Military | Images of Old Hawaiʻi

February 17, 2017 by Peter T Young 3 Comments

Quonset

The Narragansett were a northeastern Algonquian Native American people. In 1709, the Narragansett quit-claimed New England tribal lands under pressure from the British government. By 1717 the area had been divided into farming plots purchased by European settlers.

A place there is named Quonset Point – Quonset appears to translate either as ‘long-place,’ ‘round shallow cove’ or ‘boundary.’

The birthplace of the US Navy, Quonset Point goes back to the Revolutionary War, when a guard was placed there to watch for British warships that might sail up Narragansett Bay to raid coastal Rhode Island cities. (QuonsetAirMuseum)

With growing tension and anticipation of war, a few days after Christmas 1938, Secretary of the Navy Claude Swanson submitted a report to Congress, making recommendations for naval air-base development at various locations.

A subsequent $65-million legislative authorization included naval air stations at Kāne’ohe, Midway, Pearl Harbor and several other facilities, including the nation’s first northeastern air station to be located at Quonset Point in Rhode Island.

Commissioned on July 12, 1941, and encompassing what was once Camp Dyer, NAS Quonset Point was a major naval facility throughout World War II and well into the Cold War.

At that time, the Navy needed an all-purpose, lightweight, standardized housing unit that made efficient use of shipping space, could be easily transported anywhere and could be quickly and easily assembled without skilled labor.

The housing unit needed to be adaptable to any geographic or climatic condition, without extensive reliance on local resources of material or labor.

Two construction companies, George A Fuller and Company and Merritt-Chapman had been hired to build the Quonset Point base. In March 1941, the Military asked Peter Dejongh and Otto Brandenberger of George A Fuller Company to design and produce a hut to US specification … and, do it within two months.

Designed in response to specific demands generated by the deteriorating world situation in 1941, the hut moved swiftly from concept design to construction and use.

They modeled a structure after the British Nissen. Lt Colonel Peter Nissen, a Canadian officer in the Royal Engineers during the First World War, developed the Nissen Hut in mid-1916 to house troops in the build-up for the Battle of the Somme. (Rogers)

Dejongh and Brandenberger adapted the Nissen design using corrugated steel and semi-circular steel arched ribs. The Anderson Sheet Metal Company of Providence, RI solved the technical problem of bending the corrugated sheets into a usable form. These were attached with nuts and bolts.

The two ends were covered with plywood, which had doors and windows. Major improvements over the Nissan Hut were an interior Masonite (pressed wood) lining, insulation and a one-inch tongue-in-groove plywood floor on a raised metal framework.

A production facility was quickly set up – but would they call the structure? Since they were being developed at Navy Seabee Base Quonset Point, Rhode Island, the new design was called a Quonset Hut. (SeabeeMuseum)

Over time, improvements and changes were made and the “Quonset Stran-Steel Hut” was the most produced; it was larger, (20 by 48-feet – the original Fuller version was 16 by 36 feet) and lighter, using 3 ½ tons of steel instead of 4 tons and required 270 to 325-cubic feet of shipping space.

The 20 x 48 kit was intended to house 25-men; 10-Seabees could assemble a Quonset 20 in less than one day. (The final design required less shipping space than tents with wood floors and frames for the same occupancy.) (Rogers)

The Quonset 40 by 100-feet (‘Elephant Huts,’) developed for use at ‘advance (supply) bases,’ were used as warehouses, machine shops, power and pump plant enclosures, etc.

The Fuller Company couldn’t produce a sufficient quantity of the new huts, so Stran-Steel, a subsidiary of the Great Lakes Steel Corporation in Detroit, was retained to fabricate the thousands of Quonset Huts that were needed.

Stran-Steel also came up with an efficient system that allowed simple nailing of the corrugated steel skins and interior Masonite liner sheets to the arched frames (further reducing the erection time and eliminating most of the nuts and bolts used in the early model.)

Originally, all huts had unpainted galvanized exteriors; later, olive drab camouflage paint was added to exposed panels at the factory to reduce reflectance. Later the color was changed to flat light grey. (Rogers)

A total of 153,200 Quonset Huts and 11,800 Warehouse units were produced or procured by the US Navy during World War II.

