Six merchant mariners killed in a submarine attack on the S.S. Aztec. The Hawaii Naval Militia deployed on the U.S.S. St. Louis for convoy duty in the Atlantic. More than 5,500 soldiers readied for war in what is still the largest mobilization in Hawaii National Guard history. Red Cross ambulance drivers in France. Sweater-knitting schoolkids and firefighters. Bandage rollers in the Iolani Palace throne room. Liberty Bond buyers. In all, more than 10,000 men and women from Hawaii volunteered for service in World War I. At least 101 of them died. And many, many more served in one way or
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Archives for Events
Attend the Natatorium Memorial Day Ceremony, Sunday, May 27
One hundred years ago this month, the cataclysmic battles of World War I still raged on the oceans, in the air, and certainly on No Man’s Land between the Allied and German trenches on the Western Front of Europe. One hundred years ago this November, the Great War, thankfully, ended. More than 9 million combatants and 7 million civilians had died in four years. More than 100 of those dead were volunteers from Hawaii, a territory – not yet even a state – that had produced more than 10,000 volunteers, far more than anyone had expected from such a tiny
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Memorial Day Observance at the Natatorium: Sunday, May 28
Before you go to the holiday picnic or cookout, get to the heart of the holiday. Memorial Day is meant for remembrance of the soldiers, sailors, airmen and women, marines and coast guards who have given their lives in service to our nation during armed conflict. We will honor them all at the 29th annual Memorial Day Weekend observance at the War Memorial Natatorium, 2815 Kalakaua Ave.in Waikiki. It takes place Sunday, May 28, at 10 a.m. You are invited to attend. Those We Remember The number of the men and women we honor on Memorial Day Weekend has now
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Support the Natatorium… and score Bruno Mars tickets!
Friends, this is a bit complicated. But very, very, very cool. Stick with us, and we’ll explain as clearly as we can. Point 1: Heineken (yup, the beer company) sponsors The Cities Project. It’s an effort to do important, positive things in metropolitan areas around the world. Point 2: This year, the Cities Project has teamed up with our friends at the National Trust for Historic Preservation to support 11 important preservation and civic projects around the country. Point 3 (and this is a BIG one!): One of those projects is our effort – your effort, really – to preserve,
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Friday: Remember World War I's Biggest Battle 100 Years Ago
This Friday is the 100th anniversary of the start of one of the bloodiest battles in human history: World War I’s Somme Offensive. It began July 1, 1916, with a British and French attack on German lines in the area of the River Somme in far northern France. By the time it ended in mid-November, the two sides had suffered casualties of more than a million men killed or wounded. The United States was not yet a part of the war in 1916. But Australian Andrew Dowling wrote us recently, asking if there was any World War I memorial in
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Photos from the 2016 Natatorium Memorial Day Observance
It was simple, but so beautiful. Somber, yet joyous. Meaningful for all who had the honor to be there to remember our nation’s war dead. Mahalo to everyone who participated in the 28th annual Memorial Day observance at the War Memorial Natatorium in Waikiki. Those who spoke so eloquently. Those who danced with such grace. Those who who presented lei, flowers and salutes in tribute to fallen comrades. Those who performed military ceremonies. Those who sang. Those who sat quietly with their thoughts. Below are a few of the photos taken at the observance. A few more, with identifying captions,
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Be There: 28th Annual Memorial Day Observance at the Nat
A picnic or a paddle? Do it. A family get-together or a round of golf? By all means. That’s part of what holiday weekends are for. But the Memorial Day holiday has another, more central purpose. One we shouldn’t forget: to remember and thank the men and women who have sacrificed their lives to defend our country. There have been an estimated 1.3 million such sacrifices, from the time of the American Revolution to our most recent conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. Memorial Day Weekend Observance at the Natatorium You are cordially invited to the 28th annual Memorial Day Weekend
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The Natatorium’s Friday ‘Taps’ Tradition Grows: Bagpipes and Trumpet
Our bagpipe contingent is up to three! Last December, piper Kim Greeley began playing at the War Memorial Natatorium every Friday at sunset. She volunteered for the gig – playing tunes like Coming Home and Amazing Grace before sounding Taps – as her weekly tribute to the 10,000 World War I servicemen and women from Hawaii whose memories are enshrined at the Natatorium. Later, fellow piper Hardy Spoehr joined in. More recently, piper Theresa Bell, like Kim a member of Celtic Kula Pipe Band, has also helped to patrol the Natatorium gates on Friday evenings. Guest Trumpet On Friday, Oct.
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Photos from the 2015 Natatorium Memorial Day Service
If you were there on Sunday for the annual Memorial Day Weekend observance at the Natatorium, here’s a second look with lots of photos. If you couldn’t make it, here’s just a hint of what you missed: Ceremony Recap –Lead-off speaker Brig. Gen. Christopher J. Mahoney, deputy commander of U.S. Marine Forces Pacific. He’s a topgun fighter pilot and combat veteran with more than 5,000 hours of flight time logged, including more than 4,000 in F-18s. His career, his demeanor and his message make you proud to be an American. —Betsy Merritt, deputy general counsel of the National Trust for
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Plan on It: Memorial Day Observance at the Natatorium
Where will you be on Sunday of Memorial Day Weekend? You’ll be right here, living as a citizen of a free and independent country, with the right to vote and the right to spend the day as you please. Where should you be that day? You should be here. You should be remembering, honoring and thanking the men and women who have died in America’s wars to establish, protect and preserve those rights. