Kii; USGS abt 1942
Images of Old Hawaiʻi
November 1, 2019 by Peter T Young
https://imagesofoldhawaii.com/kualoa-airfield/
Kualoa Airfield
O‘ahu used to be nearly twice as big as it is now. (Thompson) The Island consists of two major shield volcanoes: Waiʻanae and Koʻolau; the eroded remnants of which are the Waiʻanae Range and the Koʻolau Range.
Waiʻanae is the older of the two (breaking the ocean surface ~3.9 to ~2.8 million-years ago) and makes up the western part of O‘ahu. Koʻolau volcano started as a seamount above the Hawaiian hotspot around 4-million years ago. It broke sea level some time prior to 2.9-million years ago.
Mokoliʻi (Chinaman’s Hat) and Mokuoloe (Coconut Island) are erosional remnants of the bedrock Koʻolau basalt; Kapapa and Kekepa (Turtleback) Islands are of limestone; and Ahu O Laka Island is a sand bar that is uncovered at low tide. (Moberly)
Kualoa is an ancient Hawaiian land division (ahupua‘a) at the north end of Kāne‘ohe Bay, windward O‘ahu. The ahupua‘a extends from the coast to the top of the nearly vertical, fluted mountain behind.
Kualoa is important as a symbol of sovereignty and independence for O’ahu, its role as a place of refuge, its role as a place where sacrificial victims for religious rituals were drowned, and its history as a sacred residence of chiefs.
In modern time, Coast Artillery existed as a distinct branch within the Army since 1901 and as a combatant “line” arm after 1920. Its stated mission was to protect fleet bases, defeat naval and air attacks against cities and harbors, undertake beach defense while acting as army or theater reserve artillery, and provide a mine-planter service.
Prior to WWII, Oʻahu defenses were divided between Pearl Harbor and Honolulu Harbor; however, with more military facilities being constructed on the island, the coastal defense program also expanded.
The area of Kualoa Regional Park has been modified in the past as a result of different land uses. Prior to World War II the lands were part of the sugarcane plantation of Kualoa.
The lands were converted to a fighter airfield during the World War II period, and reverted to grazing use after the war. The City and County of Honolulu condemned the land in the 1970s and converted it into a park.
Kii: USGS-1951
Behind the beach at Kualoa Beach Park and running into the Kualoa Ranch property was a temporary facility used for a World War II airfield.
Kualoa airfield was evidently constructed during the early portion of WWII (maybe around 1942) and probably used as a satellite field for units assigned to Bellows Field, and was used mainly for training.
Kii; USGS 1942
The earliest depiction of the field which has been located was a May 10, 1942 photo of Kualoa Field, which showed the field as having a single north/south runway.
It was depicted as having a single 6,500′ (north-south) runway. No evidence suggests that Kualoa was ever paved.
The entire runway was formed of pierced steel planking. The steel planking makes a strong case that the military had no plans to keep Kualoa open any longer than it was needed.
The road to Ka‘a‘awa and farther up to the north shore crossed over Kualoa’s runway, so the cars would have to wait whenever an airplane took off.
A row of revetments for protected aircraft parking was along the west side of the runway.
In about 1944, construction project ‘302’ was started for Kaneohe’s 3rd battery. It had two 6-inch guns, built at the northern reaches of Kāneʻohe Bay. Local engineers modified the conventional plans to fit local geographic conditions.
The battery was not named until after the end of the war (it was later named, Battery Cooper (after Avery J Cooper)) and it served for about 5-years as part of the World War II-era coastal defense program.
The 28th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, operating P-38, F-4 and A-24 aircraft was stationed at Kualoa between October 9, 1944 and May 8, 1945. The 18th Fighter Group, operating P-40s, also was stationed there briefly.
Since Kualoa Field had been constructed on land that was not owned by the military, it was returned to its original owners after WW2.
The Kualoa Airfield was closed at some point between 1944-1947 (as it was labeled “Kualoa AAB (Closed)” on the 1947 Hawaiian Islands Sectional Chart.)
Kii: USGS
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Images of Old Hawaii
Islands in the Baymages of Old Hawaiʻi
November 16, 2016 by Peter T Young
https://imagesofoldhawaii.com/islands-in-the-bay/
With the Bay as our backyard, we were fortunate kids growing up on Kāneʻohe Bay. Within the body of water were a number of small islands we would boat to, camp at, fish, party, etc.
Mokoliʻi (little lizard)
Kii: Kualoa Ranch -Mokolii
While Hiʻiaka the goddess (Pele’s younger sister) was returning to meet with Pele, as she approached Kualoa, she came upon a moʻo (lizard, dragon) who tried to stop her.
Hiʻiaka crushed the evil moʻo and left a piece of his tail as a landmark – Mokoliʻi at Kualoa (his body became the foothills below the steep Kualoa cliffs (‘long back’.))
Today, because of the obvious shape of the island, many generally refer to Mokoliʻi Island as “Chinaman’s Hat.” We’d land and camp on the seaward side. Back then, we’d also climb to the top of the island (about 306-feet high.)
Kii: Kanaloa o Kāneʻohe - Moku Kapapa
Kapapa (shoal island)
As recently as the 1950s, scholars from Bishop Museum conducted modest digs on Kapapa. In addition to the koʻa, their work revealed a canoe house and also unearthed tools, jewelry and human remains (and reportedly a heiau.)
