Decades-old War Memorial documents available for viewing at State Archives

Some documents at the Hawaiʻi State Archives are helping shed light on the somber anniversary of the Dec. 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, and the state’s efforts to honor those who died in the war. 

The planning documents and maps show The Pacific War Memorial Commission’s efforts to build monuments to the military members killed in battle. There were five proposed sites for memorials, but it was up to the state to raise funding, so in the end, only two sites were built. Even singer Elvis Presley contributed to the cause, raising $52,000 at a concert at Pearl Harbor.

“Eighty-three years ago, on Dec. 7, bombs rained from the skies over Honolulu. More than 2,400 men, women and children were killed in the unprovoked attack on Pearl Harbor. It’s important we remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice. The documents from the 1940s through the 1960s are a testament to our community’s desire to honor the individuals who fought and died for our country,” said Keith Regan, director of the Department of Accounting and General Services, which oversees the archives. “It is our privilege as a state and as a community to have the responsibility for honoring their bravery. These are the heroes who brought us lasting peace in the Pacific.”

State Archivist Adam Jansen said the initiative shows how important each military member was. “It was all about the individuals and making sure they were never forgotten, and that their sacrifice is understood today,” remarked Jansen. “That really resonates with me because I cling very strongly to the words of philosopher George Santayana: ‘Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.’”

There are seven boxes of commission documents at the State Archives. It’s free and open to the public to read. Click here for more information about the archives, including hours.