BLUE BOOK

The Wallace Chronicles

ADVENTURE - Scuba diving, fishing trips, great parties, the beach, USO entertainment, the babes, trips to Baguio, Angeles City, Manila, Laoag, and the great entertainment at the WASCOM Club. A G.I's paradise? Well maybe, but there was also danger in paradise, there was the NPA, earthquakes, volcanos, floods, typhoons, heartbreak, death, despair and loneliness in a beautiful foreign land on the far side of the world in a place called the Philippines. It's all right here inside the BLUE BOOK.

The latest new members added to the BLUE BOOK are: Vernon Drysdale SSGT Radio Operator 1957 - 61 - Jim Giancola A2C -AWT 1963 - John Carpenter SSGT - Drone Launch Facility worker and Pete Inuitt LTC. F4 crewman and frequent flyer of the early 70's are the latest to be listed in the Blue Book pages.

BRAND NEW BLOG POSTED - " Dormitory Life at Wallace".

Get Listed In the BLUE PAGES

This is the place where former U.S Air Force military, civilian employees and Philippine Air Force Personnel can visit and tell about their experiences while assigned to Wallace Air Station. This is also a place to view photographs, exchange of information, relive past memories and renew old friendships. This web page is dedicated to all military and civilians that served at Wallace Air Station.

We invite all former Wallace U.S Air Force personnel, contract personnel, Pilipino employees and PAF personnel. Tell us about your experiences while at Wallace and San Fernando. Please include your name, rank at the time, Year(s) of tour, duty station and your present email address.

>>>>>New Blog Features<<<<<

Our new blog pages "Poro Point Perspectives" and "Food and drink at Poro Point " and "The WASCOM" were written by our good friend and Wallace veteran Earl Honeycutt. He served at Wallace Air Station from 1969 - 70 and has returned to the Philippines a number of times over the past four decades. We hope the new blog will attract more Wallace veterans, increase communications, participation and interest in the Blue Book pages.

NEW BOOK

Written by our very first member of the Blue Book "Bob Widner" entitled "Aircraft Accidents in Florida". Over 1,000 documented accidents compiled from news releases, official accident reports and interviews with survivors. Go to http://www.lulu.com/content/5411008 and order your copy today.

Satellite Photos of Poro Point

The Satellite photos of Wallace, Poro and San Fernando is now available, Just copy and paste this URL into your browser. http://www.maplandia.com/philippines/region-1/la-union/san-fernando/airports/san-fernando-la-union-airport/

Military Memories 1949 - 1969

Get your copy of "Military Memories" by Wallace veteran Bob Widner. I have examined the book and found it to be very interesting. Even has a picture of mule drawn water wagon from the early days of Wallace. It's loaded with lots of goodies and is availabe to all right now in paperback form and sells for only $13.34. For more info on "Military Memories" Copy and paste this URL into your browser http://www.lulu.com/content/4549843 - Also his newest book out on sale now.

"History of Aircaft Accidents in Forida by Wallace veteran Bob Widner" to order copy and paste this link in your browser - http://www.lulu.com/content/5411008

Thunderbird Resorts Hotel

Located on the old Voice Of America radio relay station property. Construction is now completed and the facility is open for business. Below you'll find the original press release that talks about the groundbreaking and presidential visit.

Press Releases

SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union - President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo lauded
today the management of the United States-based Thunderbird Resorts Inc.
for its P5- billion investment commitment to the Philippines and to put La
Union province on the world map of major tourist and recreation
destinations.

She issued the remarks with top officials of Thunderbird Resorts at the groundbreaking rites of the company's luxury hotel and world- class nine-hole golf course inside the former US military Wallace Air Station Poro Point Special Economic and Freeport Zone
here.

Immediately upon her arrival at the San Fernando City airport at around
10:40 a.m., the President inspected the existing facilities of the airport, which is now undergoing expansion and upgrading of its runway to enable it
to accommodate larger aircraft such as Boeing 737 and Airbus 320.

From the airport, she motored to the Poro Point Special Economic and
Freeport Zone for the historic groundbreaking of the Thunderbird Hotel and
Golf Course that would create between 5,000 and 10,000 direct and indirect
job opportunities upon its completion. The labor force will be sourced from San Fernando City and the province of La Union and nearby areas.

Accompanying the President in her visit to the 236.5-hectare former US
military air station were Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap, Trade and
Industry Secretary Peter Favila and Defense Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane Jr.

The President was briefed by Poro Point Management Corporation (PPMC)
president and chief executive officer (CEO) Felix Racadio and PPMC vice
president and chief operating officer Anthony Manguiat on the ongoing
development activities in the freeport zone.

She then led the lowering of the time capsule and viewing of the scale
model of the Thunderbird Resorts and Golf Course project. The construction
of the project is scheduled to start tomorrow and is expected to be
completed in the first quarter of 2008. The company plans to increase its investment in the economic zone up to P5 billion based on its lease agreement with the Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA) and the PPMC.

