers frigates and submarines according to . Documents. Subic s Central location and natural Harbor is Ideal for repairing and re supplying about 80 vessels of the . 7th Fleet which patrols 3.5 million Square Miles of water. Moving the bases to Guam Tinian or other . Possessions at the Edge of the Western Pacific would More than double the time needed to reach several of the Region s hot spots. A recent Pentagon report estimated a move would Cost about $8 billion and it would be no easy matter Given the magnitude of operations at Subic which Van sickle called a one Stop shopping  an incoming vessel can pick up everything from toilet paper to 16-Inch gun barrels among the 7 million items at the . Navy s largest Supply depot. It can be reared from an Arsenal stocked with 50,000 tons of ordnance and repaired at dry docks that can handle battleships up to 60,000 tons. Of equal importance Van sickle said Are the 4,500 filipinos at the repair facility whose skill efficiency and relatively Low wages would be almost impossible to duplicate elsewhere in the Pacific. But american officers like to describe the bases which cover 15,141 acres As almost a philippine institution noting they have been in place for a third of american history. Clark began As a cavalry Post in 1902, and the Spanish ceded their naval base at Subic after the Spanish american War of 1898. Today the . Military hires 45,000 filipinos making it the largest employer in the Philippines after the government. Clark and Subic official statistics say pump nearly $350 million into the Economy through construction contracts wages and purchases on the local Market including mountains of fresh produce. Washington annually pays about $200 million rent for the installations. The Subic Clark Complex is an american institution if any overseas enclave deserves to be called Little America this is it. The base has neatly mowed lawns and Low Slung White buildings with Blue trim a shopping Center three schools three churches White Sandy beaches and a pet  move or not facilities Are being upgraded with 300 new units of family housing slated to be built this summer. Sunday March 16, 1986 stars and stripes Page 17