November 22, 1935. Hundreds of people gathered at Alameda to see the Pan Am China Clipper going into America's first commercial flight across the Pacific

With hundreds of cars parked on the flying field and spectators gathered at the water's edge, the China Clipper is about to take off on the first round trip to Manila by way of Honolulu, Midway, Wake, and Guam, November 22, 1935. This flight, on which a load of mail was carried, marked the beginning of commercial air service across the Pacific Ocean, though regular passenger flights did not start until October 21, 1936.