On 11th June 1991, during the Desert Storm offensive, there was a volcanic eruption in the Philippines.

The eruption of Mount Pinatubo is the largest volcanic eruption in 150 years. But many people know nothing of it, the world was watching the war in Iraq...

Three United States Military installations in the Philippines were evacuated; Cubi Point Naval Air Station, Subic Naval Station and Clark Air Force Base, they were subsequently abandoned by the U.S. due to political decisions in the Philippines.





"Mt. Pinatubo Evacuation of Clark Air Base Philippines" is a very intersting two-part, 40 mins long, visual trace along the route of thousands of evacuees from Clark Air Base and Subic Bay, Philippines, as they escape the destructive force of the pending eruption of the Mt. Pinatubo volcano June 1991.

Part 1 covers the evacuation from Clark Air Base to Subic Bay Naval Base; A week later evacuees board the massive aircraft carrier, USS Abraham Lincoln, for a three day voyage, arriving off shore and ferried to Mac tan Air Base, Cebu by helicopter. Stops include: Guam, Hickam Air Base, Hawaii and on to Travis Air Force Base, California.



Part 2 offers the viewer a rare, but memorable glimpse back at US military facilities as they were before this colossal event.

Videographer and former Clarkite, Virgil Hopper produced this Philippines Experience video series. He is a former member of the American Forces Radio and Television Service that served both Clark and Subic-area audiences with radio and television programming on FEN, the (Far East Network).

Labels: natural disaster, navy, philipines, pinatubo, usa, volcano