Military | Page 35 | Images of Old Hawaiʻi

December 14, 2016 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

“The hoe has become a weapon of war.”

It started in World War I and was repeated in World War II – the “Victory Garden” or “War Garden” became a war-time necessity.

With war, food was in short supply. Demands of the war drew farmers and others into the direct war effort; munitions manufacturing drew others. People to produce food were in dwindling supply; likewise in transporting it.

In response, the National War Garden Commission was formed. Its sole aim was to get the attention, then help train people at home to put idle land to work and to conserve food by canning and drying.

“City Farmers” popped up, putting “slacker lands” (idle vacant lots in cities and communities) to productive use. Back yards and vacant lots were potential sources of food supply, and the raising of food on these areas would solve many problems besides that of food production.

Food raised at home was “Food FOB the Kitchen Door” – the challenges of transportation and distribution were automatically solved.

“One of the great values of the back lot garden is that its products are consumed where they are grown and thus transportation is conserved. Gardening is the extra war work of these who do it, no added strain is put upon the labor supply of the country.”

“Everything grown in war gardens is in addition to the normal food production, hence it releases pound for pound that much more food for our soldiers and our Allies. War gardens also reduce living expenses. Get a Victory Garden under way.” (Maui News, May 3, 1918)

Promotional posters helped spread the message, “Every Garden a Munition Plant,” “Sow the Seeds of Victory,” “Let’s Dig and Dig and We’ll be Big,” “War Gardens Over the Top” and “War Gardens Victorious” motivated the masses to participate.

“The hoe has become a weapon of war. … Saving food is one solution of the world shortage; substitution is another, but equally important is the spring edict from the US Department of Agriculture and the US Food Administration that the country must plant and produce more food tills year than ever before.”

“Every householder with even a little land to spare should buy a hoe. The hoe should become the symbol of a self-sustaining household as regards garden foods. Every bag of sweet potatoes or taro and every pound of beans, brought in from the back yard releases that much more for the current market and saves that much more to ship abroad. (The Garden Island, May 7, 1918)

“Put the slacker land to work” became a slogan of the National War Commission; at the overall national level, in response, in 1917 more than 3,000,000 pieces of uncultivated lots were put into production. The total number of war gardens in 1918 was conservatively estimated at 5,285,000.

The Second World War produced similar needs and demands.

Millions of people realized that they would never be able to take part as actual soldiers, but they wanted to take an active part in some effort which would show tangible results in the struggle for right and justice. War gardening offered the opportunity.

The war with Japan and evacuation and internment of Japanese created additional challenges. On the West Coast, Japanese farmers were responsible for 40 percent of all vegetables grown in California, including nearly 100 percent of all tomatoes, celery, strawberries and peppers.

In response to the significant labor shortages, “Victory Vacations” were proposed – proponents pointed out such vacations not only would be patriotic but would also be a matter of good health, through exercise and fresh air, and would pay those making the gesture definite cash returns. (San Francisco News, March 4, 1942)

In the United States, it was estimated that 20-million gardens were created during WWII, which produced an estimated 10 million tons of food. (Nagata)

“The people of Hawaiʻi are growing Victory Gardens, too, and it’s no hobby with them – it’s a serious business. … When the nearest market is about 2,415 miles away, you tend to your peas and beans with infinite care and wage determined warfare upon the bugs attempting to cheat you out of your earned greens.” (Eugene Register, June 18, 1942)

“Despite the fertility of the land there has been very little truck farming on the Islands. … The war changed all that.”

“There is hardly an earthen air raid shelter in town that isn’t sprouting lettuce or corn or a row or two of cabbage. The acreage devoted to school gardens alone has increased nearly 50 per cent and in all five districts of Honolulu, community gardens have been developed. … the city park board did its share by allowing home gardens to take over (some park land) … then supplied pipe for irrigation of the plots.”

