The Big Guns of Waikiki (1913-1950)

 The modern day resort of Waikiki, a few miles east of downtown Honolulu is a tourist paradise. A strip of modern stylish hotels nestles between a spectacular palm tree fringed white sand beach and the Ala Wai Canal which was built in the 1920s to drain the wetlands on which the resort is built. It might come as a surprise to find that a short walk from the main strip will reveal a fascinating piece of layered military history - now incorporating the U.S. Army Museum of Hawaii. During the Second World War and up until the end of the Vietnam War Fort DeRussy was designated as a recreational area and covered a much larger acreage than the corner of parkland which remains.

The U.S. Army Museum, Fort DeRussy

Danuta's painting of the Museum

Following the annexation of Hawaii in the late 19th Century, various coastal defences were planned in order to protect naval installations and vessels at Pearl Harbor - known as a 'ring of steel' encircling the island of Oahu. the precursor to Fort DeRussy, Battery Randolph, was built in 1911 though it was not rendered operational until 1913. 

Being familiar with the Moncrieff 'disappearing guns' on the island of Flat Holm in the Severn estuary I was fascinated to discover that the two M1904 14 inch guns mounted on Fort Randolph in 1913 were of the same type. Cranked up into a firing position, when fired they would 'disappear' into a purpose built cistern before being reloaded and fired again. In the U.S. Army Museum (opened in 1976) which now occupies parts of the old Battery, there is superb model of a similiar disappearing gun which was installed at Battery Selfridge - near Pearl Harbor. The model which is 1:10 scale is a 12-inch M1895 on an M1901 disappearing carriage was made for the U.S. Patent Office.

7-inch naval gun at Fort DeRussy

14-inch 'disappearing' gun

The original guns were scrapped after World War 2, but one of the two 7-inch naval guns which replaced them is still in situ albeit 'blinded' by museum buildings built on the top level of the old battery. The replacement guns were repurposed from the battleship USS New Hampshire though they were never fired in anger once mounted on shore. Alongside the 7-inch gun is a Vietnam War era Bell AH-1 Cobra helicopter (often called a HueyCobra or Snake). Unfortunately it is not possible to look seaward from the top of the museum building because of modifications to the original structure. However, in the rooms below there is a really interesting chronological display covering the history of the U.S. Army involvement on Hawaii from the days of annexation through to the present time.

Tail fin of the HueyCobra chopper at DeRussy Park

Japanese Type 95 Ha-Go Tank

Obviously the Second World War features heavily, and to reinforce the point there are a couple of second World War era tanks parked in front of the museum - a US M24 Chafee and a Japanese Type 95 Ha-Go light tank. The latter, which was operated by a crew of three and was equipped with a 37mm main gun and two  machine guns, was captured on Makin Atoll by the 27th Infantry Division in November 1943. 

So there you are, facinating military history can be found in the most unexpected places. Waikiki isn't all about surfing and attending the odd luau!

For my blog post on Pearl Harbor - click here.

To learn more about military heritage hiking trails on Oahu - click here. 

For my Oahu, Hawaii photo album - click here. 

Beyond Pearl Harbor: Walking the Military History Trails on Oahu (1898-1950)

 The annexation of Hawaii was approved by the US Congress in July 1898, following the Spanish-American War of that year and the acquisition of a new and substantial  'colony' - the Philippines. The vast natural harbour at Pearl had assumed huge strategic importance and the building of defensive structures on the island of Oahu started immediately. Although access to much of the island's military heritage is restricted, there are a number of spectacular hiking trails that cover decommissioned gun batteries, pill boxes and forts. Perhaps the most popular is the Diamond Head Trail - indeed it is so popular that the Hawaii State Park Authority has been obliged to restrict numbers which is why a ticket must be purchased in advance.

Diamond Head Volcano from Honolulu

If you are staying in Waikiki then the start of the trail is easily accessed via a $3 public bus trip. The nearest stop is perhaps half a mile from the start of the trail (the blue line Waikiki Tourist Trolley gets you right up to the park entrance). In the picture above, one can see the crater of the extinct Diamond Head (Le-'ahi) volcano. The trail is on the extreme right of the massif and Fort Ruger is on the highest point of the crater rim. From 1906 onwards, a network of tunnels was carved into the mountain, and gun emplacements were placed atop the crater rim along with observation posts and bunkers. The Fort was substantially reinforced during the Second World War - though the guns were never fired in anger.

The walk to the top is best tackled early in the morning before the heat becomes too oppressive, and take plenty of water. The trail, which was built to provide access to Fort Ruger for the garrison and for the provision of supplies, is about a mile long and winds through tunnels and emplacements before culminating in a very lengthy stairway which takes the visitor up to the highest point. Once at the top, the views over Waikiki and Honolulu are magnificent. Even with the ticketing system, the route can be crowded - its' proximity to the tourist hotspot of Waikiki and the fact that it makes for a doable day trip for cruise passengers makes it a popular destination (another reason to get up there early in the day). 

Honolulu from Diamond Head

Another popular 'pillbox' hike on Oahu is the Lanikai (Ka'iwa) Pillbox Trail. Again, the start of the trail can be reached by public transport from Waikiki although it is necessary to change buses in the lovely town of Kailua - an upmarket resort with a spectacular white sand beach. This is the winward side of the island so expect big waves and lots of surf. After completing the hike one can either walk straight off the trail and take a dip on the superb Lanikai beach or head into Kailua where the ocean side facilities are better - sporting beach showers and restaurants.

Lanikai Beach

The Lanikai Pillbox Trail is not for the faint hearted. There is a sign at the bottom saying that many hikers get into trouble and that the emergency services are frequently called to the area. I'd hooked up with a Korean Doctor who, having alighted at the same bus stop as me, was obviously looking to hike the trail. With a medical practitioner in tow I figured that if I did get into trouble then help would be on hand! The trail is just under two miles but the route up is extremely steep and at times felt more like a rock climb than a walk. The two graffiti covered 1943 'hardened' observation posts offer fantastic views though, so the effort was worth it. 

One of the Lanikai Observation Posts

The Kaneohe Naval Air Station a few miles up the coast was one of the first targets of the Japanese attack on the US Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor on the 7th December 1941. The Imperial Japanese Navy were keen to protect the location of their carrier fleet so the seaplanes at Kaneohe were to be knocked out before the main attack. The base is still active so access is not possible.

Even further north on the windward coast is the Kualoa Ranch - known as Jurassic Valley because of its' choice as a location for a series of blockbuster Hollywood movies. The ranch incorporates parts of the Second World War era Kualoa Airfield and it is possible to take a tour which covers some of the wartime installations. In particular the bunkers and tunnels of the Cooper Battery which were used as locations for the HBO series 'Lost'. Inside one of the tunnels there is an exhibition covering the wartime history along with various props from the movies filmed nearby - including the polar bear from 'Lost'.

Jurassic Valley and King Kong's Ribcage!

My stay on the island was just ten days, and so my exploration time was pretty limited. Suffice to say that there is plenty more to explore - although Pearl Harbor, dwarfs everything in terms of scale, significance and interest. Many of the observation posts, gun positions and airfields were built on Oahu after the 7th December 1941 attack. My initial thoughts were along the lines of 'shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted' but upon reflection it was clearly appropriate to bolster the defences on the island, given the criticality of the Pacific Fleet to the four year struggle with Japan which followed on from the 'Day of Infamy'. A comparison with Malta in the Mediterranean seems appropriate - both the location for a large natural harbour and each peppered with airfields and other military assets.

My Flickr portfolio of Oahu images here.

My Flickr portfolio of Pearl Harbor images here.