Albert H. DeWitt Officers' Club 641 West Redline Avenue • Alameda • California 94501

The Albert H. DeWitt Officers’ Club was built at the Alameda Naval Air Station in 1941 when America was entering World War II, and Uncle Sam didn’t stint on the luxuries. The military men and women who gathered here got a taste of the gentleman’s life, and so can you. Even the entrance is imposing: A 40-foot-long canopy shelters the walkway from the street to the massive front doors. Walking under it makes you feel like a VIP, and it’s no stretch of the imagination to picture the glamorous arrival of famous military, political and entertainment figures during the club’s heyday. John F. Kennedy, for example, attended a gala in his honor here, and Lucille Ball, Henry Fonda and Van Johnson were fêted at a wrap party for Yours, Mine and Ours, a film shot on the base.

Once inside, you get the impression that nothing was too good for the Navy’s elite. There are tables handcrafted from solid oak, chairs covered with the highest grade calfskin leather, and chandeliers made of leaded crystal; the Officers’ Club was built and furnished in an era when people really cared about quality. And then there’s the palpable sense of history, which practically oozes from behind every dark redwood panel. In the cozy Squadron Room, where Naval aviators gathered for a last drink before flying off to battle, their squadron insignia stare down in mute testimony to their heroics. You couldn’t ask for a more intimate setting for a small wedding, or a better changing room.

Events that shaped history were conceived in the Trident Room next door. Officers planned military strategy from the comfort of the same leather wingback chairs you see here. The stately fireplace, plush carpets, dark oak paneling and antique crystal chandeliers give the Trident Room a rich, warm, comfortable feel—acoustically as well as visually. It’s the ideal room for drinks and hors d’oeuvres before the wedding ceremony.

You might even be tempted to use the Trident Room for the ceremony itself—that is, until you see the Main Ballroom, which echoes the Trident Room’s sumptuous décor, and has some innovative touches of its own. Along one wall, separated from the parquet dance floor by a gleaming brass railing, is a two-foot elevated platform with overstuffed leather booths. Above each booth is a crystal sconce that matches the chandeliers in every detail. It’s the perfect place for the wedding party, family and guests of honor. To the right of the platform is a stage for the band, with a superb sound system and a large pull-down movie screen, in case you want to show slides, movies or videos.

If you’re planning a smaller wedding and don’t need the space of the Main Ballroom or the Trident Room, the Terrace Room, with its hand-painted floral motifs and green lattice work, provides a serene atmosphere. Or on sunny days, you can move outdoors into the lovely Terrace Garden for a ceremony al fresco.

The Officers’ Club was built to provide rest and relaxation for America’s fighting men and women. But now that times have changed, it’s proving to be a much better place for love than it ever was for war.