Dr Armstrong (Director of Honolulu Victory Gardens and professor of Agriculture at UH) arranged a class in gardening fundamentals of agriculture to the initiates. … as soon as one class is graduated another is started. (Eugene Register, June 18, 1942)

As an example of change in agricultural activities, in 1939, only 75-acres in the Waimea, South Kohala area were devoted to agriculture. By the war’s end in 1946, that had increased to 518-acres. (Sperry)

It’s interesting, Hawaiʻi is the world’s most-isolated, populated-place; we are about: 2,500-miles from the US mainland, Samoa & Alaska; 4,000-miles from Tokyo, New Zealand & Guam, and 5,000-miles from Australia, the Philippines & Korea. And, we are dependent on outside sources for our food supply.

A couple years ago, we prepared a master plan for a proposed agricultural park; it focused on production of food for the local community. We were proud that the American Planning Association – Hawaiʻi Chapter gave it the “Innovation is Sustaining Places Award.”

In giving the Award, APA-Hawaiʻi noted, “The context in which the Master Plan was prepared, particularly in relation to the overall Agricultural Park management strategy, addresses strong and recurring themes of Tradition, Sustainability, Integrated Holistic Approach, Long-term Timeframe, Cooperation and Collaboration, Diversity of Foods and Economic Viability – melding Hawaiian traditional wisdom with modern sustainability concepts.”

“The APA Awards Jury felt the plan incorporates innovative concepts in agricultural park planning, especially in terms of the layout and design of the facility which includes the reuse of resources and farming best practices (that are) transferable to other facilities”.

“The inclusion of specific management strategies and actions to support the project mission and goals also helps to increase project success. The research on Hawaiian values, as well as coverage of topics such as permaculture, public health and local economic development, makes this plan comprehensive, ambitious and worthy of recognition.”

Adapting from a core theme of that plan, I think we are long overdue in addressing our Islands’ food security issues. We shouldn’t have to wait for another war to get us back to focusing on “Food From Hawaiʻi For Hawaiʻi.”

Follow Peter T Young on Facebook

Follow Peter T Young on Google+

Follow Peter T Young on LinkedIn

Follow Peter T Young on Blogger

02victory_garden

garden

3g07869v

Victory_Garden-A McKinley high school tractor, manned by Future Farmer argiculture students-starbulletin

Victory Garden Show-Admiral Chester W. Nimitz and Walter F. Dillinghan-starbulletin-1942

US Engineer employees cultivate a victory garden on the athletic field of Punahou Campus-starbulletin

Mrs. Wang and her victory garden-starbulletin-1942

Victory Garden Show at Mckinley High School Gov and Mrs. Igram M. Stainback-starbulletin-1942

crops_0201

December 9, 2016 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Solace

The keel for the Iroquois was laid on March 26, 1926 along with the keels for two other ships; Iroquois was delivered thirteen months later. She was built by Newport News Shipbuilding for the Clyde Steamship Company as the passenger liner.

Iroquois was designed for luxury liner service along America’s eastern seaboard and was handsomely appointed and featured ornate staircases and darkwood paneling in their public spaces.

She met the highest classification of the American Bureau of Shipping and was touted as the largest and fastest vessel in service between Florida and New York. She could carry 640 passengers in first class and 114 in steerage. Their crews numbered 166. (Newport News Shipbuilding Apprentice School)

On July 13, 1936 Iroquois had an accident while she was running for the Eastern Steamship Company. She ran aground on Bald Porcupine Island. Captain Walter Hammond was preparing to leave for New York early in the morning. Under thick fog, the vessel ran aground and then the tide left the ship beached high.

In mid-1940, she was purchased by the US Navy and was extensively modified her internally, creating a hospital ship with a capacity for 418 patients and accommodations for a complement of 466, including a small cadre of nurses.

Renamed Solace, her aft, fake funnel was removed and she was painted all white, with bold red crosses emblazoned on her sides, funnel and top decks; she was commissioned on August 9, 1941 and assigned to the Pacific fleet and soon was home ported in Hawai‘i. (Newport News Shipbuilding Apprentice School)

She arrived at Pearl Harbor on October 27, 1941. At the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor (December 7, 1941,) the Solace was the only hospital ship operating in the Pacific. She was anchored at Pearl Harbor when at 8 am the first of the attack started.

