Department of Defense

The Hawaii National Guard’s ability to accomplish its assigned State mission was evident when in February and March of 1975, Guard units were ordered to State active service by the Governor to provide assistance at the Hawaii State Prison. The operation was carried out by the Hawaii Army and Air National Guard in a highly efficient and professional manner.

– 1975 Annual Report pp. 1

Elements of the Hawaii Army National Guard were ordered to State active service by the Governor to provide assistance at the Hawaii State Prison from Feb. 10 to Mar. 31 , 1975. In the first four days, a total of 810 guardsmen participated in a search operation. The cost of the entire operation amounted to $82,805.05.

– 1975 Annual Report pp. 4

During the period Feb. 10 to Mar. 31 , 1975, elements of the Hawaii Army National Guard were ordered to State active service by the Governor to provide assistance at the Hawaii State Prison. This operation involved a total of 810 Guardsmen during the first four days of search operations. Subsequently, a force of 32 men was placed on 24-hour duty daiIy at the prison to provide guards for the towers and to provide a reserve force. The mission was to assist the civil authorities in restoring order to the Hawaii State Prison and to insure safety of prison inmates , the prison staff and the general public. The mission was accomplished without any incidents. The operation cost the State of Hawaii $82,805.05.

– 1975 Annual Report pp. 10

The Brigade was called to perform civil disturbance duties at the Hawaii State Prison on Feb. 10, 1975. A task force composed of men from the 1st Battalion, 487th Field Artillery , two companies from 1st Battalion, 299th Infantry, and a detachment of engineers from the 227th Engineer Company moved into the prison and began search operations as part of the State’s stability and reorganization program. The task force was followed by elements of the 159th Service Battalion, which was assigned to the 29th Brigade at that time. The highly efficient and professional manner of operations by those involved set the pace for the entire operation that followed.

– 1975 Annual Report pp. 11

The 154th FIG civil disturbance team members responded to the call up of the HNG for duty at the Hawaii State Prison

– 1975 Annual Report pp. 17

February of 1975 found Task Force Guard, the civil disturbance control element of the Hawaii Air
National Guard, deployed to Oahu Prison with the Army Guard to conduct searches for contraband and weapons. LtCol William E. Mossman of HQ HANG directed the operation. After the initial phase, HANG men augmented the Army Guardsmen who remained at the prison until new prison security guards could be trained.

– HANG Twenty Five Plus Five- History of the Hawaii Air National Guard 4 November 1971 to 3 and 5 November 1976 pp. 7

The HANG Task Force Guard responded to a call-up of the HNG for duty at the Hawaii State Prison. Under the command of Lt Col William Mossman, the team searched for weapons and contraband drugs. The operation was successful and many members of the team participated on an individual basis for approximately two additional months.

– HANG Twenty Five Plus Five- History of the Hawaii Air National Guard 4 November 1971 to 3 and 5 November 1976 pp. 15

In February 1975, Task Force Guard went into action. The civil disturbance control element of the Hawaii Air National Guard deployed to Oahu Prison with the Army Guard to conduct searches for contraband and weapons. Lt. Col. William E. Mossman of HQ HANG directed the operation. After the initial phase, the HANG men augmented the Army Guardsmen who remained at the prison until new prison security guards could be trained.

– Mo’olelo Kahiko Helu Ekahi- Tradition of Excellence 40th Anniversary Hawaii Air National Guard pp. 21

Third time in 16 months

National Guard Activated In Hawaii Prison Shakedown

By Bob Barr
Associated Press Writer

HONOLULU AP- Some inmates of the Hawaii State Prison could get drugs, knievs, guns and
liquor. They could escape with inside help.

But it was no country club. None could be sure of getting clean quarters or food that wasn’t contaminated by vermin or rats.

For the third time in 16 months, national guardsmen in riot gear were called in to take over security.
The guardsmen quickly turned up a gun, hundreds of knives and clubs, marijuana and homemade liquor.

(A special task force from the 487th Field Artillery Battalion, under the command of Col. Paul Nakamura, HARNG chief of staff, went into the prision at around 7 a. m. Feb. 10. Many of the more than 200 Army guardsmen were veterans of this type of training having been ordered to duty for the first prison takeover in the fall of 1973.

Midway during the week, the Army guardsmen were replaced by Air Guard troops, headed by Lt. Col. Bill Mossman. The Air Guardsmen were picked from the 201st Mobile Communications Squadron, the 154th Fighter Group and the 269th AC& W Squadron.

By Mar. 4 the guardsmen found a hatchet, two hammers, nine cane knives, baseballs, a .32 caliber
pistol, five swords, 100 rounds of ammunition, 200 knife-like objects, 75 club-like objects, 100 assorted
tools, barbituates, marijuana, hashish oil, numerous keys for cells and padlocks, 25 gallons of swipe (home brew) and fishing lines which police said were used to bring contraband into the prison through the toilets.)

“Certain prisoners who had the right connections could escape, could have guns and other contraband brought in to them” said Lt. Gov. Nelson Doi.

“Some of the prison guards were hopelessly involved, and the only out was to train a new staff.”
The state corrections administrator resigned and 36 of the prison’s 108 guards were transferred to other state jobs.

The problems were not new. Guards were taken hostage in two major disturbances in 1974. In the past year four guns have been confiscated and 10 of the 200 prisoners have escaped.

What went wrong at Hawaii State Prison? State legislators toured the overcrowded prison in January and reported finding filthy toilets and showers, unlighted musty corridors and evidence of vermin in food.

“Inmates are living and being treated like animals,” said Rep. Stanley Roehrig, chairman of the state House Judiciary Committee. Legislators said there was little rehabilitation effort, and $200,000 earmarked for the purpose hadn’t been spent.

“The one thing that impressed me most was the lack of rules for guards and inmates,” said Rep. Steve Cobb.

“A new guard gets a few hours to read some manuals, but gets no training in self defense and very little step-by-step training.” Pay was low and absenteeism high, investigators said.

Because prisoners and guards often came from the same low-income neighborhoods, guards were susceptible to threats against themselves and their families, Cobb said.

Doi said the situation had become hopeless, and blamed lack of leadership.

New guards are being trained, and some national guardsmen will remain at the prison for at least 30 days.

To some officials, the situation seemed familiar. On Oct. 5, 1973, guardsmen marched into the 60- year old prison to deal with virtually the same situation that came to a climax this week.

The guardsmen returned six weeks later.

Three years before that, work began on a master plan for corrections. Legislators are still working on that plan.

– 1975 Spring Pūpūkahi pp. 5, 7