You are here

Home » World War II History to Be Recounted at Pu'ukohola Heiau National Historic Site

World War II History to Be Recounted at Pu'ukohola Heiau National Historic Site

Share
By Kurt Repanshek - January 15th, 2010

The Hawaiian islands saw much action during World War II. This U.S. Army Corps of Engineers photos depicts soldiers firing artillery on the island of Hawaii.

World War II history runs deep in the national parks of the Pacific. Much of that history is told at the World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument, which includes the USS Arizona Memorial. But you'll be able to learn more about the role that military bases in Hawaii played during the war by attending a special presentation later this month at Pu'ukohola Heiau National Historic Site, also found on the island of Hawaii (the Big Island).

According to Jim Browne of the Marine Corps League, “More than 55,000 Marines, Navy Corpsman and Seabees trained at Camp Tarawa [in Waimea]…a total of 5,145 were listed as killed in action or died from their wounds and 18,029 were wounded in action in the invasions of Saipan-Tinian and Iwo Jima.” Before these important battles had taken place, these men drilled in Waimea, trained in their tanks in the sugarcane fields of Hamakua and took part in a mock invasion of Iwo Jima along the Kohala Coast, where multi-million dollar resorts now stand.

On Friday, January 29 from 10:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m. the historic site will host a special “Talk Story” program that will highlight the unique role of Hawaii Island during World War II. Jim Browne of the Marine Corps League, Camp Tarawa Detachment #1255 will retell some of the stories that came out of Waimea and the Kohala Coast during World War II and will offer park visitors a chance to ask questions about life on Hawaii Island during the War.

If you are interested in attending this unique program, you should contact the park’s Visitor Center at (808) 882-7218 Ext. 1011.

Add comment

CAPTCHA

This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.

Image CAPTCHA
Enter the characters shown in the image.

The Essential RVing Guide

The Essential RVing Guide to the National Parks

The National Parks RVing Guide, aka the Essential RVing Guide To The National Parks, is the definitive guide for RVers seeking information on campgrounds in the National Park System where they can park their rigs. It's available for free for both iPhones and Android models.

This app is packed with RVing specific details on more than 250 campgrounds in more than 70 parks.

You'll also find stories about RVing in the parks, some tips if you've just recently turned into an RVer, and some planning suggestions. A bonus that wasn't in the previous eBook or PDF versions of this guide are feeds of Traveler content: you'll find our latest stories as well as our most recent podcasts just a click away.

So whether you have an iPhone or an Android, download this app and start exploring the campgrounds in the National Park System where you can park your rig.