ORGANIZATION AND TRAINING

A. Status of Organization

Hq (7 Hq Det Hawaii National Guard. 613th Ord (MM) Co and all Honolulu elements of the 298th RCT were moved to Fort Ruger. Oahu, with first unit arriving on February 15, 1950.

– 1949-1950 Annual Report pp. 18

SUPPLY AND MAINTENANCE (FEDERAL)

OFFICE OF UNITED STATES PROPERTY AND DISBURSING OFFICER

The greatest single contribution, however, was made by army in granting the facilities at Fort Ruger for use by National Guard units stationed in Honolulu. This more than anything else solidified the position of the Guard, enabling concentration of units with more adequate facilities then previously enjoyed.

– 1949-1950 Annual Report pp. 28

Additional federal funds in the amount of $166,519.00 were expended during the past year for maintenance and repair of National Guard facilities in the Territory of Hawaii. The repairs included mainly the rehabilitation of facilities at Fort Ruger and the installation of floodlights throughout the Territory of Hawaii.

– 1949-1950 Annual Report pp. 30

One new armory was completed and a second one was placed under contract during Fiscal Year 1962. A new one-unit armory on the interior of Diamond Head Crater was completed and accepted on 12 April 1962. This armory will house the 613th Ordnance Company (Direct Support) of the Hawaii Army National Guard. Cost of the new armory was $189,000.00 of which the Federal share was $115,000.00 and the State paid $74,000.00. Location of the new armory ties in with the overall master plan for the Fort Ruger area and places it in close proximity to the proposed location of the new Combined Field Maintenance Shop which is scheduled to be constructed in Diamond Head Crater during Fiscal Year 1963.

– 1962 Annual Report pp. 17

Two large non-armory construction projects located inside of Diamond Head Crater were awarded during Fiscal Year 1963. The first project was for the construction of a U.S. Property & Fiscal Officer Warehouse and Administrative Office. This project consists of a one story masonry building containing approximately 28,000 square feet, costing a total of $335,586.00, of which the Federal Government is paying $272,530.00 and the State is paying $63,056.00.

The second project is the construction of a Combined Field Maintenance Shop which is designed to provide third echelon maintenance support for vehicles and equipment assigned to units of the Hawaii Army National Guard. This building will also be a one-story structure of combined steel and concrete masonry construction containing approximately 20,300 square feet. Total cost of this project is $370,258.00, of which the State is paying $18,950.00, and the Federal Government $351,308.00.

– 1963 Annual Report pp. 18

Two large new Non-armory construction projects on the interior of Diamond Head Crater were approaching completion as of the end of the reporting period. The first of these projects is the United States Property & Fiscal Office Building, which is a large modern building of reinforced concrete and concrete masonry construction containing a total of 28,000 square feet of floor space. The building will provide administrative office space for the United States Properly & Fiscal Officer and his staff, as well as for the Engineering and Maintenance Services Office of the Department of Defense. In addition, the building contains 20,000 square feet of warehouse space for the supply and logistical support of the Hawaii Army National Guard. Total cost of the building was $335,600.00 supported $273,000.00 by the Federal Government and $63,000.00 by the State of Hawaii.

The second project is the construction of a Combined Field Maintenance Shop which is designed to provide major repair and maintenance support above the organizational level for vehicles and equipment of the Hawaii Army National Guard. This building also is of reinforced concrete and concrete masonry construction containing approximately 19,800 square feet of floor area. Total cost of the project was $370,000.00 of which the Federal Government paid $351,000.00 and the State of Hawaii paid $19,000.00.

In addition to the above, a State supported contract in the amount of $87,500.00 was completed in January 1964 for the construction of an access road in Diamond Head Crater to serve the new U.S. Property & Fiscal Office Building and the Combined Field Maintenance Shop, and for the construction of a utility system including water service lines, sewer system and sewer pumping plant to serve the interior of Diamond Head Crater.

– 1964 Annual Report pp. 14

On 24 November 1965 the Honolulu Fire Department began pumping water from a large lake in Diamond Head crater. Heavy October-November rains deposited several million gallons of water in the crater. The Honolulu City and County Fire Department provided a pumper and 2000­ feet of hose in order to reduce the level of the lake. The high water had threatened nearby buildings and a sewage pumping station.

After pumping for over three weeks, the fire department had to withdraw. More rain had filled the lake again and the engine pumper proved ineffective.

On 28 January, new water pumping operations began. Twenty-seven hundred feet of borrowed Civil Defense irriation pipe was laid from the lake’s edge, through the access tunnel to a storm drainage system outside the crater. The pipe was barged from Maui and surplus pumps were given to the State by the U. S. Navy. Pumping operations continued through April until the lake disappeared.

– 1966 Annual Report pp. 19

Governor Burns’ dream becomes reality

By Gregg Kakesako

Five years ago, Governor John A. Burns was concerned that the U.S. Army planned to put housing on the slopes of Diamond Head at Fort Ruger for its military dependents.

Such a move would have meant added congestion for the State’s highways as service personnel living at Fort Ruger would have had to commute daily to Fort Shafter or Schofield Barracks.

Working through Hawaii’s congressional delegation, Burns chose to negotiate with the U.S. Army so that the State of Hawaii would buy Damon Estate land mauka of Tripler Hospital and then swap it for the Ruger land.

