Thank you for the question.
The historic dirigible and balloon hangar (Building 17) at Naval Air Station North Island was removed in the early 1970s after standing for more than 50 years.
In April 1919, the Navy officially opened a massive steel and fabric balloon hangar (Building 17) on the island to house non-rigid blimps and observation balloons.
Early on, the U.S. Army operated airships from Rockwell Field (located on the west side of North Island). When the Army decided to phase out its program, it famously flew its B-3 dirigible over San Diego and transferred its remaining airship operations entirely to the Navy.
The Navy had used the excuse that the Army aircraft were interfering with their dirigible activities and had them move from Rockwell Field on North Island to March Field (March Air Reserve Base) in Riverside.
During World War II, North Island served as a staging and refueling checkpoint for Goodyear K-class non-rigid blimps performing coastal anti-submarine warfare patrols along the Pacific coast. After WW II, the Navy ended it’s Lighter Than Air operations at North Island.
Albert Hickman saved my life. I was never told someone was killed. I just remember we were told to go back inside because of the fire. It was 54 years later I ran across the video of Albert Hickman and his sacrifice to keep us safe. I was 72. He gave up his future wife, his future children, and his future grandchildren, just so I and the other children would have the chance to get married, have children and grandchildren with a full filled life. It didn’t impact me until the picture of my school. I recognized it immediately after all those years and it is still the same. I walked past it twice a day for just one school year because we moved about 4 miles away for the next school year. I too became a private pilot. As an older pilot, I know I could stear away from a school to save a life, but at 21 years old, Albert Hickman is an extraordinary man, and that day he became my Hero.
My father was with the Timberwolves. When I told him that three towns had renamed streets after the Division, he was grateful. He was able to visit via Google Earth and was pleased.
My family is grateful, as are many millions of Americans.
I have a plaque nearly identical to this. Dated 1932 and awarded to Raliegh Titchenal (my grandfather) and Melvyn Smyth at post 58 Sonora California. I have more questions that this excellent article did not answer. Is their anyone i can pose those questions too?
You are my intake, I have few blogs and rarely run out from post :). “Analyzing humor is like dissecting a frog. Few people are interested and the frog dies of it.” by E. B. White.
I remember that day and seeing his jet go over our heads. I’m now 71 and have lived because of Ensign Hickman’s courage and ultimate sacrifice. Thank you for the picture of him. He was beautiful inside and out.
I’m reading this wonderful tribute in May of 2024. I just returned from a visit to family members in the Netherlands and took my grandsons, who are part American, to Margraten. It was my third visit there, but it still affected me very much.
[…] We don't know for sure when Hickman saw them, but kids were actively playing outside the school. Hickman stayed in the cockpit and entered a controlled glide designed to maximize his distance. Navy investigators later decided that this likely prevented a catastrophic crash into the school or nearby houses. Even with Hickman carefully piloting the plane, he barely cleared the fence around the play area. […]
Yes,
Submit your questions to the Technical Advisor, Kevin Burns. at kevinrobburns@gmail.com
Thank you
Thank you for the question.
The historic dirigible and balloon hangar (Building 17) at Naval Air Station North Island was removed in the early 1970s after standing for more than 50 years.
In April 1919, the Navy officially opened a massive steel and fabric balloon hangar (Building 17) on the island to house non-rigid blimps and observation balloons.
Early on, the U.S. Army operated airships from Rockwell Field (located on the west side of North Island). When the Army decided to phase out its program, it famously flew its B-3 dirigible over San Diego and transferred its remaining airship operations entirely to the Navy.
The Navy had used the excuse that the Army aircraft were interfering with their dirigible activities and had them move from Rockwell Field on North Island to March Field (March Air Reserve Base) in Riverside.
During World War II, North Island served as a staging and refueling checkpoint for Goodyear K-class non-rigid blimps performing coastal anti-submarine warfare patrols along the Pacific coast. After WW II, the Navy ended it’s Lighter Than Air operations at North Island.
Albert Hickman saved my life. I was never told someone was killed. I just remember we were told to go back inside because of the fire. It was 54 years later I ran across the video of Albert Hickman and his sacrifice to keep us safe. I was 72. He gave up his future wife, his future children, and his future grandchildren, just so I and the other children would have the chance to get married, have children and grandchildren with a full filled life. It didn’t impact me until the picture of my school. I recognized it immediately after all those years and it is still the same. I walked past it twice a day for just one school year because we moved about 4 miles away for the next school year. I too became a private pilot. As an older pilot, I know I could stear away from a school to save a life, but at 21 years old, Albert Hickman is an extraordinary man, and that day he became my Hero.
What about the hangars on North Island NAS ??????
My father was with the Timberwolves. When I told him that three towns had renamed streets after the Division, he was grateful. He was able to visit via Google Earth and was pleased.
My family is grateful, as are many millions of Americans.
I have a plaque nearly identical to this. Dated 1932 and awarded to Raliegh Titchenal (my grandfather) and Melvyn Smyth at post 58 Sonora California. I have more questions that this excellent article did not answer. Is their anyone i can pose those questions too?
You are my intake, I have few blogs and rarely run out from post :). “Analyzing humor is like dissecting a frog. Few people are interested and the frog dies of it.” by E. B. White.
I remember that day and seeing his jet go over our heads. I’m now 71 and have lived because of Ensign Hickman’s courage and ultimate sacrifice. Thank you for the picture of him. He was beautiful inside and out.
I’m reading this wonderful tribute in May of 2024. I just returned from a visit to family members in the Netherlands and took my grandsons, who are part American, to Margraten. It was my third visit there, but it still affected me very much.
[…] We don't know for sure when Hickman saw them, but kids were actively playing outside the school. Hickman stayed in the cockpit and entered a controlled glide designed to maximize his distance. Navy investigators later decided that this likely prevented a catastrophic crash into the school or nearby houses. Even with Hickman carefully piloting the plane, he barely cleared the fence around the play area. […]