Hamilton Army Airfield, CA - 1937

Hamilton Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force Base located along the northern shore of San Francisco Bay California. Image File history File links Hafb-1937. ... Image File history File links Hafb-1937. ... The United States Air Force (or USAF) is the aerospace branch of the United States armed forces and one of the seven uniformed services. ... This page is a candidate for speedy deletion. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq. ...

Hamilton AFB was named for First Lieutenant Lloyd Andrew Hamilton of the 17th Aero Squadron, awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for heroism at Varssonaore, Belgium, in leading a low level bombing attack on a German airdrome 30 miles behind enemy lines on August 13, 1918. August 13 is the 225th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (226th in leap years), with 140 days remaining. ... 1918 (MCMXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ...

Thirteen days later Hamilton died in action near Lagnecourt, France.

Origins

Construction of Hamiltion Field began about July 1, 1932, with the airfield being originally designed to accommodate four bomb squadrons and their personnel. July 1 is the 182nd day of the year (183rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 183 days remaining. ... 1932 (MCMXXXII) was a leap year starting on Friday (the link will take you to a full 1932 calendar). ...

Captain Don Hutchins of the Army Air Corps reported on duty as the first commanding officer of the new field on June 25, 1933, and Captain John M. Davies' 70th Service Squadron arrived that December as the first squadron assigned to the base. The Army Air Corps is a vital component of the British Army. ... June 25 is the 176th day of the year (177th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 189 days remaining. ... 1933 (MCMXXXIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ...

On December 4, 1934, the 7th Bombardment Group arrived to take station, having been transferred up from March Field. The new base was designated that year as General Headquarters of the 1st Pursuit Wing. December 4 is the 338th day (339th on leap years) of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1934 (MCMXXXIV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... March Air Reserve Base (IATA: RIV, ICAO: KRIV) is a base of the U.S. Air Force Reserve located in Riverside County, California, between the cities of Riverside and Moreno Valley. ...

The Hamilton Field Station Complement replaced the 70th Service Squadron on March 1, 1935. The original construction program was completed on May 12, 1935, at which time the field was ceremonially handed over to Brigadier General Henry 'Hap' Arnold, commanding the First Wing, by Governor Merriam of California. March 1 is the 60th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (61st in leap years). ... 1935 (MCMXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... May 12 is the 132nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (133rd in leap years). ... 1935 (MCMXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq. ...

Pre-World War II Use

Hamilton was originally designed as a bomber installation. In 1933, the first planes assigned to Hamilton were B-10 and B-12 bombers, followed by the amphibious reconnaissance aircraft of the 88th Observation Squadron. 1933 (MCMXXXIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... A B-10 being flown during a training session at Maxwell Air Force Base The Martin B_10 was the first all_metal monoplane bomber to go into regular use by the United States Army Air Corps, entering service in June 1934. ... Cobalamin or vitamin B12 is a chemical compound that is also known as cyanocobalamine. ...

The B-12 bombers housed at Hamilton Field were phased out in 1937 and were replaced with Douglas B-18 "Bolos". The B-18, a standard two engine short range bomber, was capable of airlifting combat equipped troops en masse, an important advance in combat techniques at the time. 1937 (MCMXXXVII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... Douglas B-18A Bolo The Douglas B-18 Bolo was a United States Army Air Corps and Royal Canadian Air Force bomber of the late 1930s and early 1940s based on the Douglas DC-2. ...

The next step forward in bomber technology was the development of the Boeing B-17, a four engine airplane that was bigger, faster, and heavier than any previous bomber and required a longer and stronger runway to operate. A B_17 nicknamed Sally B in England in 2001 The B_17 Flying Fortress was the first mass_produced, four_engine heavy bomber. ...

Because the runway at Hamilton Field was not adequate for the B-17, the larger planes had to go elsewhere. Hamilton then became a fighter base and the new home of the 10th Pursuit Wing, which transferred from Moffett Field. The arrival of the 10th Wing with P-36 and P-40 pursuit aircraft and their crews caused crowding at the base and initiated the first of many housing problems. Rows of frame barracks began to spring up on the base as Hamilton expanded to meet its new role as an important West Coast air training facility. The Curtiss P-36 Hawk, or as it was originally called, the Curtiss Hawk Model 75, was a US fighter aircraft of WW2. ... The Curtiss P-40 was an American fighter aircraft which first flew in 1938 and played a vital role in the crucial middle stages of World War II. Developed from the pre-war radial-engined P-36 Hawk, the P-40 became known as the Tomahawk, the Kittyhawk, and finally...