Despite numerous setbacks, Burns’ desires became a reality July 23 when Gen. Donald Y. Bennett, Pacific Army commander-in-chief, turned over the deed to the 51.6 acres of Federal land at Fort Ruger for Burns.

The State paid $5.4 million for the land which will eventually become the new site of Kapiolani Community College.

The sale, however, will have little effect on the Hawaii Air and Army Guard components now located at Fort Ruger, according to MajGen Valentine A. Siefermann, State adjutant general.

Siefermann said that there were already plans in the works to move the headquarters of the Hawaii Air and Army National Guard “down the road a bit” and relocate them in a new building.

He said the 1974 State Legislature appropriated nearly $2 million for such a move.

The new two-story building, which will be completed within three years, will be erected on a plot of land between 18th and 22nd A venues.

The new Guard headquarters will replace the present two-story structure at Diamond Head Road and Makapuu Avenue which was built during World War I.

Siefermann said that the National Guard will only need two acres for its building and that the Guard’s operations will not be affected by a community college facility.

The Legislature in 1969 appropriated the first million and another $5 million was added on the following year.

However, in order to use the same funds for the final purchase of the 51.6 acres’s the Legislature this year had to amend both appropriation laws so the funds could be used for an outright land purchase.

Both laws were worded in such a manner that the $6 million could only be used for a land swap.

Siefermann also noted that the Army Guard’s 227th Engineer Company will move into a new armory at Waiawa.

He added: “There is also a maintenance shop involved in the Fort Ruger sale, but further plans call for it to be consolidated with two others, thus saving the taxpayers money.”

The Fort Ruger land deal means that the Army will now only own 20.7 acres of land in the RugerDiamond Head crater area.

Of that amount, 15.3 acres is choice view lots on the slopes of Diamond Head where the Army’s Cannon Club is presently situated.

Besides housing, the Army will also have to give up a chapel, tennis courts and a teen-age recreational center.

At the July State Capitol deed transfer ceremony, both Burns and Gen. Bennett expressed pleasure in the final outcome of what had originally started off as a land swap proposal.

Bennett noted that this one was just one of the many instances where the military and the State had worked together to produce a worthwhile project. And Burns returned the compliment as he received the Army’s check from Bennett.

The Governor indicated then that the State chose finally to buy the Ruger land, rather than pursue the land swap, because of cost restrictions.

Originally, the State wanted to buy 259 acres of Damon Estate land mauka of Tripler Hospital that it would have exchanged for the Ruger land. The Army then would build its housing there.

But Federal assessments that followed proved that the deal would be too costly and the U.S. Office of Management and Budget then decided the Tripler land was unsuitable for housing and the whole idea was dropped.

Burns then decided to pursue the matter even further by negotiating with the Army to buy the Ruger land outright.

In anticipation of the Ruger land swap, the Legislature in 1969 and 1970 had appropriated nearly $6 million for the venture.

– 1974 Fall Pūpūkahi pp. 5

View makes climb worthwhile

Story/Photos by Gregg Kakesako

It only takes about a half hour up the sides of an often brown and dusty Diamond Head, but the panorama view from Point Leahi – the highest point on the rim – makes it worthwhile.

Most of us think of rock festivals or stranded hikers when talk centers around the crater of Diamond Head.

But the careful hiker knows that there are several well-marked and well-traversed trails inside the crater that lead to the rim. Once at the top, an expansive view of blue-green waters capped with sudsy waves, lush green vegetation, powdery-blue skies and the ever-expanding Waikiki skyline greets the hiker.

To hike to the rim of Point Leahi, permission must be first obtained from the Hawaii National Guard which holds the lease to Diamond Head and Ft. Ruger. The right-of-entry permit to walk up to the top of Diamond Head can be obtained from Building 5, Room 21, at Fort Ruger.

Hikers are allowed to enter the crater, except when firing range is in use.

All hikers are asked to sign a permit which sets up certain conditions and releases the State from any type of damage suits. Once that is done, a map will be furnished with the necessary directions to reach the summit.

It’s a good idea to bring along a flashlight since a good part of the Point Leahi trail is through old fortifications, bunkers dating to World War II and tunnels.

After leaving the dust-caked floor of the crater, the Point Leahi trail climbs up the crater wall in a series of zagzags. Dotted along the trail are old bunkers – long abandoned by the military and now used by visitors. Their calling cards and the poetry of our times are left scrawled on the walls with aerosol paint.

Then there are the stairs – in some places they number at least 99 – all leading to the rim. It’s a good test of one’s stamina to climb those steep and winding stairs.

Actually, there are two ways to reach the Leahi Point summit once you reach the labyrinth of World War II bunkers and fortifications. Either hike up the face of the crater to the highest point on the rim – 763 feet from the roadway below.

It is easy to see why Diamond Head was fortified with so many bunkers and used as a World War II observation point. The view is spectacular. The Army at one time had three separate command posts and a major communications center there.

During World War I numerous guns were set up and in the 1930s eight-inch thick, steel reinforced concrete walls were built to protect coastal artillery fortifications.

The guns were never fired and although they were removed after World War II, the mounts remain to this day.

A visit to the brow of the one of the world’s famous craters not only is a comfortable way to spend an afternoon, but a good chance to reflect on the history of Hawaii.

– 1975 Spring Pūpūkahi pp. 1 & 7

Letters to the editor . . .

Dear Editor:

I enjoyed your story in the Spring 1975 issue of PUPUKAHI on Diamond Head.