“Kapapa was always an important stopover for fishermen. It was difficult to navigate in the bay of Kane‘ohe, because of the patch reefs. But Kapapa is outside the reefs, and fishermen would always go there to camp and to dry their catch.” (Kawelo; Hollier)
Kapapa Island is located two miles off the shore of Kaneʻohe Bay. The small island is inhabited by many seabirds. These seabirds fledge anywhere from 150 to 300 chicks a year. (Sabado)
“Seabirds are really sensitive to the intensity and frequency of human activities. Adult birds can fly away, but the chicks are stationary in their burrows. The main thing is that having people around affects the nesting birds and the seabirds’ ability to reproduce.” (Misaki; Sabado)
The islet is protected as a sanctuary with access restricted, as well as prohibited activities on the island to permit holders only.
While Kapapa was once used recreationally for fishing and camping (things we frequently did,) visitors are now limited to just fishing, and only around the perimeter of the island in the daytime; the islet is closed to access between sunset and sunrise.
Ahu O Laka (Alter of Laka)
I have heard of three different traditional stories associated with the naming of Ahu O Laka. The first references the sand and links this site to Laka, goddess of the Hula.
The second refers to Chief Laka, born in Haili, Hilo. He reportedly died in Kualoa (some say on the island) and was subsequently buried in ‘Iao Valley (a place reserved for the highest of chiefs.)
The final story suggests that the place served as an ancient dividing line between fishers from the regions of Kualoa and Kailua.
Kii: Life Moku o Loe- 1937
As a kid, we called it ‘Sand Island’ (it went along with the “Island” references we used in the bay, i.e. Coconut Island and Coral Island.) Over time, the common name transitioned to Sand Bar. At low tide it forms into an island, otherwise it is covered with water.
Moku O Loʻe (Loʻe’s Island)
Three brothers, Kahoe, Kahuauli and Pahu, and their sister, Loʻe, were sent from ʻEwa to live in Kāneʻohe. Kahuauli was a farmer at Luluku (in the area of Puʻu Kahuauli).
Kahoe was a farmer near Haiku and Keaʻahala; and Pahu was a fisherman in Pohakea (in the area of Puʻu Pahu). Loʻe lived on Moku o Loʻe (Loʻe’s island). (Jokiel, HIMB)
It came under the ownership of Bishop Estate. In 1933, Chris Holmes, owner of Hawaiian Tuna Packers (later, Coral Tuna) and heir to the Fleischmann yeast fortune, purchased the island for his tuna-packing factory.
Later, Holmes tried to transform Coconut Island into his own private paradise. He enlarged the island, built the ponds, harbors and seawall surrounding the island (it even housed a small zoo for a short time with donkeys, a giraffe, monkeys and a baby elephant.) (HIMB)
He also planted large numbers of coconut palms which gave rise to its popular name, ‘Coconut Island.’
After Chris Holmes passed away in 1944 Coconut Island was used for an Army Rest & Recreation center; later Edwin Pauley bought it and a concept plan was developed to use the island as a millionaire’s playground and exclusive resort, an ultimate “retreat for tired businessmen.”
By the early 1950s Edwin Pauley was approached by the marine biologists at the UH’s fledgling Marine Laboratory to use the island’s boat facilities as a base for their research vessel. (HIMB)
Instead of a millionaire’s playground, the island became a haven for world-class scientists at the Hawaiʻi Institute for Marine Biology (HIMB) (and it was featured in the opening scene of Gilligan’s Island, a 1960s television sitcom.)
Coral Island
The earliest modifications to the natural marine environment of Kane‘ohe Bay were those made by the ancient Hawaiians. The construction of walled fishponds along the shore was perhaps the most obvious innovation.
The development of terraces and a complex irrigation network for the cultivation of taro no doubt had an effect on stream flow, reducing total runoff into the Bay.
Then they started to dredge (records of dredging permits issued by the Army Corps began in 1915.) Almost all of the early permits were for boat landings, piers and wharves, including the 1,200-foot wharf at Kokokahi and the 500-foot wharf at Moku O Loʻe for Hawaiian Tuna Packers (in 1934.)
Kii: Kanaloa o Kāne‘ohe
Although some dredging was involved in the construction of piers and small boat basins, probably the first extensive dredging was done in 1937 when 56,000 cubic yards were dredged “from the coral reef in Kāne‘ohe Bay” by the Mokapu Land Co., Ltd.
The great bulk of all reef material dredged in Kane‘ohe Bay was removed in connection with the construction at Mokapu of the Kane‘ohe Naval Air Station (now Marine Corps Base Hawai‘I – dredging for the base began on September 27, 1939, and continued throughout World War II.)
Appropriately named because it was formed by stockpiling coral dredge material on a nearby reef, at low tide it was a single island but became two when the tide came in. A small cove was on the lee side of the larger island, this is where we anchored.
‘Coral Island’ is now gone; constant pressure from the tides and waves leveled and lost the island.
Like any other place, use and demeanor here and elsewhere should be courteous and respectful. This does not mean we can’t have a good time while enjoying the Bay, but it does place responsibility on each of us to understand, care about and, ultimately, care for special places in Hawai‘i.
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A interesting upu we would like to share for the waters off Paliku( Kualoa), Hakipuu, Waikane, Waiahole to Kaneohe. This lua chant has some interesting kaona entwined in its meaning. Passed down from F.L.K. of Hakipuu to his ohana. F.L.K. was born in Kohala, Hawaii in 1870's and settled in Hakipuu as a young boy where he became familiar with his wife's ohana and their lawaia practices. F.L.K. was one of the last of his ohana to learn the art of lua from his father and tutu, who were both born in Kohala, Hawaii
Source: K.K.
Ke kahe nei ke au i Kapapa
Ma kahi e kahe ai ka hee
I ka maha lipoa o Laa
He kole maka onaona no na kupa
Ke haa mai la o Mokolii
I ke kai o hee ko Kapapa, moku o Hina
Sa manamana!
The visitors arrive to our shores
Mingling about and taking with little concern
From the grove of Laka, precious to the natives
The natives are agitated in the troubled waters of their home.
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