Hawaii | Page 445 | Images of Old Hawaiʻi

December 10, 2016 by Peter T Young 1 Comment

Revolt, Republic, US Annexation, Statehood

Revolt, Republic … then US Annexation, then Statehood … sound familiar? … How about this? Anglo-American insurrectionists sneaked into and captured the lightly defended government facility; the leading revolutionaries signed a declaration.

Shortly after, several hundred insurrectionists, assembled and declared it a “free and independent state,” adopted a constitution and formed a Republic.

The leader of the fledging Republic, in addressing the new legislature, stated, “Called by your joint and unanimous suffrages, to fill the office of chief magistrate, under the constitution adopted by the people … believing it to be the duty of every citizen at this moment implicitly to obey the call of his country.”

“Placed like you, but as to day, to carry into effect a new system of government, little more it is presumed, might be expected from me at the moment of my entering into office, than the ordinary professions of a governor, addressing the immediate representatives of the people …”

“… yet my solicitude, during these first hours of the convulsive birth of our infant republic, induces me on the present occasion, to ask something more of your attention and indulgence. …”

“We are then entitled to independence, and wherever the voice of justice and humanity can be heard, our declaration, and our just rights will be respected.”

“Our brave volunteers, conducting themselves with temperance and fortitude, like the patriotic chief who is to lead them, will teach the enemy, that Americans understanding the principles of liberty and a free government, are ever ready to sacrifice their lives in its defence; for our cause is too glorious, to be disgraced by fear or by submission.”

“The genius of Washington, the immortal founder of the liberties of America, stimulates that return, and would frown upon our cause, should we attempt to change its course.” They sought annexation to the US.

The US President proclaimed, “a crisis has at length arrived subversive of the order … whereby a failure of the United States to take the said territory into its possession may lead to events ultimately contravening the views of both parties”.

“Considering, moreover, that under these peculiar and imperative circumstances a forbearance on the part of the United States to occupy the territory in question, and thereby guard against the confusions and contingencies which threaten it, might be construed into a dereliction of their title or an insensibility to the importance of the stake …”

“… considering that in the hands of the United States it will not cease to be a subject of fair and friendly negotiation and adjustment; considering, finally, that the acts of Congress, though contemplating a present possession by a foreign authority, have contemplated also an eventual possession of the said territory by the United States, and are accordingly so framed as in that case to extend in their operation to the same”.

Then the president proclaimed, “in pursuance of these weighty and urgent considerations, have deemed it right and requisite that possession should be taken of the said territory in the name and behalf of the United States.”

Shortly thereafter, the US Senate and the House of Representatives passed a joint resolution authorizing the President to ‘occupy and hold all of the tract of country.’

In his subsequent State of the Union address, the President stated, “Among the events growing out of the state of the … Monarchy, … a situation produced exposing the country to ulterior events which might essentially affect the rights and welfare of the Union.”

This wasn’t the annexation of the Hawaiian Islands in 1898, it was a revolution by American insurrectionists, Presidential Proclamation and subsequent Congressional Act (House and Senate) annexing West Florida to the US in 1811.

In 1779-81 Spain acquired West Florida, as well as East Florida by right of conquest, confirmed by treaty of 1783. The Treaty of Paris (ending the American Revolutionary War in 1783) transferred British control of East and West Florida back to Spain.

West Florida stretched from the Mississippi River eastward to the Perdido River (the current border of the American states of Alabama and Florida,) up to the 31st parallel.

Things were peaceful until 1808, when Spain appointed Col. Charles Delassus as governor. The inefficiency and corruption of officials under him threatened the prosperity of American colonists in West Florida, who presented demands for political reform.

In the predawn fog of September 23, 1810, about 50 men, led by Revolutionary War veteran Philemon Thomas, walked in the open gate of Fort San Carlos in Baton Rouge. An additional 25 men on horseback rode through a gap in the fort’s wall.