There is one minor, but rather interesting and noteworthy, error in the story – the next to last paragraph: “The guns were never fired … “

One day in 1968, while I was working around the Civ-Alert Broadcast Studio at Battery Harlow, two men walked up to me. They were a father and son team visiting Diamond Head. The father was about 80, and he was showing his son around where he used to work.

He was a Coastal Artillery gunner stationed at Harlow in WW-I.

“How old are your’ he asked me.

“Thirty-nine,” I said.

“Oh! You’re just a baby! You wouldn’t remember when the mortars were here. I used to be able to hit a bed sheet target from here way over there on Wiliwilinui Ridge!”

Then he told me how they forced a German “raider” frigate to surrender in 1918 off Diamond Head.

First, they signalled the raider from Diamond Head and it refused to acknowledge or change course.

So, from Harlow and Birkhimer, they lobbed at least three rounds – bracketing and in front of the ship. (The raider was similar in style and model to that of Count Von Luckner, the famous German raider in the South Pacific during WW-I.) The ship then promptly hoisted its surrender flag and sailed into Pearl Harbor, where it was seized.

He said this was a month or two before the end (November, 1918) of the war.

Published accounts say that none of our coastal artillery guns were “fired in anger.” But, according to this “I was there” gentleman, this was apparently not the case.

A few years later he passed away and his son forwarded to us all of the photographs his father had taken of Fort Ruger during WW-I.

Aloha,
STAN HARTER
Department of Defense
Communications Officer

– 1975 Summer Pūpūkahi pp. 6

A moving day

Occupants of the old Ft. Ruger complex pack up their belongings during the move to the new Department of Defense (DOD) Administration Building. The actual move was accomplished in three days with the combined assistance of commercial and State movers.

The new DOD Administration Building now houses the Office of the Adjutant General; Headquarters, Hawaii Army National Guard; Headquarters, Hawaii Air National Guard; the Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, Army Guard; the 117th Public Affairs Detachment; and several departmental administrative offices.

A special dedication ceremony for the new building is being planned for March 10, 1978 at 9:30 a.m. All members of the department are invited to attend. More details about the event will be sent to you through appropriate channels.

– 1978 March Pūpūkahi pp. 7

Building wins award

The State Department of Defense administration building at 3949 Diamond Head Road, headquarters for both the Hawaii Air and Army National Guard, was honored by the Outdoor Circle for its well-planned landscaping and excellent maintenance.

Celia Poderean, chairman of the awards committee presented Maj. Gen. Valentine A. Siefermann, the state adjutant general, with the award at a luncheon recently at Paradise Park.

The award is presented to government agencies, or private businesses for outstanding landscaping and most importantly, the continued maintenance of the landscape.

“We monitor the site for two to three years”, said Podorean.

Poderean, who lives close to the Diamond Head facility and jogs past the building daily, personally selected the DOD building for the award.

The 34,000 sq. ft. two-story concrete building was completed in March 1978 at a cost of $1,305,306.

The building houses the Office of the State Adjutant General, the Headquarters, Hawaii Army National Guard; the Headquarters, Hawaii Air National Guard and several departmental staff offices.

The Outdoor Circle, known for being instrumental in outlawing billboards in Hawaii, is an all-volunteer organization devoted to beautifying Hawaii.

– 1979 December Pūpūkahi pp. 7

DOD launches new parks project

The Hawaii Army National Guard has begun a pilot community service project which its author, U.S. Sen. Spark M. Matsunaga, hopes will serve “as a model for a national program” designed to rehabilitate the country’s parks and other recreational areas.

The program, entitled “The Hawaii Environmental Defense Project,” was announced jointly by Matsunaga and Gov. George R. Ariyoshi on September 24 at a special news conference attended by Maj. Gen. Valentine A. Siefermann, commander of the Hawaii National Guard and state adjutant general, and Brig. Gen. Walter Tagawa, commander of the U.S. Army Reserve in Hawaii.

At the news conference Matsunaga credited Ariyoshi for “the visionary leadership” he displayed by personally “taking charge and mobilizing the skills and resources” of his administration and converting an idea into reality.

Matsunaga, who served in World War II as a member of the 100^th Infantry Battalion, proposed that Reserve and National Guard units take on environmental defense missions in state and national parks nationwide.

“Our parks constitute a treasured national heritage. They are deteriorating,” Matsunaga said. “They need upgraded roads, campgrounds, trails, and a host of other defense activities, for which provisions have not been made.

“Indeed, recent budget cuts that include elimination of such parkoriented programs as the Young Adult Conservation Corps and the Youth Conservation Corps, spell even darker days for our parks.”

The first phase, involving Hawaii Army National Guard engineers, will utilize bulldozers and scoop loaders to clear an area within Diamond Head Monument Park.

For many people, Diamond Head symbolizes Hawaii. But for many years before it was converted to a state park, Diamond Head crater- an extinct volcano- belonged to the Hawaii National Guard and the U.S. Army.

Abandoned bunkers can be found on all sides of the bowl-shaped crater which also housed U.S. Army World War II coastal artillery cannons.

For many years, Hawaii Army National Guard training was conducted in the crater and one of the first tasks of the engineers from the 227^th Engineer Company and the 298^th Engineer Detachment was to raze an unused 300-yard rifle range butte.