The ship discharged 141 patients to duty in order to make room for casualties. On December 7th, 132 patients were admitted aboard the ship (over 70 percent of casualties were burn cases.) (pearlharbor-org)

“As soon as it was realized that air raid was on, steps were immediately taken to close all watertight doors and ports, and cargo ports except the two at the gangways, to call away rescue parties, and to prepare all hospital facilities and supplies for maximum service.”

“The emergency ward of 50 beds was put together, and as many patients then in wards returned to duty or moved as possible. Two motor launches were immediately dispatched with rescue parties to the Arizona, and other boats lowered and sent on similar duty.”

“About 0820 hours, boat loads of casualties began to arrive, and were immediately taken care of by the medical personnel, assisted by available men from the deck divisions.”

“At 0900 the ship got underway, having slipped it’s forward and after moorings, and shifted from berth X4, near Dobbin and destroyers to berth X13 in the clear.”

“All hands worked most energetically to handle the casualty cases. Too much praise cannot be given to the doctors, nurses, and corpsmen of the ship.”

“Special mention is made of the heroic action in the face of grave danger in the case of the first two boat crews and their stretcher parties.”

“They boarded the burning Arizona, while its crew was abandoning ship, and they rescued the burned and injured casualties found on its deck, some very close to the flames, and three casualties on a camel and one man swimming in oily water that was aflame.”

“After unloading at the Solace, #2 motor launch made two trips to the West Virginia and brought back casualties to the Solace; #1 motor launch on its second trip rescued several more men from the stern of the Arizona and more casualties from the West Virginia.”

“On its third trip it received casualties from the West Virginia. On its fourth trip, it picked up some men in the water and transferred them to a gig. Shortly thereafter, when many men had jumped into the water after an explosion on board that ship the boat picked up over three dozen.”

“The surface was covered with flames. The boat engineer, jumped into the water to rescue an Ensign. The Coxswain had to get into the water to quench his own smoldering jumper. With this boat load delivered to the Solace and a quick change of clothes for its crew, the boat took a salvage party to the Oklahoma where it remained until about midnight.”

“Assisting the ship during the most difficult time were about six medical officers from other ships, one civilian doctor (USPHS,) five volunteer nurses part of first day and eleven part of second day”

“In addition to the ship’s chaplain, Protestant, two Catholic chaplains, from Nevada and Tangier, were aboard most of the first two days.” (Action Report by Benjamin Perlman, Commanding Officer, December 12, 1941)

For the rest of the war, until she was joined by the Relief from her North Atlantic duties, by the Comfort and also the Tranquility, the Solace, known as the “Great White Ship,” carried on alone doing an efficient and noteworthy job servicing the fleet at such bloody places as the Coral Sea, Guadalcanal and Iwo Jima. (navy-mil)

Solace served in the Pacific Theatre of Operations throughout the entire war and participated in six major island invasions. Between December, 1941, and January, 1946, she steamed over 170,000 nautical miles and provided treatment and evacuation home for over 25,000 patients.
Solace (ex Iroquois) was sold by the US War Shipping Administration to the government-owned Turkish Maritime Lines in April of 1948. She underwent a year-long conversion effort to restore her for future use as a passenger liner; renamed Ankara, her passenger spaces were completely modernized allowing for 175 in first-class, 152 in second-class and 72 in steerage-class.

Ankara was popular with Mediterranean passengers, and often carried pilgrims to Mecca until laid up in 1977. After remaining idle for almost four years, and at age 54, she was sold for scrap in 1981. (Newport News Shipbuilding Apprentice School)

Follow Peter T Young on Facebook

Follow Peter T Young on Google+

Follow Peter T Young on LinkedIn

Follow Peter T Young on Blogger

Solace

Solace-WC

Solace-along_side-Haven

ss-iroquois-beached

iroquois-beached

Ankara

December 8, 2016 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Showing Respect

Sometimes, somethings are bigger than ourselves … no matter how important some people view themselves, no matter the extent of our respective individual freedoms.

