The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-01-15

4MA&e9G alrpoEt, k1tCkem k1elu eEznOgt air base, will begin to part of 1886.
 TIC government hes made avail- Ablo el,B0O,000 for preliminary con. Elruction work on the 2,b00-acre feid located eight miles from Hono- Nsiu close by Pearl Harbor naval Haee. Total cost of the huge air nHee is estimated at eii 900, 900
 Without awaiting actual con. alguotion of hangars and runways, lsndscape architects and garden. HEB have started planting trees, h1kuba and flower gardens with . xIpw Of making the huge field the zIost beautiful air base in the world Ma veil ae the largest.
 Immediate construction plans call xeg sho building of four double hAn- NnfB, one operationss hangar, wa- f&r and sewer lines roads, and land- inc runwAys. Actual construction Wiil begin soon.
 Base Co Resemble City
 Inc layout of Hickman field will resemble Q small modern city with bRoad boulevArds, sidewalks, street Knitting system, telephone network, 6IFe department, hospital, public nrwgtharfgtharmbtharfgt school and other utilities of Aineri- can life.
 when completed the field will h1eye quarters for ie0 officers, i7b ion-c0mmissioned officers and bar- xncks for 1900 men. Ofiicorg quar- eFB will be of concrete.
 TO reach the present point of pFogress in development of this great American flying field has eonsumed seven years. The site was eelected in 1928 by board of army olilcers. In May, i03B, owners of tho land, Q good part of which con- etituted c profitable sugar planta. Sion as well as . small town, were paid oi i,4b0,000 for the site. More than two years will be required to complete the air base.
 Named for Dead Flyer
 Hickam Yield was named In hon. 0r Of the late Lieutenant Colonel 1koRace M. Hickam. He was killed November 6, iO34, when the plane ho vas flying crashed at Galveston, Tex.
 The new airbase Is the third military air field on the island Of Oahu to be named for army flyers who have lost their lives in pur. elilt of duty.
 Wheeler Field, air base at Scho- lieId Barracks, the United States largest army post located 90 miles olitsid0 Honolulu, was named after Major Sheldon #. Wheeler, member of tho squadron which flew with 0enerai John J. Perghing on his punitive expedition into Mexico nfter Pancho Villa. Major Wheeler died in . crash near the field which bDars his name.
 Used by Ocean Flyers
 xn addition to being the base for most of the aTrnys flying activities in xiawaii, Wheeler Field has come into prominence from the trAnB- Pacific flights which have started and ended there, It was from this field that Amelia Earhart took of on her solo flight to California. The late Charles Kingsford- Smith also used it on his trans-Pacinc hops.
 Luke Yield, at present used by both army and navy land planes, is on an island in the center of Pearl Harbor. IL was named in honor Of Lieutenant Prank Luke, "baIioon buster" of World War days who was shot down behind the German lines. Upon completion of 1fickam Field, oil army flying ac. tivities will bo trahBferred from Luke Field. leaving it for sole use 0s the navy.
 Addition of IIickam Field to fa. wails military establishments will make the island of Oahu by far Americas most fortified area. Pearl Xarbor, on one side of the new nir- port, b the nations largest naval base. 4 few miles beyond Pearl Harbor lies Schofeld Barracks, the nations largest army post. Adjoin- lng Hickam Field on tho other side is Fort Kamehameha with tts 14-inch guns capable Of hurling Eyojecjties 25 miles out to sea in defense of the narrow entrance to Pearl Harbor.
 Mort Forts Nearby
 On the other side of Honolulu is Fort deRussy, equipped with more l4-inch guns as well as the latest type anti-aircraft guns and eeaEchlights. Two miles beyond Fort deRussy towers Diamond Head, world-known landmark and built by nature as perfect fort.