The eruption of Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines buries Clark Air Base and two other US military installations with volcanic ash, forcing the Air Force to evacuate some 15,000 people to Guam and the United States. Operation Fiery Vigil becomes the largest evacuation operation since the fall of South Vietnam in 1975. Clark Air Base in the Philippines, the oldest and largest USAF overseas base, closes permanently.
KC-46’s Refueling Boom Damaged While Refueling F-22s
July 8, 2025
A U.S. Air Force KC-46 tanker suffered damage to its boom while refueling F-22 Raptors off the coast of Virginia on July 8, Air & Space Forces Magazine has confirmed, with reported radio communication from the crew indicating the boom “detached.”