36 US Code § 301 – National anthem – notes, “During a rendition of the national anthem … persons present should face the flag and stand at attention with their right hand over the heart …”

“… and men not in uniform, if applicable, should remove their headdress with their right hand and hold it at the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart …”

“… and when the flag is not displayed, all present should face toward the music and act in the same manner they would if the flag were displayed.”

Let’s look back …

Britain’s defeat by the Continental Army of the American colonies at the 1781 Battle of Yorktown marked the conclusion of the American Revolutionary War. Less than decades after the signing of the Treaty of Paris, which formalized Britain’s recognition of the United States of America, the two countries were again in conflict.

Resentment for Britain’s interference with American international trade, combined with American expansionist visions, led Congress to declare war on Great Britain on June 18, 1812. (Smithsonian)

In the summer of 1813, Mary Pickersgill, an experienced maker of ships’ colors and signal flags, was contracted to sew two flags for Fort McHenry in Baltimore, Maryland, a 30 x 42–foot garrison flag and a 17 x 25–foot storm flag for use in inclement weather.

Pickersgill and her thirteen-year-old daughter Caroline; nieces Eliza Young (thirteen) and Margaret Young (fifteen); and a thirteen-year-old African American indentured servant, Grace Wisher, spent about seven weeks making the two flags. (Smithsonian)

The flag, with fifteen stars and fifteen stripes, came to be known as the Star Spangled Banner Flag and is today on display in the National Museum of American History in the Smithsonian Institution.

On a rainy September 13, 1814, British warships sent a downpour of shells and rockets onto Fort McHenry in Baltimore Harbor, relentlessly pounding the American fort for 25 hours.

The bombardment, known as the Battle of Baltimore, came only weeks after the British had attacked Washington, DC, burning the Capitol, the Treasury and the President’s house.

A week earlier, Francis Scott Key, a 35-year-old American lawyer (and amateur poet,) had boarded the flagship of the British fleet on the Chesapeake Bay in hopes of persuading the British to release a friend who had recently been arrested.

Key’s tactics were successful, but because he and his companions had gained knowledge of the impending attack on Baltimore, the British did not let them go. They allowed the Americans to return to their own vessel but continued guarding them. Under their scrutiny, Key watched on September 13 as the barrage of Fort McHenry began eight miles away.

“It seemed as though mother earth had opened and was vomiting shot and shell in a sheet of fire and brimstone.” (Key) Key put his thoughts on paper while still on board the ship; he called his poem Defence of Fort M’Henry.

The poem was later put to the tune of (John Stafford Smith’s song) The Anacreontic Song, modified somewhat, and retitled The Star Spangled Banner.

The song gained popularity throughout the nineteenth century and bands played it during public events, such as July 4th celebrations.

On July 27, 1889, Secretary of the Navy Benjamin F Tracy signed General Order #374, making “The Star-Spangled Banner” the official tune to be played at the raising of the flag. (Smithsonian)

Throughout the 19th century, “The Star-Spangled Banner” was regarded as the national anthem by most branches of the US armed forces and other groups.

But it was not until 1916, and the signing of an executive order by President Woodrow Wilson, that it was formally designated as such. In March 1931, Congress passed an act confirming Wilson’s presidential order, and on March 3, 1931 President Hoover signed it into law.

In Hawaiʻi, the issue of interest was the export of sandalwood – the War of 1812 interfered with trade in the Pacific. Exports were interrupted by the battling nations as warships were sent to protect their own commerce and destroy that of the enemy. Hawaiʻi was blockaded during the war.

In addition, several Hawaiians served with the US in the war, including Humehume (Prince Kaumualiʻi, son of King Kaumualiʻi,) Thomas Hopu and William Kanui (all three were also on the Thaddeus with the first missionary company to Hawaiʻi, in 1820.)