When the war ended, Quonset Huts were too good a resource to throw away. So the military sold them to civilians for about a thousand dollars each – many continue to be used for housing, storage and other uses.

Quonset Point Naval Air Station decommissioned on June 28, 1974; today, it is home of the 143rd Airlift Wing of the Rhode Island Air National Guard. The base also hosts an annual air show every June, as well as a small airstrip for commercial purpose. (Lots of information here is from Navy, Rogers, Amaral, Seabee Museum and LOC-HABS.)

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Quonset Huts Constructed by B Co., 3rd Shore Party Bn., Pohakuloa Training Area, Hawaii – Dec 1956 ((c)-thecoys2)

Quonset Huts constr. by B Co., 3rd Shore Party Bn. Pohakuloa Training Area, Hawaii – Dec 1956 ((c)-thecoys2)

US Navy Seabees building quonset huts. Guam, June 1945

Under construction on Guam, August 1945

Quonset Huts constr. by B Co., 3rd Shore Party Bn, Pohakuloa Training Area, Hawaii – Dec 1956 ((c)-thecoys2)

Quonset_hut_emplacement_in_Japan

Quonset_Hut-Lualualei

Quonset Hut at Quonset Point NAS

Pohakuloa Training Area Private James Feld A Battery, 1st Battalion, 8th Artillery-1963 ((c)-25th Infantry Division)

Navy-built Quonset huts during WW II, then used as temporary housing-PP-46-1-029-00001-1950

Interior of a floating Quonset hut, possibly serving as an Officer’s Club in the 1940s

Kona Airport-(Machado)-1950

Quonset huts, Hilo Airport, 1955

NAS_Quonset_Point_NAN10-74

February 10, 2017 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

The Third Warning Voice

In 1879, Celso Caesar Moreno encouraged King Kalākaua to borrow $10-million; half the funds would be spent in building forts and warships; $3-million would create national coinage; and the rest would be used to build hospitals, schools, harbor improvements, etc. (Hsiao-ping Huang) The idea failed.

On the January 20, 1881, King Kalākaua set out upon a tour around the world. After the king’s return he proposed a ten million dollar loan, chiefly for military purposes …”

“… but (it was) met with no encouragement. He then published a pamphlet entitled ‘A Third Warning Voice,’ in which he urged the establishment of a large standing army.” (Reports of Committee on Foreign Relations)

“(The) pamphlet entitled ‘The Third Warning Voice,’ addressed to Hon CJ McCarthy, and purporting to be the work of Robert Hoapili Baker, was distributed among the members of the House yesterday. It is more than suspected that Robert is being used as a blind, as the ear marks of a much more expensive and higher titled official are blazed upon every page.”

“The gist of the argument is that the Legislature should provide for an army of 521-men and ten staff officers, at a cost of $345,541. The salaries of the staff officers are to amount to $45,680.” (Pacific Commercial Advertiser, September 4, 1890)

“There is little doubt in the minds of that portion of the community who are acquainted with the King’s literary style and current of thought, that he is the real author of it. The frequent relapse from the assumed personal pronoun ‘I’ into the royal ‘We’.”

“If this is so, it gives a side view of His Majesty’s character, which, although well known to the few, is not often exhibited to the public. It is not a view which is at all reassuring to a long-suffering public, that His Majesty has become wiser by his experiences of the last few years.” (Pacific Commercial Advertiser, September 17, 1890)

Excerpts from ‘The Third Warning Voice’ follow:

“The subject of Military in this country, has always been put down, as useless and a costly appendage. I would readily accede to this idea, if our late experience have not been shown to the contrary, then I would say and admit, that the force of my remarks has no weight. But what have we observed for the last sixteen years?”

“Riots, bloodshed, lawlessness and murder, and observe the outer world where every civilized and enlighten nations of the world are all arming and are armed, only too ready and at any moment to ‘Let loose the Dogs of war.’ We may not expect it, but it will inevitably come, in spite of our expectations and hope it will never come.”