Meanwhile, underscoring the significance of a fully-developed Poro Point
Special Economic and Freeport Zone, BCDA president and CEO Narciso Abaya
said once the tourism infrastructure of Thunderbird Resorts is completed,
Poro Point will attract local and foreign tourists that will augur well for the economy of La Union and the rest of Northern Luzon.

"The economic impact of tourism is immediate. It generates jobs not only
inside Poro Point but in the entire region as well," Abaya said. Thunderbird Resorts is a leading international provider of branded entertainment and recreational properties. The company started its >operation in the Philippines in 1997, with Thunderbird Pilipinas Hotel and Resort, Inc. as its local subsidiary.

Base Turnover To The Philippines

United States turned over Wallace Air Station and the Voice of America facilities to the Philippine government through the Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA), the lead agency spearheading the conversion of former baselands. US Ambassador Thomas Hubbard and BCDA Chairman Rogelio L. Singson signed an agreement during the turnover ceremonies held in Poro Point, San Fernando City, La Union on October 15, 1991. The VOA facilities in Poro Point covers 102 hectares, and the turnover will facilitate and enhance its development as a freeport and special economic zone complete with tourism and commercial facilities.

The VOA property in John Hay, Baguio City, which covers 30 hectares, has also been turned over to BCDA. John Hay's development as a world-class eco-tourism destination, complementing Poro Point's tourism and commercial facilities is envisioned to make Northern Luzon the ideal tourist and business location. In a lease back agreement between BCDA and the US Embassy, the International Broadcasting Bureau, which runs the VOA broadcast, will leave its remaining facilities, including the powerplant, for use by BCDA as payment for three years' stay in a 13-hectare area to continue its operations in China and Vietnam. The bureau also has the option to lease some ten hectares as permanent site in Poro Point if they wish to continue to operate in the area. The turnover closes the 1963 agreement that allowed the US to set up and operate radio broadcasting facilities in the former Wallace Air Station, now known as Poro Point, and the former Camp John Hay.

Philippine Govt to Develop Poro Point Freeport Zone

BAGUIO CITY, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said that the government is pursuing the development of the Poro Point Special Economic and Freeport Zone [PPSEFZ], which is the centerpiece of the North Luzon Growth Quadrangle [NLGQ], to attract foreign investors.

Because of its proximity to China, Indochina, Japan, Korea and Taiwan, Poro Point is an ideal seaport where industrial and tourism facilities may also be developed. In a breakfast meeting with the members of the Erap Resign Movement at the President's Mansion House here, the President said the BCDA, through its subsidiary, the John Hay-Poro Point Development Corporation [JHPPDC], is now in the process of consolidating its properties in the area for the re-development of Poro Point as a mixed use commercial and industrial estate

. As soon as this is completed, the President said BCDA will pursue the physical development of the area, including the massive and aggressive promotion of Poro Point as an investment area. The BCDA has actually started the development of the Poro Point economic zone with the privatization of its seaport operations.

It is now being operated by the Poro Point Industrial Corporation, the BCDA and the JHPPDC. The development of the seaport will modernize its operation, increase its tonnage capacity, develop new warehouses, and see the rise of a new 50-hectare industrial estate.

The President said with the new head of the JPPDC in the person of former Defense Undersecretary Fortunato Abat, Poro Point is expected to be fast-tracked. The President will also consider the proposal of the local government of La Union of appointing a non-voting member of the board to take part in the management of the JPPDC.

Former U.S airbase to become major international airport

Philippine airport authorities say they will develop a former US airbase north of Manila into a major international gateway at the cost of at least two billion pesos (35.6 million dollars). The former Clark airbase will be made into an international airport to attract low-cost airlines who wish to serve the northern Philippines, the Manila International Airport Authority said in a statement.

Clark, located about 60 kilometers (37.2 miles) north of Manila, will cater to tourists and businessmen and will focus on serving the many Filipino workers going to and from the Middle East, the airport authority said. Airport authority general manager Alfonso Cusi met with Clark airport head Adelberto Yap to forge the plans for expanding Clark with the first phase of development taking at least two years and costing about two billion pesos.

Cusi said in the statement that the project would be financed by internally generated funds and "concerned agencies" although he did not give details. The development of Clark would be in line with President Gloria Arroyo's plans to decongest the Philippine capital of Manila which houses the country's main international airport, the authority added. The sprawling Clark Airbase, once one of the largest overseas US airbases, was abandoned by US forces in 1991 after the eruption of nearby Pinatubo volcano damaged its facilities. The Philippine government has cleared up Clark and turned it into a commercial airport and light industrial zone but despite its huge runways, it has largely been limited to handling domestic and charter flights