Showing Respect:

The Star-Spangled Banner

O say can you see,
by the dawn’s early light,
What so proudly we hail’d
at the twilight’s last gleaming,
Whose broad stripes and bright stars
through the perilous fight
O’er the ramparts we watch’d
were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket’s red glare,
the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night
that our flag was still there,
O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

Follow Peter T Young on Facebook

Follow Peter T Young on Google+

Follow Peter T Young on LinkedIn

Follow Peter T Young on Blogger

war-of-1812-star-spangled-banner-anthem

December 6, 2016 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Shrine Bowl

The College of Hawai‘i was founded in 1907 (now known as the University of Hawai‘i.) Two years later, in 1909, the university fielded its first football team.

The “Fighting Deans,” as Hawai‘i athletic teams were known then, defeated McKinley High School, 6-5, under head coach Austin Jones in its inaugural game. The historic game was played before 2,500 fans at O‘ahu College (now known as Punahou School.)

In 1926, the Rainbows made the newly built Honolulu Stadium, a 24,000-seat facility in Moiliili, their home field. UH played its first game at the stadium on November 11 against the Town Team. Hawai‘i lost that game, 14-7, before 12,000 fans.

For 48 years, the affectionately nicknamed “Termite Palace” housed the Rainbows and their fans until the construction of Aloha Stadium in 1975.

The Aloha Chapter of the Shriners sponsored the Shrine Bowl Classic, pitting Hawai‘i against mainland teams. For the 11th annual Classic, teams in the three-game series included San Jose State College, the University of Hawaii, and Willamette. The game guaranteed a $5,500 payout – enough to cover teams’ travel expenses, plus a small profit for the athletic departments.

“Today, 24 hours before the Shrine battle, staunch supporters of the Rainbow football machine will express utter confidence in their warriors at a mammoth rally to be held in Hemenway hall.”

“All week Hawai‘i students had been anticipating this occasion together with the arrival of Willamette University. For even as they were on the high seas, awesome tales of Willamette’s football power reached Hawai‘i.”

“While aiming for their third success in the Shrine games, the Rainbows realize that they will be thoroughly scouted by San Jose, their opponent in the Police Benefit December 12. But the desire to maintain an undefeated intersectional record for the season and the prestige gained by a victory over Willamette will add to the lust for conquest.” (Ka Leo o Hawai‘i)

On November 26, hundreds of supporters gathered at a noisy rally at Salem’s Southern Pacific railroad depot to see the Willamette delegation off. At 10:30 am, the train rolled south toward the Port of San Francisco. (Southworth)

On the San Jose side, while Ben Winkleman was listed as the official coach, advisor-coach Glenn Scobey ‘Pop’ Warner, retired after several decades of successful college coaching, did all the coaching. (Hamill)

Twenty-five members of the San Jose State College football team, and twenty-seven football players from Willamette University, plus their head coaches and assorted friends and family members, boarded the Lurline at the Port of San Francisco. On November 27, the Lurline left from San Francisco’s Pier 35 and glided under the 4-year-old Golden Gate Bridge.

On the 28th, the Lurline left the Los Angeles-area dock in San Pedro with 783 passengers. Folks on board did what people on cruises do: enjoy the view, try not to get seasick, and discuss what they’ll see when they get to their destination.

The Shriners met and greeted the teams. They furnished the players with cone-shaped straw hats which mimicked the conical ones the Shriners wore. University of Hawai‘i coeds supplied flowered leis, while Hawaiian tunes played and hula girls swayed.

Both the Willamette and San Jose contingents checked into the opulent Moana hotel in Honolulu, one of only two hotels on Waikiki Beach at the time. Their nine-day stay in a double room on the “American plan” cost $54 per person.

Three days after arriving, the Willamette Bearcats played what was slated as the first in the three-game series. Their opponent was Hawai‘i, with profits from this opening Shriner’s game designated for disabled children. The game started at 2:30 pm December 6.

24,000 had shown up to watch the Shriner’s game, the largest crowd in the stadium’s history. Since the 1920s, Shriner football games had been the biggest and most popular sporting event in Hawai‘i. Spectators for this Willamette-San Jose game comprised a tenth of Honolulu’s current population. (Southworth)

Hawai‘i won 20-6. The next scheduled games were San Jose vs. Hawai‘i on December 13 and San Jose vs. Willamette on December 16.