Spanish soldiers discharged a handful of muskets before Thomas’ men let go a single volley that killed or wounded five Spaniards. The remaining soldados surrendered or fled. (Smithsonian)

The beginning of the ‘Free and Independent State of West Florida’ dates with the assembling of the convention, September 23, 1810. (Fulwar Skipwith was elected Governor.) US President James Madison issued the West Florida Proclamation on October 27, 1810.

On December 10, 1810, the Republic of West Florida’s lone star came down and the Stars and Stripes took its place. For the first time, the United States had acquired significant territory from another sovereignty without war or compensation. (Smithsonian) Texas later used the Lone Star layout for its flag.)

President Madison then sent to Congress a secret message regarding the occupation of the Floridas, in response to which Congress, in secret session, passed on January 15, 1811, a resolution which recited that:

“Taking into view the peculiar situation of Spain and of her American provinces, and considering the influence which the destiny of the territory adjoining the southern border of the United States may have upon their security, tranquility and commerce.”

“Be it Resolved, That the United States, under the peculiar circumstances of the existing crisis, cannot, without serious inquietude, see any part of the said territory pass into the hands of any foreign power …”

“… and that a due regard for their own safety compels them to provide, under certain contingencies, for the temporary occupation of the said territory; they at the same time declaring that the said territory shall, in their hands, remain subject to future negotiations.” (US State Department)

January 22, 1812, by act of Congress, Louisiana was admitted to the American Union as a State. April 14 following, an act adding that part of West Florida lying between the Pearl and Mississippi rivers to Louisiana as constituted, was approved by the President. (Chambers)

In 1828 (in which the court, in speaking of the power of Congress to establish a Territorial Government in Florida until it should become a State,) the Supreme Court declared:

“In the mean time, Florida continues to be a Territory of the United States, governed by that clause of the Constitution which empowers Congress ‘to make all needful rules and regulations respecting the territory or other property belonging to the United States.’”

“Perhaps the power of governing a Territory belonging to the United States, which has not, by becoming a State, acquired the means of self-government, may result necessarily from the facts that it is not within the jurisdiction of any particular State, and is within the power and jurisdiction of the United States.”

“The right to govern may be the inevitable consequence of the right to acquire territory. Whichever may be the source whence the power may be derived, the possession of it is unquestionable.” (Canter Decision – Decision also cited in Dred Scot Decision)

Flag_of_the_Republic_of_West_Florida_(1810)

Sketch map showing the territorial changes of ‘West Florida’-1898-WC

West Florida (including Pensacola, which was not part of the US claim) in the hands of Spain-1806-

Congress Joint Resolution Annexing West Florida-Feb_12, 1812

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

December 5, 2016 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Seth Parker

In 1933, radio broadcaster Phillips Lord purchased the schooner ‘Georgette,’ which he renamed as ‘Seth Parker’ after the character he played on his popular radio show, ‘Sunday Evening at Seth Parker’s.’ (The character ‘Seth Parker’ was a clergyman and backwoods philosopher based on his real-life grandfather.)

Lord first broadcast the program from his hometown of Jonesport, Maine, and then aboard the four-masted Seth Parker. With on-location reports from Lord each week, the program was billed as ‘The Cruise of the Seth Parker.’

Phillips Lord conceived an idea to sail his new ship to various exotic ports, with a team of celebrities, to broadcast his radio programs. The Seth Parker sailed from Portland Maine on December 5, (Woram) calling at various ports on the East Coast to broadcast the show. (Offshore Radio Guide)

The ship passed through the Panama Canal and sailed to the South Pacific. “For a while the plan worked. Then, mid-way between Samoa and Tahiti, the Seth Parker on Feb 8, 1935, ran into a storm. She radioed for help describing ‘mountainous’ waves breaking over the decks.”

“Next came a report from the schooner that the storm had subsided and ‘all’s well.’ (However,) On Feb 10 the Seth Parker was again in trouble, again calling for help.”

