Prominent Visitors to Hamilton

During Hamilton’s 40-year existence, first as an Army Air Field in 1935 and later as an Air Force Base in 1947, numerous civilian dignitaries and notables visited the base.  Naturally, there were also several well-known military personnel who passed through Hamilton's famous gate. The following is a partial listing.

  • Black and white photo of a man in a military uniform with various medals and insignia, smiling. Novato, California.

    General Henry Harley (Hap) Arnold

    General Henry Harley (Hap) Arnold, then Brigadier General Hap Arnold, was present at the dedication of Hamilton Army Airfield in May of 1935. General Arnold loved the area, and upon his retirement in 1946, he and his wife, Bee, retired in the Sonoma Valley.

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    He maintained an office in the basement of the Hamilton Officers’ Club until he died in 1950. Upon his death, Grand Avenue in Sonoma was renamed Arnold Drive. General Arnold had a remarkable career. He took his first flight lessons from the Wright Brothers, guided U.S. military aviation from its infancy to its position of prominence in the world, and became the only man to hold the rank of 5-star general in both the Army and the Air Force.

  • A black-and-white photograph of a man in a military uniform with a hat, medals, and insignia, looking directly at the camera with a serious expression. Novato, California.

    Major General Clarence L. Tinker

    Major General Clarence L. Tinker was the Base Commander at Hamilton from December 1934 until December 1936. He was the highest-ranking Native American officer (Osage) and the first to achieve the rank of Major General.

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    He died leading a force during the Battle of Midway in June 1942. He was the first American general to die in the war. Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma is named in his honor.

  • Three men in military uniforms and suit standing near an aircraft, engaged in conversation. Novato, California.

    Edward Vernon (Eddie) Rickenbacker

    Edward Vernon (Eddie) Rickenbacker (center), March 1942 -Three months after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the famed WW1 flying ace and Medal of Honor winner was on a “Morale Boosting” trip for Army Flyers around the country. Rickenbacker believed that the government was too complacent and not aggressive enough in its pursuit of the war.

  • Young woman in military uniform talking to woman with curly hair and a man in a military uniform at an airport tarmac near a plane, with other people and vehicles in the background. Novato, California.

    Joe E. Brown

    Joe E. Brown, April 1943 – A beloved comedian and film actor of the 1930s and 1940s, Brown had two sons in the military. He spent a great deal of time (and his own money) entertaining troops around the world. He wrote a book in 1944 titled Your Kids and Mine, about his troop's entertaining experiences.

  • A group of men gathered around a hospital bed, with some sitting and others standing. The scene appears to be in a hospital or medical setting, and the men seem to be engaged in conversation or in a moment of concern. Novato, California.

    Bud Abbott and Lou Costello

    Bud Abbott and Lou Costello, September 1944 - The well-known comedy team toured the Evacuee wards at the Hamilton Debarkation Hospital. At the peak of their popularity during the war years, the duo promoted the sale of war bonds. On two nationwide tours during the war years, they raised 85 million dollars in war bond sales for the U.S. Government.

  • Black and white photo of soldiers arriving at Hamilton Field, California on March 3, 1945, disembarking from aircraft via staircase. The soldiers are in uniform, some wearing hats, and appear to be greeting the crowd below. There are military aircraft in the background, and a large banner with a star is visible. The image is part of a newspaper article titled 'WELCOME HOME' by S/Sgt Cliff Nelson, documenting the landing of 'Angels of Bataan' at Hamilton.

    Angels of Bataan

    Angels of Bataan and Corridor, March 1945- Seventy-eight Army and Navy nurses were captured during the fall of the Philippines in 1942. They continued their nursing duties, taking care of wounded and sick soldiers during their 3 1/2 years as Prisoners of War. They were liberated on February 12, 1945.

  • Black and white photo of a man in glasses and a suit standing inside an aircraft, with other people seated and looking at him, possibly during a conference or meeting. Novato, California.

    Sir Anthony Eden

    Sir Anthony Eden, British Foreign Minister, April 1945- Arrived at Hamilton to attend a United Nations Conference on International Organization in San Francisco. Eden was scheduled to deliver the opening address to delegates from 50 nations, launching a global effort to build peace after World War II.

  • A person in a military vehicle with a U.S. Army Transportation Corps sign. Novato, California.

    President Harry Truman

    On June 26th, 1945, President Harry Truman arrived to make the closing address and sign the United Nations Charter in San Francisco. During his visit, he also toured the Base Evacuation Hospital, offering encouragement to wounded servicemen recovering from the war.

  • Black and white photograph of a military officer and a woman walking together at an airfield, surrounded by a crowd of people and airplanes in the background. Novato, California.

    General Johnathon Wainwright

    In September of 1945, accompanied by his sister, General Jonathan Wainwright arrived at Hamilton Field from Tokyo, just days after witnessing Japan’s formal surrender aboard the USS Missouri. A revered hero of Bataan and Corregidor, Wainwright had endured over three years in a Japanese prison camp.

  • Two military personnel and one civilian man standing in front of an airplane, engaged in conversation. Novato, California.

    Lt. General James (Jimmy) Doolittle

    Lt. General James (Jimmy) Doolittle (Ret.) (center), August 1957. On 18 April 1942, then Lt. Colonel Jimmy Doolittle led a carrier-launched squadron of 18 B-25 Mitchell Bombers on a raid over Tokyo and other Japanese cities. Just four months after the Pearl Harbor attack, the raid was a morale booster for America.

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    A much-decorated Medal of Honor recipient, Doolittle is credited with the development of Instrument Flying as well as other aviation innovations.

  • Black and white photo showing people in front of an airplane at an airport. Some people are wearing glasses and hats. Novato, California.

    First Lady, Lady Bird Johnson

    On September 20, 1966, First Lady Lady Bird Johnson and Interior Secretary Stewart Udall arrived at Hamilton as part of the First Lady’s “Faces West” tour. From there, they traveled to Drakes Beach in Point Reyes, where Johnson formally dedicated the newly established Point Reyes National Seashore, celebrating it as one of the nation's proudest conservation achievements.

  • A black and white photo showing a woman and a man waving from the top of an airplane staircase, with military personnel and women standing in front of the staircase. Novato, California.

    President Richard Nixon President Richard Nixon

    In August 1969, President Richard Nixon and First Lady Pat Nixon arrived at Hamilton Field, where they continued by helicopter to the Presidio of San Francisco.

    There, Nixon met with South Korean President Park Chung-Hee to discuss U.S.–Korean relations and regional security concerns amid Cold War tensions.

  • A group of people, including a man in a light-colored suit, gather outdoors during daytime. The man is smiling and interacting with others. The image is in black and white, suggesting a historical context. Novato, California.

    President Gerald Ford

    President Gerald Ford, April 1975-The President arrived, visited, and then flew by helicopter from Hamilton to a meeting at “The Geysers” geothermal power field in Sonoma County.

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    At The Geysers, Ford toured drilling rigs, attended briefings, and met with energy executives and local leaders. 

    The visit was part of a broader effort to highlight alternative energy sources during the 1970s energy crisis.

A black and white photo of eight men standing in a line on a grassy field in front of a large airplane with two propellers. The men are dressed in military uniforms and civilian clothing from the mid-20th century. One man is holding a rolled-up document. The plane has roundels on the wings and a checkered insignia on the fuselage. The photo is signed and dated, with the date appearing to be 1957.

Historical Timeline

Take a deep dive into the history of Hamilton Field with our detailed timeline. Explore the key events that shaped both the base and the community of Novato, from its early days as an airfield to its final years of operation.

See the timeline
See the timeline