Plans changed …

“… they had planned this picnic for us, or gathering, with the University of Hawai‘i, and they were supposed to come by at 9:30 in the morning. And so, we’d had breakfast, and we were out, enjoying the sunshine, looking, you know, and waiting for that bus to come, and the bus didn’t come.”

“While we were sitting out there, we saw planes fly over. They were just silver specks up in the sky. And then somebody got up and walked through the hotel and went out on the beach and they said, ‘Hey, there’s maneuvers going on out here.’” (Ken Jacobson; Southworth)

“We didn’t realize we were seeing the start of World War II for the US; mostly we just heard noise.” (Wayne Hadley; Southworth)

The police declared a state of emergency beginning that evening, enacting martial law and ordering everyone off the streets. The military closed and censored regular channels of communication.

The teams volunteered to assist the Army, essentially temporarily conscripting them. Their first task was guarding the perimeter of an ammunitions stash.

The US Army Corp of Engineers had been bombed from their headquarters the previous day, and moved their ammunition storage to the fenced Punahou School in the hills above Honolulu. The military instructed the players to call out, “Halt, who goes there! Stand and be recognized!”

Women from the Willamette group volunteered as nurses’ aides at Tripler Army Hospital. They helped overworked staff with a group of children hit by shrapnel on their way to Sunday School the morning of December 7, 1941

The women kept the children company until their families could locate them, assisting with meals and reading to them. The women also made beds, helped change dressings, carried food trays, and bathed and took temperatures of the wounded.

On December 7, the day of the Pearl Harbor attack, the SS Coolidge had been traveling to San Francisco when it was diverted to Honolulu to pick up injured soldiers.

The Coolidge, a former luxury cruise liner, arrived in Honolulu on December 17 with evacuees from the Philippines. Officials quickly assembled a small on-board hospital to transport soldiers wounded at Pearl Harbor to California medical centers. Two Navy doctors and three Navy nurses would care for 125 patients.

On December 19, the Coolidge was ready to leave Honolulu. The football groups received only two hours’ notice. “The day that we got to come home, they had scheduled a trip to Pearl Harbor so we could see the damage that was done, and they were gonna take us out there for a sight-seeing, and then instead they said we were going home.” (Jacobson; Southworth)

Willamette’s players had to sign a form promising to assist with evacuation of wounded soldiers from the ship, if necessary. Two players were assigned to one patient deep in the bowels of the ship. The players acted as orderlies, carrying patients to the operating room, feeding them, and changing dressings. They also chatted with patients to boost morale.

Frank Knox, the Secretary of the Navy, later wrote the following to Carl Knopf, president of Willamette: “On board, as passengers, were the football squads of Willamette University and San Jose College, in Honolulu for games with the University of Hawai‘i at the time of the Japanese attack.”

“These men, under their respective coaches, volunteered in case of emergency to rescue and place in the ship’s boats the seriously wounded men. They drilled at their assignments.”

“In addition, they volunteered and did feed such wounded as were unable to help themselves. They promoted good morale among the patients in many ways. I consider the services rendered by these young men to be very commendable.” (Knox; Southworth)

On December 25, 28 days after they’d originally left San Francisco, the Coolidge sailed under the Golden Gate Bridge. To most, it felt like a miracle from God. The Willamette group burst into tearful song, California, Here I Come! As it turned out, they’d arrived just one day later than their originally-scheduled return. (Southworth)

None of the athletes for either squad was injured that day. The teams volunteered to assist the Army and volunteered to assist the wounded on their ship’s return to the mainland. Most of the San Jose State and Willamette players would serve in the military. Many would see combat over the next 3-years. (Marqua)

San Jose Spartans Video:

Follow Peter T Young on Facebook

Follow Peter T Young on Google+

Follow Peter T Young on LinkedIn

Follow Peter T Young on Blogger

Lurline-SanJoseSpartans-Nov_27,_1941

Willamette Cheerleaders and Players

Willamette Footbal Team

Arriving footbal players in Shriners hats

Roaring_Rainbows-Ka Leo-Dec_5,_1941

November 18, 2016 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Facility 161

Facility (or building) numbers on military bases are generally assigned during the building planning process. It’s not like an address; the numbers are typically assigned chronologically to buildings as they are built on the base, location doesn’t determine the number.