“We have been a warlike race for generations to generations back, and for nearly half a century we have enjoyed the blessings of peace and the imagination of our permanent security …”

“… but the evil day come, and caught us with surprise and for the last 14 years, there has been a clash of sentiments caused by divergent interest that the nation is at every moment to political strife, and the loss of its autonomy and independence.”

“What have been as a warning voice in the past, will worthily suit a sagacious administration and astute statesmanship with a wise and patriotic Legislature to perform, is to carry out what is deemed and an actual necessity …”

“… so that any clandestine movements in the future can be put down with vigour and energy. Thus saving thousands of innocent lives, the unwarrantable destruction of property and the loss of prestige and honor among the family of nations.”

“The exhibition of a weak and timid policy is the ruination of the nation, and nothing can exonerate the character of men and Legislature to allow the country to drift to this end, but a stamp upon their brows as partizans to undermine and ruin the country.”

“Surely there is enough means to carry out the organization of a respectable and effective force for any emergency, were the authorities alive to this matter. If the Government and the Legislature flinches from the labor of financiering for the Military; then let the Military authorities work their own destinies.”

“The display of our energies, knowledge, tact and push, have been sadly warning in this respect. We have boasted highly of our intelligence, our schools, our houses of worship and charitable institution. The enjoyment of our luxuries, the mechanic that built our houses and the feed we eat are all from abroad.”

“This is sad, indeed, when we consider our education for the last fifty years, have not produced one genius, not one talent. Not one artist nor mechanic to prove that our education has been a benefit to us. Echo? Faintly smiles and says Oh! Oh!! Oh!!!”

“Though, I was not in Honolulu on the 30th of June, 1887, but visited the city three weeks after, I was then convinced by the plans laid out for the defence of the Palace, of the distribution of men and the disposition of the arms, were so perfect that an invasion of the Palace was an impossibility.”

“The officers of the regular forces gave full warning to the Government and to the members of the Legislature of those periods, that a fatal disaster would surely occur, if they did not take measures to prevent its occurrence. Most prophetically, this event did really occur seven years after on the 30th of June, 1887.”

“I will conclude by adding, that it is only in the Military profession and occupation that the life of the nation, of the dying Hawaiian and Aboriginal race can have hope for its continuance, perpetuation and maintenance.”

“The true soldier then is the real lover of peace and not of war. He is only compelled when duty calls him to employ his physical energies and mental qualities to the best of his ability to do his duty to his sovereign, his country, and honor to the profession he is ordained to maintain.”

“I have the honor to be, Sirs, your most Obedient and Humble Servant, Robert H Baker.” (Hawaiian Gazette, September 23, 1890)\

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18-Iolani_Barracks

Colonel G. W. Macfarlane, King Kalakaua, Major R. H. Baker-aboard_the_U.S.S._Charleston_(PP-96-13-002)-1890

Kalakaua_aboard_the_U.S.S._Charleston-1890

Robert_Hoapili_Baker_(PP-67-8-016)

February 2, 2017 by Peter T Young 2 Comments

Mānoa War Homes

“Housing was a critical problem at the beginning of the war.”

“On December 7, 1941, the only project operated by the Hawaii Housing Authority was Kamehameha homes consisting of 221 units for families in the low-income bracket.”

“Prior to the declaration of war, plans had been prepared for the construction of a low income family project of 368 units to be known as the Mayor Wright homes. The war prevented this development from going ahead since the buildings in the slum area on the site could not be demolished. Tenants living there were permitted to remain.” (DOI Annual Report, 1946)

Then, “Since the close of the war, one of the most important activities of the land department has consisted of arranging for the return of numerous tracts of territorial lands which had been transferred to the Army and Navy for military purposes.”

“Whenever it has been to the advantage of Federal agencies to give up the buildings and other improvements on territorial lands, and when the Territory or a county government needed the improvements, the office of the commissioner of public lands assisted in negotiating for the acquisition of title to the buildings in lieu of restoration performance of the premises involved.”

“As a result of this procedure of acquisition, the Territory and counties realized considerable savings in money, material, and labor, and gained title to a great deal of construction equipment, including buildings of various sizes …”

“… warehouses, quonset huts, water and sewer pipes, refrigeration plants, stoves of all descriptions, furniture, cable and electric wiring, reservoirs, gas storage facilities, septic tanks, water heaters, and generators.”

