Wallace Air Station
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Wallace Air Station was a United States Air Force (USAF) facility located at the end of Poro Point in San Fernando, La Union, The Philippines.
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[edit] History and Background
Wallace Air Station occupied 101 hectares of base land located in the Philippine province of La Union and was acquired in 1903 for the United States Cavalry. Originally, Camp Wallace, the facility was named in honor of Second Lieutenant George W. Wallace, a Medal of Honor recipient from the 9th U.S. Infantry who was killed in action on March 4, 1900 in the Philippines. In November 1903, President Theodore Roosevelt signed an executive order establishing Camp Wallace and Camp John Hay in Baguio City.
[edit] 848th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron
While the land was originally purchased for use by the United States Cavalry, it was eventually transferred to the United States Air Force and it was last home to the 848th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron, which provided logistics and administrative support to other radar detachments It was, much later, the home of the 848th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron which provided logistics and administrative support to other radar detachments under its chain of command, and finally the 848th Air Defense Squadron. Wallace Air Station was deactivated in 1991 following the eruption of Mt Pinatubo.
[edit] Wallace Drone Launch Facility
It was also home to a Drone Launch Facility, which was run by an Air Force contractor. This facility provided Pacific Air Forces pilots with live-fire training opportunities. Since the drones were not usually destroyed when they are shot down, there was a need to recover them for reuse. Hence, there was a drone recovery boat that was kept moored in the local harbor at nearby San Fernando.
When the drone was "shot down" by a fighter's missile, the recovery boat was joined by numerous fishing boats, which were outrigger bamboo canoes, in the chase to get to the drone. It seemed that many of the locals considered the drone "fair game" for salvage purposes, and figured that it might be worth a few dollars.
[edit] Other Operations
Wallace Air Station was also home to a number of fuel storage facilities, and was able to provide fuel for the occasional helicopter, usually a few CH-3s from Clark Air Base or an occasional Navy helicopter from Subic Bay Naval Base. UH-1s from the Philippine Air Force would also show up, but not too often as there as there was not enough budget for operations. For larger aircraft such as C-12s or C-130s, the USAF would employ the San Fernando Airport.
Wallace was also home to Voice of America broadcast facilities, as well as various Philippine Air Force antennae.
[edit] Transfer to the Philippines
The facility was formally turned-over by the United States to the Republic of the Philippines on September 16, 1991. At present, the Bases Conversion Development Authority is converting the area into a prime tourism and industrial estate.