Facility 161 is located at Pearl Harbor and is classified as a Recreation and Morale facility. It was originally comprised of three main components that were all classified as permanent uses.

It is a uniquely designed building, a sunken amphitheater with recreation facilities in an attached section (originally a portion of which was open-air) that is flanked by two elongated wings. This design utilizes natural ventilation and lighting. There is no other facility in Hawai‘i that shares this same design.

It included the arena, a recreation building (two bowling alley wings topped by a smaller second floor billiard and game room), and a dance floor. The second floor of the recreation building is the only portion of the complex constructed of wood. (Mason; Navy)

The octagonal arena is joined to a long, narrow rectangular structure that was home to two bowling alleys and was connected to an open-sided, nearly circular dance hall.

Although the period of the 1930s saw decreasing expenditures for recreation services for the Pacific fleet, during the final years of that decade “the growth of service and civilian personnel led to the realization that more recreation facilities were needed on base.” (HABS)

Prior to World War II, because Pearl Harbor was still a relatively small naval establishment, minimal funding was allocated for recreational facilities. Personnel were expected to use civilian recreational facilities as well as those at Pearl Harbor.

As late as 1938 the only recreation center at the Navy Yard was a YMCA that showed movies and offered classes to enlisted personnel.

Because of the pre-WW II build-up of permanent facilities at Pearl Harbor, as well as visiting ships bringing large numbers of sailors who needed recreational facilities rather than accommodations, Facility 161 was intended for use by both groups.

After the US entered the war, recreation was recognized as a vital outlet for Navy personnel. The purpose of recreation programs and facilities was to “contribute in some way towards maintaining the fighting spirit of the officers and men who man the ships of the Pacific Fleet.”

Once the war ended, multitudes of men waiting to be discharged relied on recreational facilities to pass their free hours.

According to the original seating plan, there were 6,000 seats for boxing events – 5,000 seats in the bleachers and 1,000 seats ring side (on the main floor.)

The boxing ring was assembled in the center of the main floor, surrounded by seating. Seating was listed as 4,000 for motion pictures – 3,000 in the bleachers and 1,000 in the reserved area on the main floor.

It was the ‘largest single expenditure [$175,000]’ in the 1940 housing and recreation center expansion project of 1940. Other facilities at the time included Hale Moku and Makalapa housing, and Richardson Recreation Center on the Aiea waterfront.

Construction on the project began in October 1940 and the facility was completed in August 1941. (HABS) In 1948, ʻōhiʻa flooring was installed in the arena.

Facility 161’s bowling alleys have been replaced with miscellaneous functions including small offices, and the original dance floor has been enclosed and significantly altered.

The facility is commonly called Bloch Arena, named for Claude Charles Bloch; he was born on July 13, 1878 in Woodbury, Kentucky, graduated from the Naval Academy in 1899 and commissioned in 1901.

He became Admiral in January 1937 and was Commander of Battle Force 1937-1938, Commander in Chief of US Fleet 1938-1940 and Commandant of Eleventh Naval District 1940-1942.

He retired in August 1942 and was recalled to active duty on the General Board in World War II; his decorations included the Navy Cross. Bloch died on October 4, 1967.

On March 25, 1961 Elvis performed a benefit concert at Bloch Arena as a fundraiser to build the Arizona Memorial. That event raised $54,678.73, more than ten percent of the $515,728 cost of constructing the memorial.

Appearing along with Elvis were; Minnie Pearl, The Jordanaires, and DJ Fontana and Scotty Moore, two members of Elvis’ original backing band. Sterling Mossman, a local Hawaiian comedian, also served as master of ceremonies and performed.

The event was the times “biggest single gate in the history of show business in Hawaii.” Bloch Arena has been venue to a number of other events and activities.

Follow Peter T Young on Facebook

Follow Peter T Young on Google+

Follow Peter T Young on LinkedIn

Follow Peter T Young on Blogger