World War II

On March 31, 1941, the base was reassigned to the Fourth Air Force, and it was later that year that a flight of twelve B-17s left Hamilton Field for Hickam Field in Hawaii, which lay next to the naval base known as Pearl Harbor. Flying all through the night, the bombers arrived over Oahu on the morning of December 7, 1941, and faced an unusual welcome. The B-17s had arrived over Oahu during the Japanese air attack which triggered American entry into World War II. March 31 is the 90th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (91st in Leap years), with 275 days remaining. ... For the movie, see 1941 (film) 1941 (MCMXLI) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1941 calendar). ... Formed in the United States during World War II to provide air defense and combat training for the personnel of newly formed units, the Fourth Air Force was assigned, in turn, to Continental Air Forces, Air Defense Command, and Continental Air Command before inactivating in 1960. ... Satellite image of Pearl Harbor. ... Oahu (usually Oahu outside Hawaiian and Hawaiian English), the Gathering Place, is the third largest of the Hawaiian Islands and most populous island in the State of Hawaii. ... December 7 is the 341st day (342nd in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the movie, see 1941 (film) 1941 (MCMXLI) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1941 calendar). ... Combatants Allies: Poland, British Commonwealth, France/Free France, Soviet Union, United States, China, and others Axis Powers: Germany, Italy, Japan, and others Casualties Military dead: 17 million Civilian dead: 33 million Total dead: 50 million Military dead: 8 million Civilian dead: 4 million Total dead: 12 million World War II...

Back in California, Hamilton Field was rapidly expanded to a wartime status, with construction of additional barracks, mess halls, administration buildings, warehouses, Link trainer buildings, schools, hospital and other structures.

Hamiliton AAF was used as an initial training base for newly-formed fighter groups. The following units trained at Hamilton:

The Curtiss P-40 was an American fighter aircraft which first flew in 1938 and played a vital role in the crucial middle stages of World War II. Developed from the pre-war radial-engined P-36 Hawk, the P-40 became known as the Tomahawk, the Kittyhawk, and finally... The Curtiss P-40 was an American fighter aircraft which first flew in 1938 and played a vital role in the crucial middle stages of World War II. Developed from the pre-war radial-engined P-36 Hawk, the P-40 became known as the Tomahawk, the Kittyhawk, and finally... The Lockheed P-38 Lightning was one of the most important American fighters of the Second World War. ... The Curtiss P-40 was an American fighter aircraft which first flew in 1938 and played a vital role in the crucial middle stages of World War II. Developed from the pre-war radial-engined P-36 Hawk, the P-40 became known as the Tomahawk, the Kittyhawk, and finally... The Curtiss P-40 was an American fighter aircraft which first flew in 1938 and played a vital role in the crucial middle stages of World War II. Developed from the pre-war radial-engined P-36 Hawk, the P-40 became known as the Tomahawk, the Kittyhawk, and finally... The Lockheed P-38 Lightning was one of the most important American fighters of the Second World War. ... The Lockheed P-38 Lightning was one of the most important American fighters of the Second World War. ... The Curtiss P-40 was an American fighter aircraft which first flew in 1938 and played a vital role in the crucial middle stages of World War II. Developed from the pre-war radial-engined P-36 Hawk, the P-40 became known as the Tomahawk, the Kittyhawk, and finally... Douglas DC-3 VH-AES at Avalon in 2003. ... The Lockheed P-38 Lightning was one of the most important American fighters of the Second World War. ... The Bell P-39 Airacobra was one of the principal fighter aircraft in service with American forces at the start of World War II. At first for a short time designated XP-45, it had just a single-speed, single-stage supercharger for its engine, instead of an exhaust-driven... The Lockheed P-38 Lightning was one of the most important American fighters of the Second World War. ... The Bell P-39 Airacobra was one of the principal fighter aircraft in service with American forces at the start of World War II. At first for a short time designated XP-45, it had just a single-speed, single-stage supercharger for its engine, instead of an exhaust-driven... The North American P-51 Mustang was a successful long range fighter aircraft which set new standards of excellence and performance when it entered service in the middle years of World War II and is still regarded as one of the very best piston-engined fighters ever made. ... The Bell P-39 Airacobra was one of the principal fighter aircraft in service with American forces at the start of World War II. At first for a short time designated XP-45, it had just a single-speed, single-stage supercharger for its engine, instead of an exhaust-driven... The Lockheed P-38 Lightning was one of the most important American fighters of the Second World War. ... The Curtiss P-40 was an American fighter aircraft which first flew in 1938 and played a vital role in the crucial middle stages of World War II. Developed from the pre-war radial-engined P-36 Hawk, the P-40 became known as the Tomahawk, the Kittyhawk, and finally... The Curtiss P-40 was an American fighter aircraft which first flew in 1938 and played a vital role in the crucial middle stages of World War II. Developed from the pre-war radial-engined P-36 Hawk, the P-40 became known as the Tomahawk, the Kittyhawk, and finally... The Bell P-39 Airacobra was one of the principal fighter aircraft in service with American forces at the start of World War II. At first for a short time designated XP-45, it had just a single-speed, single-stage supercharger for its engine, instead of an exhaust-driven...