“The termination of hostilities with Japan caused an unprecedented demand for house lots. For a number of years prior to the beginning of the war, home building was curtailed, and such materials as might normally be needed to meet the housing requirements of a growing population were diverted to national defense.”

“With the beginning of war, these materials were actually frozen. In addition to this, a large number of existing home sites were taken over for military purposes.”

“The sale of public lands for home sites is the most beneficial purpose to which these lands can be dedicated. Every effort was made to subdivide and place on the market as house lots all public lands that were not under lease. Unfortunately, the area of unencumbered public land on Oahu, where the need is greatest, is decidedly limited.” (DOI Annual Report, 1946)

“During the past year (1946) the problem has become even more serious. The Governor’s housing committee and a committee of the chamber of commerce of Honolulu, after a careful study, reported that 11,000 additional houses were needed in the Honolulu-Pearl Harbor area.”

“A number of factors have militated against an adequate home-building program. The most important of these arc: (a) Scarcity of land even at an extremely high price, (b) unavailability of building materials, and (c) shortage and high cost of labor.”

“During the year over 3,900 families applied to the housing authority for homes. This number does not reflect the extent of the need since the public was aware of long waiting lists.”

“Of those who applied the authority could provide houses for only 1,265, 1,000 of whom were placed in Manoa war homes. This situation indicates the need for drastic action immediately to relieve the existing shortage of housing for all income groups.” (DOI Annual Report, 1946)

“The idea was to offer veterans a decent, affordable place to live while they found jobs, re-entered civilian life and saved up for a down payment on a permanent home. One-bedroom units went for $35 a month, 2-bedroom units were $42.50.” (Cataluna)

It worked for a while; then, “The Commissioners of the Authority froze vacancies as of January 1, 1956, at Manoa War Homes, a 982-unit temporary war housing project, as the site must be vacated, buildings demolished, and the land restored to its owners by June 30, 1958.”

“The project was relinquished by the Public Housing Administration to the Authority on June 30, 1953 at which time the Authority was able to obtain leases with the property owners for 3 years, with options to renew for two successive terms of 1 year each only.” (Annual Report of Governor to Secretary of Interior, 1956)

“During the year (1958) the Authority has continued the deprogramming of a relinquished 1,000-unit war housing project, Manoa War Homes.”

“On June 30, 1957, there were 519 families still living in the project. By June 30, 1958, the number had been reduced to 284. On June 30, 1958, the Authority returned approximately 44 acres of the 94-acre site to its owners. The area returned comprised 14 parcels of land and a portion of another parcel.” (Annual Report of Governor to Secretary of Interior, 1956)

Familiar Mānoa landmarks that were once the site of the Mānoa War Homes are the Mānoa Marketplace, Noelani School and Mānoa Innovation Center.

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Manoa War Homes-Manoa Valley-UH-USGS-2423-1952-labels

January 18, 2017 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Military Strength

In 1866, King Kamehameha V looked to have a separate barracks building for the Royal Guard (prior to that time, they were quartered in Fort Kekūanāoʻa (Fort Honolulu, which used to be at the bottom of ‘Fort” Street.))

Prior to becoming a US territory, Hawaiʻi’s modern army consisted of a royal household guard and militia units. By the 1860s, the Hawaiian military had been reduced to the Royal Guard, a unit assigned to guard the sovereign.

They were also known as the Household Guard, Household Troops, Queen’s Guard, King’s Own and Queen’s Own – they guarded the king and queen and the treasury and participated in state occasions.

