KR28M

CONDITIONS AT CLARK FIELD

from Sept 16 to Dec 24, 1941

by M/Sgt Roy Kilgore, 1600 Fair Place, Shreveport, LA

First arrived in P.I. the dykes between Manilla and Clark Field were flooded up to about 16 inches of water. We went by Filipino bus up to Clark Field arriving there after dark 16 Sept, then to the 28th Sqd and had a meal of corned “willy” & coffee. We then turned to our area where they were building Nipa huts. They were not completed so first slept anywhere we could find. As time went on and the huts were completed. We paid the Filipino carpenters the sum of 1 to 1 1/4 pesos a day for lockers to put clothes in. Were then moved to these quarters adjoining the 19th group.

Recreation through Sept, Oct, Nov used to consist of touch football, some soft ball. After supper then men would start cleaning up and getting ready to go to town. The men would call a taxi, and after waiting about 3 hours start wondering where it was, one was lucky to get to town. We had to leave town about 1 am. This was the town of Angeles -- 8 miles from Clark Field.

The Japs were very cordial to the men upon their arrival in P.I. -- too much so. We used to patronize a place called Tino’s in Angeles. It was above a teakwood shop. You had to go through an alley and up a stairs to a patio, to entered a bar and lounge which was partitioned for officers and enlisted men.

Tino was also a curio maker, wood, and bone carver. He extended quite a bit of credit to the boys, etc. He also made all the dummy airplanes at Clark Field, which were expertly fashioned so that even when the wind blew a slight bit, the propellers would turn. But when the Japs attack at Clark Field not one of the dummy aircraft were hit.

A couple of the men went up to Tino’s one night after Dec 8th to get some liquor and claimed they saw Tino’s head on a platter in the window of his shop.

___?___ bar located on one of the main streets of town. Lots of tables and Filipino orchestra. Separating the tables and orchestra was a wire net, behind which were good looking Filipino girls. If you desired to dance with the girls you could buy tickets. Cost 5 cents a dance. You could hire the girl to sit at your table by going to the manager and paying him about 60 cents an hour.

Another pastime was going to Chicken Charlie’s. There were chickens, hogs, and animals in, under and around the house, but the chicken was good. Could buy a whole chicken for 40 cents, including potatoes, coffee or beer.

In traveling from one place to another in town one used a Carametta -- a 2 wheeled cart with a top on it, and drawn by a Filipino pony.

AFTER DEC 8

We used to set our watches by the Jap raids as they always came over at 11 am. The dive bombers came in so low that they didn’t have time to spin their arming vanes off. (The bomb has to drop from 100-180 feet before the vane spins off.)

We then moved out of there to target hill and dug in.

As they later did in Java the men got parts from wrecked aircraft. Whatever was in serviceable condition was used. Sometimes under the fire of enemy planes, etc, ships burning on the field.

Ground crews from the 19th also serviced the Filipino P-26 outfit that was stationed at Tarlac north of Clark Field.