The Hawaii Army National Guard’s 227^th Engineering Company, commanded by Capt. Gregory Burgess, and the 298^th Engineer Detachment, commanded by Capt. Richard McCabe, also will be grading the lookout area near the tunnel entrance to the inside of Diamond Head crater.

In addition, Guard engineers will construct a barrier along the edge of the crater which is heavily visited by tourists since it provides a panoramic view of east Honolulu. This project is expected to be completed soon.

A third National Guard project will involve the grading of the roadways inside the crater.

Ariyoshi said the Guard will integrate “maintenance exercises within their normal training activities and the projects will be designed to enhance the military occupational skills of the individuals assigned.”

The governor emphasized that this program is not intended to replace projects which normally would be formed by private enterprise.

Matsunaga and Ariyoshi acknowledged that the Hawaii Environmental Defense Project is an experimental one.

“As with any innovative effort, many of the precise procedures will be worked out as we move forward. But I am convinced that utilizing the Guard and Reserves in beneficial and constructive projects for the good of all society will certainly be a worthwhile effort,” Ariyoshi said.

“I am convinced, too, that if our program succeeds here, we will have established a pattern for the entire nation.”

Matsunaga added: “It is my expectation that the Hawaii Environmental Defense Project will serve as a model for the nation, and I intend to support it on the national level in every way I can.”

-Spec. S Dennis Fujii
117^th Public Affairs Detachment

– 1981 Winter Pūpūkahi pp. 5

Keeping “America Beautiful Week”

April is usually the time for spring cleaning and Department of Defense employees did their part in observing “Keep America Beautiful Week.”

Twenty-five members of the Hawaii National Guard (HNG) military and civilian staff participated in the 1987 Skygate Trash Bash, on Friday, April 24. The Civic Center’s Community Work Day project had the HNG cleaning an area off the slopes of Punchbowl Crater.

The following day, 55 members and friends of the HNG participated in the Diamond Head Clean-up Program. The Hawaii Chamber of Commerce headed the project and asked all the military commands in Hawaii to provide support.

– 1987 April – June Pūpūkahi pp. 5

Crater’s endangered plants, animals given second chance during Earth Day 1997

By Melissa M. Dumaran
Natural Resource Manager,
Environmental Office

DIAMOND HEAD CRATER-Shovels, picks and hoes broke ground, April 22, at Diamond Head Crater’s wetland for weed clearing to enhance the growth of two recently discovered rare plants. Biologists, botanists, environmental managers and interested volunteers led a joint effort between the Hawaii Army National Guard, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the State Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) to protect the two rare and endangered species of endemic sedges, or grasslike plants.

David Hopper, biologist of the Wildlife Service, and Derral Herbst, botanist of the Army Corp’s Environmental Division, discovered one of the species last summer while performing a state-wide biological survey ofHIARNG’s training areas and facilities. Pu’uka’a (Cyperus trachysanthos) is a federally protected endangered plant that appears to favor the damp soils of a wetland in the crater basin. Despite numerous weeds, years of herbicide spraying, weed-whacking and trampling by vehicles, the plant is managing to persist near the Guard-operated pumping station.

The crater’s “landlord,” DLNR, works closely with its chief tenant, the Hawaii Army Guard, to maintain one of Hawaii’s most visable treasures.

The discovery in April of kili’o’opu (Torulinium odoratum subspecies auriculaium) growing beside pu’uka’ais remarkable, considering it was thought to be extinct. Not sighted since 1939 at Maui’s Ukumehame Gulch, 19 plants of kili’o’opu extend along the wetland, which is approximately three acres.

In addition, two endangered waterbirds the Hawaiian Coot (Fulica alai) and Guallinule (Gallinula chloropus sandvicensis)-have been seen swimming in the marsh. It is unknown whether the birds are nesting there or are simply temporary visitors. Their presence, however, marks an important discovery for biologists concerned with the ever-shrinking marsh habit at available for Hawaii’s endangered waterbirds.

The presence of three endangered species and one species previously thought to be extinct is important in determining the species’ natural range and how to best protect them. Hawaii is currently the endangered species capital of the country, with over one-third of the nation’s listed species. Military lands comprise no less than five percent of the State which include many types of native ecosystems. The crater’s endangered species provide a unique opportunity for the Guard to demonstrate its leadership role in environmental stewardship

Currently, the Hawaii Army Guard’s Environmental Section is proposing a Diamond Head Restoration Plan that would protect the crater’s endangered species, revegetate with native plants, and provide a visitor viewing center for native Hawaiian ecosystems. The idea is especially fitting, considering the number of tourists who visit the crater’s trail daily. The Division of State Parks, Forestry and Wildlife, and the HIARNG are developing a partnership for conservation and restoration. The Fish and Wildlife Service is also interested in providing funding for endangered species recovery. Upon leaving the crater and relocating to Naval Air Station Barbers Point, the Army Guard will hand over the plan to the state and federal agencies for further implementation.

– 1997 Summer Pūpūkahi pp. 6

Operation Kahikinui highlights summer engineer projects

Army Guard builds for better tomorrow

By Capt. G. Richard Shuman and Sgt. 1st Class Stephen M. Lum

Hawaii and Oregon Army National Guard engineers made home improvements from Honolulu to Hilo this summer. Guard soldiers saved taxpayers thousands of dollars while practicing their military missions.

More than 30 soldiers from the 298^th Engineer Detachment and 227^th Engineer Company (Combat), spent eight weeks to construct an 11 mile road in southern Maui in Operation Kahikinui . . .