On March 4, 1866, Heuck submitted a drawing and verbal description of the proposed Barracks to Governor Dominis – a ‘romantic betowered building’ of coral rock in the Victorian military style. (HHF, Peterson)

In 1870, Heuck was contracted to design and build the barracks for the Royal Guard. Halekoa was designed to berth between 86 to 125 soldiers depending on whether double or triple-tier bunks were used. In practice, the size of the Royal Guard did not exceed 80 men at any time in the 1870s, 80s or 90s. (HHF)

“During the reign of Lunalilo a mutiny occurred among the Household Guard …. The men mutinied over the kind of poi being issued to them as rations and defied the authority of the king to make them obey orders until new poi was given them.” (The Independent, March 13, 1902)

“Two companies of volunteers, the Honolulu Rifles and the Hawaiian Calvary, some forty men in all, were called out but were given nothing to do beyond serving as a rather ineffectual guard for parts of two days.” (Kuykendall)

After further negotiation, the mutineers obeyed the king’s order. Lunalilo then issued a decree disbanding the Household Troops and the kingdom was thus left without any regular organized military force.Public Safcommittee

On February 12, 1874, nine days after the death of King Lunalilo, an election was held between the repeat candidate David Kalākaua and Queen Emma, widow of King Kamehameha IV.

The election was held by the members of the legislature, not the public. The election was held in a special session of the Legislature at the old Courthouse on Queen Street (it was almost the last official action to take place in the courthouse.) When the vote was tallied, Kalākaua won by a count of 39 – 6.

Emma’s supporters (referred to as the “Queenites,” “Emmaites” or the “Queen Emma party”) were unhappy with the decision – an angry mob of about 100 of the Queen’s followers gathered.

No outbreak occurred … until the Committee of five representatives, which had been appointed to notify the King of his election, attempted to leave the building and enter a carriage waiting to convey them to the Palace. A riot ensued and many of the legislators were attacked (1 died.)

During the election riot of 1874, “No dependence could be placed on the police nor on the Hawaiian Guards; these had proved unfaithful to their duties to preserve order, and had in some cases joined the partisans of Queen Emma in their riotous actions.” (Lili‘uokalani)

“The only alternative, in this emergency, was to seek aid from the war vessels in port. About half-past 4 pm, a written request was sent by Charles R Bishop (the Minister of Foreign Affairs,) on behalf of the Government, to the American Minister Resident, for a detachment to be landed from the US ships Tuscarora and Portsmouth, lying in the harbor. And a similar request was transmitted to the British Consul General.” (Hawaiian Gazette – March 4, 1874)

The request stated, “Sir: A riotous mob having unexpectedly made a violent attack upon the Court House and the Members of the Legislature which we have not the force at hand to resist, I have to request that you will cause to be furnished at the earliest moment possible aid from the US ships “Tuscarora” and “Portsmouth” to the Police, in quelling the riot and temporarily protecting life and property. Your obedient servant, Chas. R. Bishop” (Hawaiian Gazette – March 4, 1874)

A force of 150 American marines and sailors under Lieutenant Commander Theodore F. Jewell were put ashore along with another seventy to eighty Britons under a Captain Bay from the sloop HMS Tenedos.

“Commander Belknap and Commander Skerrett of the United States forces took possession of the square on which the court-house is built; and on seeing this, the mob melted silently and entirely away. The armed marines subsequently, at the request of the Hawaiian authorities, guarded the treasury, arsenal, jail, and station-house.”

“The British marines were marched to the residence of Queen Emma, and, after dispersing the rioters assembled there, they occupied the barracks and guarded the palace itself.” (Liliʻuokalani)

Then, the newly-elected king, Kalākaua, restored the army, and named it the Household Guard. (It was reported Kalākaua sympathized and sided with the mutineers and advised and instigated them.)

In 1893, the Kingdom’s force strength was 496 (224 at the Police station and 272 at the barracks.) “Queen Lili‘uokalani attempted on Saturday, Jan 14 (1893,) to promulgate a new Constitution, depriving foreigners of the right of franchise and abrogating the existing House of Nobles, at the same time giving her the power of appointing a new House.”

“This was resisted by the foreign element of the community, which at once appointed a committee of safety of thirteen members, which called a mass meeting of their classes, at which 1,200 or 1,500 were present.”

“That meeting unanimously adopted resolutions condemning the action of the Queen and authorizing the committee to take into consideration whatever was necessary for the public safety.” (New York Times, January 28, 1893)

The Committee of Safety, formally the Citizen’s Committee of Public Safety, was a 13-member group also known as the Annexation Club; they started in 1887 as the Hawaiian League.