“The ‘Australia,’ 300 miles away by that time, returned to repeat her ‘rescue’ act. This time she took off the schooner’s nine crew members. Lord and four others remained aboard, and the vessel was towed by navy tug to Pago Pago.” (Advertiser, June 12, 1936)

The damage to the ship during the typhoons was so great that the radio crew ended any thoughts of further broadcasts aboard the wounded ship. (Offshore Radio Guide)

“About that time Hawaiian Tuna Packers, Ltd, decided to buy her as a bait boat and sent representatives to Samoa to inspect her. Upon hearing from scouts that the big schooner was in ‘good shape’ the company completed the purchase”. (Advertiser, June 12, 1936)

In April 1935, Hawaiian Tuna Packers took an option on the schooner. Chris Holmes had tanks fitted in the ship, with the idea of filling them with sardines to use as bait for tuna.

The ship was sold to Chris Holmes’ company for $10,000, a tenth of what it cost Phillips Lord to buy and outfit the Seth Parker for his exotic radio junkets. The vessel sailed for Honolulu on July 3. (Offshore Radio Guide)

“En route, the Seth Parker began to leak badly. Her new skipper radioed for help, and the coast guard cutter Tiger was dispatched to her assistance. The trip from Pago Pago to Honolulu took the schooner 64 days.”

“Reconciled to its bad bargain, Tuna Packers abandoned hope of putting the schooner to any use. It was then that Christian R Holmes, company president, decided to take the ship to Coconut Island.”

“And there she has been … bedded in concrete almost up to her waterline. At a glance, however, the ship seemed to be moored in a specially-constructed berth and ready at any time to take off again to the open seas.”

“For a long while she was immaculately groomed. Her hull was kept spotless white, her decks polished, her four masts ready for sails, but it was just a front.”

“Her whole interior was fitted with a bar, a theater and other entertainment, features for amusement of Mr Holmes’ guests on his fabulous island retreat.” (Advertiser, June 12, 1936)

Holmes bought the island from Bishop Estate to use as a tuna-packing factory. As he wasn’t satisfied with the size of the island, he decided to enlarge it to 28 acres, more than double its original size, using material taken from a sandbar in Kaneohe Bay.

Holmes had a vision of creating a private paradise, so while working on increasing the size of the island he also enhanced it by building a saltwater swimming pool and fishponds (which later became useful for HIMB) and adding numerous exotic plants and trees.

He also built a bowling alley, brought a shooting gallery from an amusement park in San Francisco, and built bars at several spots on the island. The boat was used in the movie ‘Wake of the Red Witch,’ starring John Wayne. (Parkvall)

The stately silhouette of the Seth Parker remained intact until Holmes’ death in 1944. The masts were removed around 1945. Some attempt was made to maintain the hull during the next few years, but the ship slowly rotted away.

A fire in the 1960s accelerated the ship’s demise. As the paint on the hull wore off, the original name Georgette and home port of San Francisco became visible. (Offshore Radio Guide)

“If you’ve ever seen a bleached and crumbling skeleton of some large animal on the sands of a mainland desert, you’ll have an idea what the Seth Parker looks like today.”

“Her masts are gone, her bow sprit has long since rotted away, her hull is drab and peeling, part of her deck rail has disintegrated and hunks have rotted out of her decks. Even the bar and theater and baubles that gave her her final claim to glory have been stripped away.” (Advertiser, June 12, 1936)

Today all that is left is a mound of green vegetation where the Seth Parker once was berthed. For many years the wheel of the ship was on display in the main house on Coconut Island, but the wheel was later donated to the Hawai‘i Maritime Center at Honolulu Harbor. (Offshore Radio Guide)

Follow Peter T Young on Facebook

Follow Peter T Young on Google+

Follow Peter T Young on LinkedIn

Follow Peter T Young on Blogger