Postwar Use

In the postwar era, Hamilton Air Force Base was modified to accommodate jet aircraft. In 1959 the runways were upgraded to accommodate F-101 and F-104 operations. 1959 (MCMLIX) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The McDonnell F-101 Voodoo was a supersonic military aircraft flown by the USAF and the RCAF. Initially designed as a long-range bomber escort (known as a penetration fighter) for the Strategic Air Command, the Voodoo served in a variety of other roles, including the fighter bomber, all-weather... The Lockheed F-104 Starfighter was the last of the day fighters, a high-performance supersonic interceptor aircraft capable of high speeds and climb rates. ...

The base went through a series of command redesignations during this period. It was assigned to the Continental Air Forces in 1945, to the Air Defense Command in 1951, to the Aerospace Defense Command in 1968, and as its usefulness waned, to the Air Force Reserve in 1973. 1945 (MCMXLV) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1945 calendar). ... ... 1951 (MCMLI) was a common year starting on Monday; see its calendar. ... Shield of the Air (later Aerospace) Defense Command. ... 1968 (MCMLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1968 calendar). ... The Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) is a major command (MAJCOM) of the U.S. Air Force with its headquarters at Robins AFB, Georgia United States. ... 1973 (MCMLXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday. ...

On 1 April 1966, in addition to reactivating the Fourth Air Force, U.S. Air Force, the Western NORAD Region (North American Air Defense Command - changed to Aerospace in 1968) was activated at Hamilton AFB. This headquarters was not only responsible for the aerospace defense of 11 western states, but also controlled defense forces in two western Canadian provinces. NORAD was a joint U.S. Air Force/Royal Canadian Air Force (after 1969, Canadian Forces) organization. The new Western NORAD Region command combined the 25th, 26th and 27th NORAD Divisions, which were headquartered at McChord AFB Washington, Corvallis Oregon, and Luke AFB Arizona, respectively. West coast radar stations were under the command of headquarters at Hamilton AFB. Data was fed to the NORAD Combat Center blockhouse at Hamilton AFB via the Semi-Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE) system. Formed in the United States during World War II to provide air defense and combat training for the personnel of newly formed units, the Fourth Air Force was assigned, in turn, to Continental Air Forces, Air Defense Command, and Continental Air Command before inactivating in 1960. ... NORAD is short for: North American Aerospace Defense Command Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... McChord AFB is a United States Air Force base in Pierce County, Washington. ... Luke Air Force Base, Arizona is a large air force base west of Phoenix, Arizona next to Litchfield Park, Arizona. ... SAGE Sector Control Room. ...

Closure

Hamilton Air Force Base was decommissioned in 1974. The airfield was transferred to the Army as Hamilton Army Airfield, the housing to the Navy & a 411-acre parcel to the General Services Administration (GSA) for public sale. 1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (the link is to a full 1974 calendar). ... This article needs to be updated. ...

The Pacific Strike Team of the Coast Guard occupied two of the historic hangars. The GSA public sale occurred in 1985, and the 1988 Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) closed the facility. This article is about the year. ... 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) is a process of the United States federal government directed at the administration and operation of the US Armed Forces, used by the United States Department of Defense and Congress to close excess military installations and realign the total asset inventory in order to save...

Hamilton Today

Extensive aviation facilities remain, including a wide 8,000 ft long runway, a smaller crosswind runway, numerous dispersal parking pads, extensive ramp areas, and nine large hangars.

Controversy over future civilian use had developed between those supporting its adaptation into a major civilian airport, those bitterly opposed to its continued use as an airfield at all, and those holding varying intermediate degrees of opinion.

Today, many of the old buildings are intact, including a large number of decrepit looking wooden barracks apparently left over from the World War II era.

Many structures have been removed and replaced with a housing subdivision known as Hamilton Landing. The historic old main hangars are somewhat intact. Some are now offices, using the shell of the original hangar but completely rebuilt inside, and others are empty shells.

Several other old AAF/AFB buildings are intact, and either awaiting destruction, or renovation.

External links

• Hamilton AFB History - A site dedicated to the men, women, and families who served at HAFB - Discussions, photos & more
• Hamilton AFB Historic Site
• Hamilton AFB Photo Gallery
• Abandoned & Little Known Airfields - Hamilton AFB

Coordinates: 38.06° N -122.5° E Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically); large version (pdf) The geographic (earth-mapping) coordinate system expresses every horizontal position on Earth by two of the three coordinates of a spherical coordinate system which is aligned with the spin axis of the Earth. ...

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