The Committee of Safety was made up of 6-Hawaiian citizens (3-by birth and 3 naturalized (1-former American, 1-former German & 1-former Tasmanian;)) 5-Americans, 1-Scotsman and 1-German.

Most were not American, and, BTW, none were missionaries and only 3 had missionary family ties – the Missionary Period ended in 1863, a generation before the overthrow.

“During our meetings from the 14th to the 17th we had been looking up men, arms, and ammunition, and in every meeting had reports. We had figured up about 200 of the old Honolulu Rifles besides from 400 to 600 citizens that would shoulder a gun if it became necessary. We had to make estimates, as we could not expect to succeed without backing. We counted on those men as ready in squads around town to be at the building at 3 o’clock.” (McChesney, Morgan Report)

On January 16, 1893, the Committee of Safety wrote a letter to John L Stevens, American Minister, that stated: “We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Honolulu, respectfully represent that, in view of recent public events in this Kingdom, culminating in the revolutionary acts of Queen Liliʻuokalani on Saturday last, the public safety is menaced and lives and property are in peril, and we appeal to you and the United States forces at your command for assistance.” (Pacific Commercial Advertiser, January 17, 1893)

“(A) small force of marines and sailors was landed from the United States ship Boston, as a precautionary step for the protection of American life and property, and as a safeguard against night incendiarism stimulated by the hope of plunder, greatly feared by many of the best citizens.” (Stevens, The North American Review, December 1893)

“About 5 o’clock in the afternoon (January 16, 1893,) the USS Boston landed (162) men. Each man had two belts of cartridges around his waist and was armed with a rifle. The men marched up to the office of the Consul-General of the United States where a halt was made.”

“The Marines were detached and sent to the American Legation on Nuʻuanu Avenue, while the sailors marched out along Merchant Street with two gatling guns and made a halt at Mr JA Hopper’s residence. About sundown they moved to the grounds of Mr JB Atherton’s and after a stay of several hours returned to the Arion Hall, where they camped overnight.” (Pacific Commercial Advertiser, January 17, 1893)

“If the Queen, or the people, or both acting in conjunction, had opposed the landing of the troops from the Boston with armed resistance, their invasion would have been an act of war. But when their landing was not opposed by any objection, protest, or resistance the state of war did not supervene, and there was no irregularity or want of authority to place the troops on shore.” (Morgan Report)

The Honolulu Rifles, a volunteer group of men who supported the Committee of Safety, assembled in opposition to the loyalist guard stationed across King Street at the Palace. With horse blankets and boxes of hard tack, the Honolulu Rifles camped in the halls of Ali‘iolani Hale. (Judiciary History Center)

Following the reading of the Proclamation establishing the Provisional Government, “dozens and scores of armed men poured in till the buildings and premises were filled to overflowing. I believe that before 5 pm, 1,000 to 1,500 men were there, not all armed by any means, but asking for arms to support the Provisional Government. Several hundred were armed and all were determined to hold the (armory) at any cost.” (Tenney, Morgan Report)

“At the time the Provisional Government took possession of the Government buildings, no troops or officers of the United States were present or took any part whatever in the proceedings.” (John Foster, State Department, February 15, 1893, Blount Report)

Kuykendall put the Hawaiian army at 272; this is consistent with the Blount report that noted an affidavit by Nowlein, commander of the palace troops that put its strength at 272 (with an additional local police force of 224.)

“A part of the Queen’s forces, numbering 224, were located at the station house, about one-third of a mile from the Government building. The Queen, with a body of 50 troops, was located at the palace, north of the Government building about 400 yards. A little northeast of the palace and 200 yards from it, at the barracks, was another body of 272 troops. These forces had 14 pieces of artillery, 386 rifles, and 16 revolvers.” (Blount Report)

The present military force of the Provisional Government is “between 1,200 and 1,500,” well armed and equipped with modern arms and ammunition. (Oleson, Morgan Report)

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Royal Guards c.1880s

Royal_Guards-Washington_Place,_circa_1890

Royal_Guards_of_Hawaii

Hale_Aliʻi_with_Royal_Guards

Royal_Guards_in_front_of_Iolani_Barracks

Disbandment of the Queen’s Guard, Honolulu-(HHS-6056)-1893

Purported Landing of US Marines & Sailors from the USS Boston-PP-36-3-003-Jan 17, 1893