Heavy equipment operators took two days to level three old administration buildings fronting the new Kapiolani Community College. The structures, built for the US Army in the early 1900s, were beyond economical restoration, becoming a safety hazard and an eyesore. The same team was in the crater cutting fire breaks and drainage pits, while a second team was reconfiguring rooms for the Barber’s Youth Challenge Program. The 442^nd took less than two weeks to convert an open room into four functional classrooms. The classrooms, also used by a local college for on base college course instruction, replace rented portable classrooms.

“We enjoyed our two weeks in paradise,” said Capt. Frank Flux, 442^th commander, “and we’re always glad to help our Guard community.” . . .

– 1997 Fall Pūpūkahi pp. 1 & 3

The HIARNO Environmental Office was a cosponsor in this year’s Youth Day of Caring. More than 500 students from over 15 schools were joined by volunteers and officials from private, county, and state agencies, in cleaning up and restoring Diamond Head. Crater’s Battery Harlow, the fire break road, and 22nd Avenue. The. project entailed clearing trash and debris, planting over 350 native plants, and general landscaping.

– 1999 Annual Report pp. 14

Diamond Head’s beatification, restoration continues

By Sgt. 1st Class Stephen M. Lum and Melissa M. Dumaran

Taking pride in your community was what the Youth Day of Caring was all about. More than 500 students cleared trash and wood debris, pulled weeds and planted 350 native plants in and around Diamond Head Crater in the fifth annual Aloha United Way event, cosponsored by the Hawaii Army National Guard’s environmental office.

The students were joined by 75 adults from AUW, Hawaii National Guard Counterdrug Office, Youth for Environmental Service, Department of Land and Natural Resources-state parks division, and City and County parks department.

Armed with shovels, buckets and massive amounts of energy the students from more than 15 Oahu schools spent four hours at three sites: Battery Harlow, fire break road, and 22nd Avenue.

On hand to open the event was Lt. Gov. Mazie Hirono and Btjg. Gen. Edward L. Correa Jr. , the Hawaii Army National Guard commander.

The lieutenant governor not only took the time to thanked the students for caring for their community, but also helped planted the first cuttings of the day.

Correa said the Hawaii Guard’s good neighbor policy includes helping the community help themselves to improve our home . . . our environment.

Twenty Counterdrug staff members help supervise students, drove vehicles haul trash, move wood debris and delivered plants and water (via water buffalo) to various locations. The City and Country spreader converted the logs into wood chips used to aerate plants like the wiliwli and ilima being planted at the various locations.

HIARNG, its contractor Youth for Environmental Service (YES), and DLNR provided field staff supervision and safety, plant materials and supplies. AUW volunteer staff registered the students and assisted in the coordination for fo,od, water, entertainment.

The YMCA, Leo Club and student council were some of the student organizations who used the Youth Day of Caring a community service project.

Students like Farrington High School freshman Sidney Basuel said the event not only gave them a change to give back to their community, but an opportunity to meet people, learn a little Diamond Head history and some landscaping techniques.

– 1999 Spring Pūpūkahi pp. 5

Caring for our aina (land) mission continues

By Spc. Wendy R. Cook

Steps are taken to restore Diamond Head Monument

In celebration of April’s annual Earth Day, 150 youth volunteers, 25 Guard members and another 25 volunteers gathered at Fort Ruger alongside the slopes of Diamond Head to help clean the monument.

The Hawaii Army National Guard Environmental Office sponsored the event not only to clean but also to make people aware about conservation efforts. The volunteers cleared weeds, dead foliage and garbage off the slopes. They planted native Hawaiian plants and spread mulch to keep the invasive plants out of the areas and give the native plants a chance to grow. The youth volunteers from Youth Environmental Services (YES) mainly worked on the upkeep of the Peace Gardens, a garden planted last year by children from all over the world in an effort to show a worldwide partnership in conservation. They also weeded, planted and placed rocks along the walkway through the garden.

”The turnout was great; we achieved our objectives. We wanted to weed the area and remove the invasive, spread mulch to pervade aliens and the reinvasion,” said Trae Menard, an environmental specialist with the Hawaii Army Guard. “It’s a great way to get our message out; we want to conserve Hawaii’s legacy by conserving plants and animals that are native to Hawaii.”

The volunteers this year were treated to a hot dog lunch and gathered to sign an Earth Day 2000 poster that has been put on display. The volunteers also had some help from Hawaii’s Lt. Gov. Mazie Hirono, who came and worked alongside the children at the Peace Garden.

Because Earth Day is an annual event, plans are already in the works at the Environmental Office for next year’s celebration. Anyone interested in future activities can call the office at 808-733-4214 for information. . . .

– 2000 March – June Pūpūkahi pp. 5

Earth Day 2001 at Battery Harlow, Diamond Head State Monument, involved community members, Guard volunteers, and three Boy Scouts troops from around Oahu. They cleared brush and planted 500 native Hawaiian plants to restore the ecosystem of this well known landmark.

– 2001 Annual Report pp. 12

Stewards of Hawaii’s lands continue restoration

Story by Cadet Wendy R. Cook and Sgt. 1st Class Stephen M. Lum

Preservation and restoration are the watch words of the Hawaii Army National Guard Environmental Office. It’s putting those words into action by sponsoring the annual Earth Day project to restore Battery Harlow.

