Hamilton Field Fire Department
Later named Hamilton Air Force Base
The History of the Hamilton Field Fire Department, later named Hamilton Air Force Base.
Hamilton Field Fire Department in the 1940's. Retired Diamond Springs El Dorado FPD Captain and Historian Ed Cunha writes the following about these engines: "The two engines on the ends are 1942-1946 Fords, left one is the standard type 500, the right one is a common military buildup. This may be a Type 500 also, but instead of a standard hose body it is built on a flat bed with a front mount pump - the military had a large number of these. This configuration was cheaper to build. The center engine is a custom Seagraves, probably 750 gpm pump. This engine was produced from 1940-1948, with some subtle differences over the years. This one has the windshield that slopes back, while the earlier ones had vertical windshields, and some also had doors. These types of Seagraves were actually made from 1939-51, and the grill design was called the 'waterfall engine'. This is a later one, so 1943 would be a good guess on the year."
A Hamilton AFB Crash Truck is pictured giving a demonstration at the annual Marin County Fire Prevention gathering held at Redwood High School in Larkspur in 1967. Still photo taken from 16mm film, courtesy Larkspur Volunteer Firefighters Association Historical Museum.
Two mechanics crank the handle of a USAAF Bell P-39Q-1-BE Airacobra, at Hamilton Army Airfield, California (USA), in July of 1943. The aircraft "Saga Boy II" (serial no. 42-19447) belonged to Lt.Col. Edward S. Chickering, commander of the 357th Fighter Group. When the Group moved to Great Britain in November 1943, it was reequipped with the North American P-51 Mustang. Photo courtesy of the U.S. Air Force.
SEE SLIDE SHOW BELOW, photos courtesy of Hamilton Field History Museum, Novato.
