European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 26, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse While Clark a fades amid ashes memories Blaze cd Crawford guest columnist . Flag lowered at Clark a a proclaimed the Banner headline. Underneath in smaller Type it read a Many mourn closing of historic base in i am one of those the article that appeared in the stars and stripes read like an obituary of a dear Frienda Friend i never got the Chance to say goodbye to. I was a naive in Vear old when i arrived it Chirk a in March 1 j7 it. Fresh from 12 years of Catholic school still in Awe of the air Force and the fact that i had survived Basic training seared to death that 1 would be called upon my first official Day As a medic to perform car on someone still stunned that i was t stationed close to Home because after All. I was a non Volunteer for overseas. I Eusch me. But where did you say i was going i distinctly remember my introduction to Clark the oppressive heat As i got off the plane being herded into a hangar for briefings after flying More than 24 hours and crossing the International Date Fine a headache from not under standing tagalog and honest to god Palm Trees. The base and its surroundings were overwhelming. Welcome to geckos flying cockroaches the Negrito Village the filipino constabulary is with their my 6s. The Best airmen s club that Side of Lackland. Maybe it was t such a bail place after All. Much As i enjoyed my months at Clark. I did t wish to be stationed there again. But i did think about going Back for a visit. It was a farfetched dream granted but it was still a dream. Then a quiet supposedly dormant Little Volcano rumbled and changed everything. When mount Pinatubo erupted it marked the beginning of the end at Clark. And so with it went my dream of returning. Bear with me now As i say goodbye to my life at Clark. Those of you who were there can nod and smile Tell your own War stories and cry in your san Miguel Beer. Farewell and thank you to Millie and the House girls for $4 a month we were treated like Royalty. Kiko and the gambits have you moved on to another club another country and How did you manage to sing All my favorite songs without an accent the monkeys who lived on Mill were always Good for it laugh but not quite As entertaining As the stories about a detonated japanese land mines that were supposedly still up there. Midnight flicks at the Bamboo bowl after an evening shift tit the Hospital. It just does t get any better than that. Who will eat at Mother s restaurant now did the Mcdonald s i never got the Chance to see dim its Golden Arches what i would t give to have one last Cherry shake at the Quot elephant Cage Quot snack bar. Monsoons a those were fun. Roll tip your pants legs Pul on your flip flops and still go downtown. And if you get caught after the mid night Curlew Well gee. That just meant you Luul to Stav in the bar until 4 . Late Well to the staff at the hotel Enrico in Manila which let us have Iree rein of the place whenever we came to visit. And those wonderful trips to Baguio a $4 a night for a two bedroom Cabin next to a Golf course. One adventure i could have done without was the Caribou that came crashing into our campsite near the South China sea but it docs make for interesting stories. Mantra cos Victory liners and Rabbit buses a i certainly wont miss you but it would have been fun to ride you one More time. Maybe even a few a a Jeeney Quot rides for old time s Sake. The old gang at dorms 5308 and 5210 a we really had some Good times did no to we what a crowd it was too with the likes of Sunshine space George crazy Joe Dardine and Framp ton. Was i the Only lifer out of the whole Crew my memories of youth May be softened by time and wistfulness a a nostalgic trip Down memory Lane. Maybe if i had made it Back. 1 would have been disappointed but ill never know for sure. I just Hope that the 130,000 acres i called Home for 15 months stays alive in the tales scrapbooks and photo albums of the thousands who passed through Clark in its nearly Century of existence. It will take More than several feet of volcanic Ash and looters to wipe out those memories. Dear Clark. I shall not return. Tech sgt Annette Crawford works in the 7217th air base group Public a lairs office at Ankara air station Turkey Send in your column plus a photo of yourself to be our guest sunday Magazine the stars and stripes Apo 09211 or Postrach 11 14 37, d-6100 Darmstadt 11, Jesse Jackson airs it out. Page 7. From the cover .4-6 the super Bow l s Midnight madness. Andy Rooney .7 world spinning out o f control. Books and language.8-9 eyeing the cuban missile crisis. Odds amp ends .10 flattery won t get far with Irma Hom Heek. To i in ii barbra Streisand still a hit. Television listings.12-14 local Cable and satellite schedules. On the air .15 .1 couple of Money words from the Volans. Home entertainment .16 Quot Jungle fever Quot a hot video. Joe Bob Briggs. 17 Quot body parts Quot disarming. This weeks films .18-19 Chuck i Quot Inch Quot juice Quot squeezes out 21 thus. Complete .-1.4/�?��?T/�?�. So circuit listings. Classified ads .20-23 last laugh .24 Dave Barry recalls flights tenants. The Volans on the Money. Page 15. A amps Timothy Cahill sunday is a weekly supplement of the stars and stripes editor Bucky Fox Art direction Susan p. Harris production Kelly Quinn editorial assistance Marian Hamilton i Ouis Pierce