Preserving the past for the future

Battery Harlow is a World War I mortar emplacement located on the side of Diamond Head crater in the former Fort Ruger area. The crater’s ecosystem was damaged many years ago when human contact brought many non-native plant species to the area, most notably the fountain grass which spreads quickly and overtakes many of the native plants to the area. It also dries quickly and becomes a fire hazard. Efforts to restore the area have included planting of a garden along the slopes, clearing the fountain grass and other nonactive species, reintroducing native species by planting and some minor landscaping of the area. There have also been efforts by the office’s cultural awareness section to restore and preserve what is left of the historic Battery Harlow itself.

Volunteers given ecology lessons

The Earth Day 2001 project in April, brought together volunteers from Hawaii Guard, their families and even a few civilian volunteers who walked by and joined the effort. However, the largest group of volunteers came from the Boy Scouts Troops 32, 49 and 101. The boys and their leaders had spent the previous night camping inside the crater, learning about the fragile ecosystem and completing their project by helping to clear the debris and plant. They also spread mulch and watered the newly-planted species.

The effort to restore the area has been kept up by the Hawaii Army National Guard for the last few years. Clean up projects are held semiannually in celebration of Army Earth Day and National Public Lands Day. Volunteers are always welcome to assist in the upkeep of the area in between and during the events.

Hawaii Army Guard’s environmental spokesman, Capt. Steve. C. Lai, said, “the Hawaii Guard welcomes the opportunity to get involved in preserving our environment. We encourage residents and organizations in the proximity of Diamond Head to support and participate in our preservation efforts here.”

Geotextiles protecting “our” lands

Using geotextile, the Hawaii Guard’s full-time environmental staff has again taken a proactive role in the
protection of our fragile ecosystem. Nine tons or 1,000 meters of the jute weaved mesh were laid on 10 acres of Maui’s Ukeme hame firing range berms by the staff last year. The project, completed in a week, took 347 man-hours.

In May, 10 staffers took a day to lay geojute over an acre of soil surrounding Battery Harlow.

The porus fabric mesh slows down the erosion of dried sparse foliage areas, while replanting ofnative fauna and irrigation help to restore the lands.

– 2001 April – June Pūpūkahi pp. 5

Fort Auger’s historical sites being restored

By Cadet Wendy R. Cook and Lincoln C. Yamashita

Coastal defense established in 1900s

In a 1905 address to the U.S. Congress, Pres. Theodore Roosevelt designated Hawaii as “the most important point in the Pacific to fortify in order to conserve the interests of this country.” Roosevelt appointed the Secretary of War, William H. Taft, to head a National Coast Defense Board, which was to review and improve coastal defenses in areas including Los Angeles, Hawaii, the Philippines and the Panama Canal.

The War Department Government Order No. 74 established the Artillery District of Honolulu in 1909 to protect Honolulu Harbor. Four forts constructed were Fort Ruger along Diamond Head, Fort DeRussy in Waikiki, Fort Kamehameha now surrounded by Hickam Air Force Base and Fort Armstrong at the harbor’s entrance. Included in the coastal defense were five batteries, seven fire control stations, and two tunnels.

Fort Ruger established

In 1906 the federal government set aside 755 acres around Diamond Head for exclusive use of the military. Fort Ruger Military Reservation was established in 1909 and named after Maj. Gen. Thomas H. Ruger, a Civil War officer. It was built between 1906 and 1921

There were extensive developments and construction of fortifications, gun mounts and observation fire control stations, headquarters, and living quarters.

University of Hawaii system’s Kapiolani Community College now occupies a large portion of the former Fort Ruger.

Much of the fort became part of the Diamond Head State Monument. In 1965, it was designated as a historic site to be managed by the Department of Land and Natural Resources. In 1968, Diamond Head earned the distinction as a national landmark and the boundaries were extended. In 1975, the State Monument was included under the State’s Historic Preservation Law. There are currently over 500 acres of land within the Diamond Head State Monument.

Surviving today are some of the reinforced concrete structures; a guard house, Battery Harlow, four-story fire control station foundation, 12 sixpound gun foundations, Battery Birkhiemer and Battery Some of the tunnels and batteries are today occupied by the Hawaii Army National Guard and State Civil Defense.

Batteries built in Diamond Head

Battery Harlow was the first fortification at Fort Ruger and the earliest of three mortar batteries built on Oahu during the era when attacks by sea were considered a threat to national security. Construction began in April 1907 on the north facing slope of Diamond Head and it was completed, March 1910.

The battery was used to fire over the crater into the ocean at a distance of eight to 10 miles. The guns were 1906 type battery. Each mortar M-1890 was 11 feet long and 12 in caliber. The east bunker contains two stories, one is below ground level. The bunkers were secured by massive iron doors and barred windows.

Battery Harlow has three bunkers, two mortar pits with four 12-inch mortar tubes each and a massive earth parapet. The central bunker housed the command post on the top floor and beneath it the plotting room, two sending stations, sets of control shafts, display stations for data transmission and elevation/azimuth for fire control.

Between the central and outer bunkers lay two large courtyards and mortar pits.

Along with several other structures it has been designated as part of the Fort Ruger historic district. The equipment was dismantled after World War II and has been in disrepair. The east and west bunkers are used today as storage space.

