Hamilton Field

by Novato Historical Guild

Overview

In response to the growing need for military air defense in the 1920s, a parcel of Novato farmland on the San Pablo Bay was chosen as the future site for Hamilton Field. Constructed in the early 1930s and dedicated in 1935, Hamilton was originally established as a bombardment base of the 1st Wing of the air force. The base played a pivotal role during World War II as a flight-training facility and was an official point of departure for bombardment groups heading to the Pacific. Renamed the Hamilton Air Force Base in 1947, the base is also known for its well-planned community layout and landscaping, as well as its architecturally cohesive design in the Spanish Eclectic style. Decommissioned and vacated by 1975, the former base now serves as a planned housing, business, and civic park. Hamilton remains an important historical and community asset of Novato and Marin County.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780738559087
Publisher:	Arcadia Publishing SC
Publication date:	09/08/2008
Series:	Images of America Series
Pages:	128
Product dimensions:	9.20(w) x 10.94(h) x 0.31(d)

About the Author

For this collection of vintage Hamilton imagery, the Novato Historical Guild researched and compiled images from the Novato History Museum and Archives collections. Also, former civilian and military personnel who were stationed here contributed their invaluable expertise through stories and memorabilia to tell Hamilton Field's unique story through times of war and peace.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments 6 Introduction 7
1 Founding an Army Airfield 9
2 The Bomber Base Years 17
3 World War II and Reorganization 43
4 From Growth to Decommissioning 81
5 Open Houses and Air Shows 111
6 Hamilton Today 121