China Clipper flight departure site

The China Clipper departure site was where large seaplanes began commercial flights across the Pacific Ocean from a former yacht harbor in Alameda. This bay location served as the launch point for early long-distance air connections between continents.

On November 22, 1935, Pan American World Airways launched its first mail service flight across the Pacific from this location, carrying more than 111,000 letters to Manila. This event marked a turning point in commercial aviation and proved regular transpacific routes could work.

The site marks the start of regular air connections between North America and Asia, changing how people communicated and traveled internationally. This achievement gained worldwide attention and made transpacific flying a reality for governments and business leaders.

The location sits at West Mall Square in Alameda, near the former Naval Air Station, and is marked today by a memorial plaque. Visitors can view the spot from the water and explore the historic bay where these early flights began.

The first flight had to pass under the bay bridge instead of over it because the seaplanes were too tall to clear the bridge structure. This unexpected route reveals the practical challenges of early aviation and made the flight a remarkable undertaking.