Fountain now a “planter”

Today what is left of a lava rock fountain built in 1911 stands in front of Kapiolani Community College as a remnant of the early Fort Ruger era. It was built in the shape of a crown as respect for the Hawaiian Royalty. The fountain is circular in shape with a pair of intersecting round arches, supported by a pier in the center. The fountain fronted Fort Ruger post headquarters building. About 30 years ago some restoration was completed on the lava rock fountain, it was re-mortared and converted into a flower box planted with bougainvillea. The cement mortar has now begun to crumble and crack again leaving the structure in sore need of repair.

Restoration continuing

Efforts to restore the historic area of Fort Ruger are being conducted by the Hawaii Army National Guard’s Environmental Office. The office is responsible for the restoration and preservation not just of the natural resources but also the cultural. Some of their efforts include weeding, picking up trash, and replanting species native to the area. They recently dug up the fill of one gun emplacement at Battery Harlow and currently have plans to restore the facility by painting, replacing safety railings. The cultural section continues to stage educational and informational tours and illustrations to groups in the public. They also sort through many of the artifacts and documents found around the area or that were stored in the batteries themselves. All items found of interest or artifacts are logged and documented for historical preservation.

The ecosystem around and inside of the crater is very fragile. Already it has succumbed to invasive, non-native species like Kiawe trees, Haole Koa and fountain grass. Events are held throughout the year to help clean up the trash left behind by humans as well as weed out the invasive species, plant native species in their place and nurture them through growth by mulching and watering. Two of the larger annual events to clean up the site are held during Earth Day in April and National Public Lands Day in late September. Other smaller events are held through out the year by the employees and other groups who volunteer.

The clean up and restoration of the grounds resides mostly on the Environmental Office employees and volunteers for such events. Long time supporters and volunteers of the restoration include groups such as the Youth CHalleNGe, University of Hawaii graduate students, Hawaii National Guard soldiers and their families as well as the Boy Scouts who often receive merit badges for science, leadership and history for their participation.

For those interested in learning more about Fort Ruger and Diamond Head area or would like to volunteer their services, they can contact the Hawaii Army National Guard Environmental Office at 733-4214.

– 2001 October – December Pūpūkahi pp. 5

Diamond Head facelift continues

Story and photos by Master Sgt. Stephen M. Lum

EarthDay 2002 presented the environmental staff with another opportunity to educate the public on the historical wonders of Battery Harlow and to get in touch with Hawaiian nature. One hundred students, advisors and volunteers from the Hawaii Sierra Club High School Hikers joined in a four hour field service project.

Earth Day, first celebrated April 22, 1970, is a national movement to protect and preserve the environment.

After a short tour of the Battery Harlow coast artillery facility the students were put to work. They assisted the Resource Program section of the Hawaii Army National Guard Environmental Office in the on-going hiking trail maintenance, tree-planting, weeding and mulching of Diamond Head State Park.The dry forest and coastal ecosystem restoration project is to remove non-native species and replace them with shrubs and trees that were there originally. Two-hundred sixty shrubs and 20 trees were planted.

– 2002 April – June Pūpūkahi pp. 5

Public Lands Day takes care of Diamond Head National Monument grounds

Environmental team battles elements

Story and photos by Sgt. Daisy C. Bueno

Foreign plants, pollution, predators … what do all these have in common? They’re all threats to the special environment here in Hawaii. To help battle these elements, the Hawaii Army National Guard’s Natural Resources Environmental Section is working to help preserve Hawaii’s natural environment and educate others at the same time.

Last year, 300 native trees were planted in Diamond Head Crater, all dedicated in the memory of the fallen rescue workers of 9-11. The planting occurred on National Public Lands Day, which normally takes place during the last week in September. This year, members of the Natural Resources Section were again joined by corpsmembers from the Hawaii National Guard’s Youth CHalleNGe Academy, Nov. 23, to clean up the area and plant more trees.

Educating our youths to take care of our lands

“I think it’s important to get involved since the majority of us don’t work in our community and take the environment into consideration,” said Jessica Alaron, corpsmember of the month for October. “It makes me feel good that we’re helping and it gives us the feeling of success in completing something.”

According to Donna Wu, the integrated training area management assistant with Natural Resources, a continuous partnership with Youth CHalleNGe would be a great accomplishment. “We hope to start -a legacy with Youth CHalleNGe and have them come out every year. Hopefully, they can revisit in 10 years, and this will be a place filled with big, tall, native trees.”

Michael L. Wysong, field program manager, added “I think it’s imperative for the younger generations, in particular, to understand the connection between them, the future, and the environment. I hope they gain pride in looking after the environment and become stewards of the environment that is theirs for generations to come.”

Approximately 100 Youth CHalleNGe corpsmembers helped plant about 100 native trees: Milo and Native Hibiscus, the latter being an endangered plant. These plants were rescued from a private ranch and were donated.

“These plants are expected to do wellhere,” said Wysong. “Both these plants are adapted to dry weather and inside Diamond Head is a perfect example of that climate. Hawaii is a very unique place. There are plants on these islands that cannot be found anywhere else in the world.”

National Public Lands Day originated in 1993 and Hawaii began participating last year. This project was made possible with a grant sponsored by the National Environmental Education and Training Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to environmental education. Qualifying Army applicants must demonstrate that they have a public land project that includes community outreach.

