March in Review: Amelia Earhart among guests at March Field

Amelia Earhart stands in front of a Boeing P-12 in a hangar at March Field, Calif., in 1935. The P-12 was flown by the 17th Pursuit Group at March Field from 1931 to 1932, before being replaced by the Boeing P-26 "Peashooter," the Air Corps' first all-metal mono-wing fighter. (March Field Historical photo)

March in Review: Amelia Earhart among guests at March Field

Published Nov. 23, 2009
By Master Sgt. John Hale
452nd Air Mobility Wing historian

MARCH AIR RESERVE BASE, Calif. -- Amelia Earhart was a regular visitor during Brig. Gen. Henry "Hap" Arnold's tenure as the commander of March Field. General Arnold was a master of publicity and sought to take advantage of the American love affair with aviation that followed Charles Lindbergh's solo flight across the Atlantic in 1927.

Starting in 1932, to promote his beloved Air Corps, General Arnold regularly held huge aerial reviews on Saturday mornings with as many planes as he could put in the air. The proximity to Hollywood meant he had a continuous supply of willing stars and other personalities, Ms. Earhart among them, to attract even larger crowds.

Amelia, a Fox Searchlight feature movie that chronicles Amelia Earhart's life, was released in theaters in October.