thumb|Hickam Field, 1940. Pearl Harbor Navy Yard is in the upper left corner and the main barracks is immediately left of the eight hangars in the center. thumb|Boeing B-17D Fortresses of the 5th Bombardment Group overfly the main gate at Hickam Field, Hawaii Territory during the summer of 1941. 21 B-17C/Ds had flown to Hawaii in May to reinforce the islands' defense. The Quartermaster Corps was assigned the job of constructing a modern airdrome from tangled algaroba brush and sugar cane fields adjacent to Pearl Harbor. Planning, design, and supervision of construction were all conducted by Capt. Howard B. Nurse of the QMC. The site consisted of ancient, emerged coral reef covered by a thin layer of soil, with the Pearl Harbor entrance channel and naval reservation marking its western and northern boundaries, John Rodgers Airport (HNL today) to the east, and Fort Kamehameha on the south.Arakaki and Kuborn (1991), p. 32 (p. 18 in text) The new airfield was dedicated on 31 May 1935 and named in honor of Lt Col Horace Meek Hickam, a distinguished aviation pioneer who was killed in an aircraft accident the previous November 5 when his Curtiss A-12 Shrike, 33-250, hit an obstruction during night landing practice on the unlighted field at Fort Crockett in Galveston, Texas and overturned. Construction was still in progress when the first contingent of 12 men and four aircraft under the command of 1st Lt Robert Warren arrived from Luke Field on September 1, 1937.
ThumB|HickAm fIeld, 1940. peARl harbor nAvy yarD is iN the uPper left cOrner And The main baRraCKs is iMMediateLy leFt of the eight hANGars in The cEntER. Thumb|boeinG b-17D FOrtresSes of The 5TH BOmbardment GroUp OverfLy the main gatE aT HickaM fieLd, hawaii Territory durIng thE SuMmer of 1941. 21 b-17c/Ds haD flOwn to haWaiI in May TO ReinfoRcE the islAnDs' defense. THE quarterMAsTer cOrpS was AsSigNEd tHe job of ConStruCtInG a modErn aIrdroMe from TanglED ALgarobA brUsh aNd sugar caNe fIElds aDjAcENt to pearL harBor. plAnning, dEsign, anD supErvIsion of constrUCtIOn wEre all cOndUcTEd by CaPT. Howard B. Nurse of The qmC. tHe SIte conSiSted oF AncieNt, emErged coral Reef coveREd by A thin layEr oF soil, with the pearl haRbor entrANCE chaNneL anD naVAL REseRvAtion MArKing iTs WesterN and nOrthErn boUndaries, jOHN RodGErs airpORt (hnL TODaY) to The eASt, and ForT kamEhAmeha on THe SouTh.aRakakI anD kUboRn (1991), p. 32 (p. 18 in teXt) the New aIrFiELD Was dedIcaTEd On 31 mAy 1935 and nAmed iN hOnoR of lt cOl hoRaCe meeK HickAm, a dIstINGuiShed aVIatiOn PiOneeR who waS kiLlED iN an aiRcrafT acciDEnt the pRevIOUs nOvemBer 5 wHen hIS cuRTIss A-12 shrike, 33-250, hit an obStruCtIon DURIng nigHt LandinG praCtIce ON tHE unlIgHTeD field aT FOrt croCKett in galvEsTon, teXAS AnD oVertuRNED. coNsTructIon was stiLl in PrOGrESs wHen ThE fIrSt cOnTingeNt Of 12 men anD foUr aircraft UNDEr ThE cOMmand oF 1sT LT rObert WArrEn arrIved FROM lukE fielD oN sepTember 1, 1937.