– 2002 October – December Pūpūkahi pp. 5

Wetland sedge staging crater comeback

Story and photo by
Spc. Lloyd C. Phelps II

On a tiny patch of land nestled at the bottom of Diamond Head Crater, a group of Hawaii Army National Guard soldiers and civilian volunteers recently toiled to restore a fast dwindling Hawaiian resource. This resource, commonly known as a natural wetland, was once a thriving part of Hawaii’s ecosystem, though today it has all but disappeared on most parts of Hawaii.

According to Sgt. Donna Wu, an environmental awareness assistant with the natural resource staff of the Hawaii Army Guard, areas such as the Diamond Head wetland are a veritable treasure-trove of native plants.

“We are in the process of reintroducing and cultivating a native sedge within the wetland,” said Wu. “The sedge is essentially a native Hawaiian grass that has been all but choked out, thanks to several extremely invasive foreign plants which have been introduced into Hawaii’s ecosystem.”

By reintroducing the sedge and cultivating the wetland, Wu and her colleagues hope to provide a vital link to Hawaii’s past.

According to Kanoa Kimball, a University of Hawaii botany student and project volunteer, invasive plants have all but eliminated many native, Hawaiian plants and with them, much of this state’s unique history.

“Invasive plants such as California Grass spread like wild fire and ultimately overrun and choke out many native plants” Kanoa said. “It’s extremely important that people take an interest in projects such as this because we are, essentially, all these native plants have, and once they’re gone, they aren’t coming back.”

Aside from the aesthetic appeal a native wetland provides, there are a number of practical benefits to restoring such an ecosystem.

The Diamond Head crater was once a migratory stopping ground for several species of waterfowl. By cultivating the wetland, it is hoped that these birds will once again make Oahu part of their yearly migration.

In addition, wetlands are an invaluable component in the clean water cycle.

According to Scott Lynch, project volunteer originally from West Palm Beach, Fla., natural wetlands serve as a cleaning system for water.

“These areas essentially serve as a natural filtration system,” Lynch said. “Water eventually settles down in a wetland and works its way down into the aquifer, and all the while it is being filtered. So, if society wants clean, drinkable water, it should take an interest in projects such as this.”

In Hawaii, only 10 percent of the original dry land habitat is left and the wetland numbers are even lower. Invasive plant species and urbanization have pushed many native Hawaiian plants and ecosystems to the brink of extinction.

“The Hawaii National Guard Environmental Office,” said Wu, “has played a key role in projects such as the Diamond Head wetland restoration.”

“From the time this wetland was deemed a critical habitat, the Guard has been extremely proactive in its stewardship and in getting the word out to the community about its importance,” she said. “We are winning this battle slowly, but surely. With some persistence, community education, and the help of our volunteers, we can, and we will, win.”

Though the battle is far from over, on a small patch of land high atop Diamond Head Crater, a small piece of Hawaiian history is being cared for and nurtured, one plant at a time.

– 2003 January – March Pūpūkahi pp. 5

The HIARNG Environmental section spearheaded the Diamond Head Soil Remediation Project. Approximately, 30,000 tons of soil in the two firing ranges have been collected and processed to wash out the previous lead particles. The soil was then returned to its point of origin and native vegetation has been replanted over the soil. The lead has been collected and recycled for the Qualitative Recycling Program. For this project, the Environmental section has been chosen as a candidate for the National Installation Award by the National Guard Bureau

– 2007 Annual Report pp. 36

The HIARNG Environmental section was recognized nationally and locally for the Diamond Head Soil Remediation Project. Approximately, 30,000 tons of soil in the two firing ranges were collected and processed to wash out the previous lead particles. The soil was then returned to its point of origin and native vegetation has been replanted over the soil. The lead was collected and recycled for the Qualitative Recycling Program. For this project, the Environmental section was awarded the Army’s highest honor in environmental stewardship – the Secretary of the Army Environmental Award, presented in person by Addison “Tad” D. Davis IV, the deputy assistant secretary of the Army for Environment, Safety and Occupational Health. In addition for the second time, the environmental team received the Hawaii State Governor’s award for the State Team of the Year.

– 2008 Annual Report pp. 36

Environmental Office’s Diamond Head Crater restoration

Hawaii Army National Guard receives Army’s highest environmental award

For its efforts to restore Diamond Head Crater to a more pristine natural condition, the Hawaii Army National Guard was awarded the Army’s highest honor in environmental stewardship – the Secretary of the Army Environmental Award. The award was presented April 17th, at the Department of Defense headquarters outside of Diamond Head Crater by Addison “Tad” D. Davis IV, the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Environment, Safety and Occupational Health.

With exceptional planning and management, the HIARNG took only four months to reclaim the soil and restore a significant portion of Diamond Head Crater. In a concerted effort to leave Diamond Head in better condition than when it was given to the U.S. Army, the Hawaii Army National Guard undertook a comprehensive cleanup program for Diamond Head as part of the 1979 act that mandated the restoration of Diamond Head. In a matter of months, and without once closing the park to the public, the Hawaii Army National Guard Diamond Head restoration staff removed and recycled over 14 tons of particulate metal and cleaned 30,000 tons of soil using a soil washing machine powerful enough to thoroughly wash soil after only one pass through the system.

The community surrounding Diamond Head Crater never had to worry about the restoration project impeding on their daily lives because the Guard restoration staff worked directly with Diamond Head neighbors to accomplish the cleanup with minimized traffic, noise, and dust.

– 2008 April – June Pūpūkahi pp. 1