Honolulu Rifles, a volunteer group of men who supported the Committee of Safety

Troops_of_the_Republic_of_Hawaii_in_1895-WC

Provisional_Government_Troops-(hawaii-edu)

Provisional Government soldiers-Revolution of 1895-PP-53-6-020-1895

June 23, 2016 by Peter T Young 1 Comment

Red Hill Underground

Originally Top Secret, Red Hill’s hidden facility became generally known in the early-1990s, when the facility was declassified.

Prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor all of the Navy’s fuel was stored in unprotected above ground tanks at Pearl Harbor, next to the submarine base.

When RADM Chester Nimitz was Commander of the Bureau of Yards & Docks (in 1940) he wanted the Navy’s 2 ½-year supply of fuel oil protected from aerial attack – existing aboveground unprotected tanks next to the Submarine Base presented a vulnerable enemy target.

Standard practice was to dig a trench and bury the tanks, but this was impractical to store 255-million gallons of fuel oil; here, the Navy’s initial plan was to dig a series of tunnels and insert the tanks

Instead, consulting engineer James P Growden came up with excavating large vertical tank chambers instead of horizontal tunnels. (Nothing like this had ever been attempted before.)

This would increase the volume of material that could be excavated simultaneously and decrease the number of heavy equipment needed for hauling muck. It also decreased the unit cost for rock removal substantially.

Starting the day after Christmas 1940, 20 underground fuel storage tanks were built more that 100-feet below the surface. (The facility was designed as an impenetrable, bombproof reserve of fuel for the military.)

To determine the depth necessary to protect the fuel from Japanese aerial attack, the engineers gathered data from the Army, multiplied it four-fold and rounded the figure off to 100 feet of rock cover.

The attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 had little effect on the work site – work on the storage facility proceeded virtually without interruption.

Each vertical tank is 100 feet in diameter and 250 feet high, roughly the size of a 20-story building, and lined with quarter-inch steel plates (it has an overall design capacity of 6-million barrels of fuel oil (9.97-billion gallons.))

Dug from the inside, the storage facility is connected with pipes (32-inch-diameter diesel pipe, and 18- and 16-inch jet fuel pipes) and tunnels down to a Pearl Harbor pumping station, more than two-and-a-half miles away.

The tanks were set up in two parallel rows with two main access tunnels, one above the other, bisecting the rows; smaller tunnels branched from these main axis tunnels to the tank cavities.

The upper dome of each fuel chamber was excavated first, starting with a ring tunnel, then working upward, towards the central shaft. They started digging in the upper portion of each tank chamber.

Upon completing the ring tunnel, the miners dug upwards in a hemisphere from all points around the ring, narrowing as they reached the central shaft. As soon as the upper hemisphere was concreted, workers were lowered down the central shaft to begin excavation of the tank chamber.

The miners continued to dig downwards in a cone until they reached the lower hemisphere of the tank chamber; tThe lining for the lower hemisphere was placed similarly to the top.

Then, they steel-lined the walls of the tank chamber. Reinforced concrete was placed against the rock and smooth continuously welded steel plates formed the inner liner. (Rogers)

Think of the scenario: with limited above ground disturbance, hollowing out twenty 20-story building-sized cavities 100-feet underground, lining each with ¼-inch steel (with concrete-backing,) testing and repairing leaks, and tunneling them together and to Pearl Harbor, 2 ½-miles away – in secrecy.

In 1995, the American Society of Civil Engineers placed the facility alongside Hoover Dam, the Eiffel Tower, Panama Canal and Statue of Liberty as a historic landmark.

In 2014, evidence of fuel leakage was noted. The Navy and City & County, State and Federal agencies have come together to evaluate the impact to the environment and community, and to look at solutions in dealing with the leak and strategies to mitigate the impacts.

While at DLNR, I had the opportunity to visit the Red Hill Underground Fuel Storage Facility above Pearl Harbor; it’s a secured facility with no public tours or access.

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