World Airways

Incorporated in 1948, World Airways began service to or through Hawaii during 1956 on a military trans-Pacific contract. First to be used were DC-4 aircraft, changing to DC-6 and Constellation type aircraft in later years.

On October 1, 1960, World entered a MATS trans-Pacific interisland contract for passenger and cargo flights as follows; weekly round trips form Hickam AFB to Midway; two trips per week from Hickam to Johnston Island, Kwajalein Island, Eniwetok Atoll, and return to Hickam.

In the spring of 1961, World Airways established charter service which, for the first time, involved group movements from West Coast gateway cities, and some inland points, each weekend to Maui.

In March 1961, World entered into an agreement with Western Electric Company (contractor for the Pacific Missile Range) for air transportation on a scheduled basis between the West Coast, Honolulu and Kwajalein. Four months later, another trans-Pacific contract was entered into for round trip transportation of passengers from Travis AFB, California, to Bangkok, Thailand via Honolulu, Guam, Philippines and Saigon. Other trans-Pacific contracts followed in 1963 adding Okinawa.

Boeing 707 jet aircraft joined the fleet in 1963, with World Airways becoming the first jet operator based at Oakland International Airport. That August, World flew a non-stop passenger flight from California to Japan in 9 hours and 58 minutes.

Excerpted from the book Above the Pacific by Lieutenant Colonel William Joseph Horvat, 1966.