Another Day of History and Memories

Another day for visiting special historical places--especially filled with memories for our dad.  Today, we would be visiting Punchbowl, or the National Cemetery of the Pacific. 

Since we would be outside again, we were thrilled that it was such a beautiful day.  This was the view from our balcony.

From the Website:  "In ancient times, the extinct volcanic Punchbowl Crater was known as Puowaina which means 'Consecrated Hill' or 'Hill of Sacrifice.'  It was the site of many secret Ali'i (royal) burials and a place where offenders of certain Kapus (taboos) were sacrificed."

 
Today, the Hill of Sacrifice is the location of the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific where approximately 53,000 World War I, World War II, the Korean, and Vietnam veterans and their dependents have been interred.  Today, almost the only veterans that can be placed there are if they are cremated; however casketed and cremated remains of eligible family members of those already interred there are buried above their veteran family member, we were told.

Notice how the flag at the entrance into the cemetery (picture above) is flying at half-mast.  We were told that they do this every day until about 2:00 p.m., I believe, since all burials are in the morning, and this is a tribute to those who have died who served their country no matter what day they are buried.

My dad and Joyce looking to the top of the memorial.  Along each side are ten marble slabs called Courts of the Missing which contain the names of 28,788 military personnel who are missing in action or were lost or buried in the sea in the Pacific during World War II, the Korean War, and some of the Vietnam War.

At the top of the staircase in the Court of Honor is a statue of Lady Columbia, also known as Lady Liberty or Justice.  She is representing all grieving mothers.  She stands on the bow of a ship holding a laurel branch, the symbol of peace. 

The inscription is taken from Abraham Lincoln's letter to Mrs. Bixby, who lost five sons in the Civil War:

"The solemn pride that must be yours, To have laid so costly a sacrifice upon the altar of freedom."

View from the top of the stairs, looking down.  Notice that it is after 2:00 p.m. and the flag is now fully raised.

A small chapel is located behind Lady Columbia where the Star of David, Christian Cross, and Buddhist Wheel are seen.  This is a non-sectarian place of worship and contemplation.

On either side of the chapel are maps and descriptions of all the wartime activities that took place.  Dad had us reading them to him, telling his first-hand remembrances of all that had happened in each of the places.

Dad was especially interested in the Battle at Iwo Jima.  As a flight engineer, he realized all too well that if that island wasn't taken, their planes couldn't fly all the way of Japan and back on one fuel tank of gas.  Many pilots and their crews went on a one-way flight to Japan, knowing they would have to parachute down and become prisoners of war, or would die.  

As the above narrative tells:  The battle raged on there for 26 days until it was finally captured.  

Of the 22,060 Japanese soldiers entrenched on the island, 21,844 died either from fighting or by ritual suicide. Only 216 were captured during the battle. According to the official Navy Department Library website, "The 36-day (Iwo Jima) assault resulted in more than 26,000 American casualties, including 6,800 dead."

The narrative on the plaque above states:  "The seizure of Iwo Jim entailed heavy American casualties (26,000), but even before the capture of the island had been completed, its great importance as an air base was demonstrated.  (There were three air fields there making it a perfect place for our planes to land and refuel.)  The Bombardment of Japan was intensified, combat effectiveness was increased;  undoubtedly the number of Americans whose lives were saved by the operation of this air base exceeded the number lost in its capture."    Wow!  No wonder the raising of the flag at Iwo Jima was such an important moment that it has been immortalized in a statue which we all can identify.

Suddenly, Natalie showed us how all the trees along the side were pruned to look like wreaths.  We thought that was so fitting.

We then took a walk along the "Memorial Walk" that is lined with a variety of memorial markers from various organizations a d government that honor America's veterans.  There are at least 60 boulders containing bronze plaques along the pathway.  At the top, there is a lookout point.  Here, Dad, Beverly, and I are looking over at Honolulu.

Since it isn't that large of a city, you can identify almost everything you see.  The beautiful ocean is in the background.

We then decided to drive around where the graves are.  Here we stopped to see the grave sites and where they buried the first war dead.  Joyce thought of this picture of having Beverly and I sit on these big Banyan tree roots.

Here our dad was looking at those markers.

The first interment was made January 4, 1949.  The cemetery opened to the public on July 19, 1949, with services for five war dead:  an unknown serviceman, two Marines, an Army lieutenant and one civilian--noted war correspondent Ernie Pyle.  Our father remembered reading his many articles about the war.  Ernie Pyle was one of the few civilians awarded the Purple Heart for his journalism of the war, and he also received the Pulitzer Price for his folksy-type reporting that always championed what the soldiers went through.  Sadly, he was killed by a Japanese sniper while he was out with some of the soldiers.

Another person that we really identified with was Ellison Onizuka who was buried near these first five.  He was the Japanese astronaut who was killed with all of the other astronauts in the ill-fated Challenger explosion in 1986.  

As I have said before, our dad has always taken us to Presidential Libraries, state capitals, the national capital, and many other historical places of interest since we were children.  That is the reason we all have gained such a love of history.  I know that my husband, along with my sisters and their spouses, have continued this tradition in our own homes.  After visiting this memorial, I was reminded and certainly hope our grandchildren grow up with a pride for our country, our servicemen, and what it means to have freedom in America.

After spending several hours at the Cemetery, we went to a mall which was decorated with beautiful growing plants, and had a wonderful meal there at Macaroni Grill.  Then, of course, you get girls together--you know you are going to shop!  We got Dad a new Hawaiian shirt and some new jeans.  He seemed to really like our choices!