Which U.S. military branch operated Hickam Field during the Pearl Harbor attack?

The U.S. Army Air Forces operated Hickam Field during the Pearl Harbor attack.

Hickam Field was an Army air base beside Pearl Harbor and served as a major headquarters and bomber installation in Hawaii. Japanese aircraft attacked it during the opening stages of the raid, destroying or damaging aircraft and facilities. Its location made it strategically important: aircraft based there could reinforce naval defenses, patrol the surrounding waters, or conduct operations across the Pacific.

The U.S. military structure in 1941 differed from today’s arrangement. The United States Air Force did not yet exist; it was created as an independent service in 1947. Army aviation was then organized under the U.S. Army Air Forces, while the Navy operated its own air stations and aircraft. Hickam later became part of Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam, reflecting the continuing integration of Army and Navy facilities in the area.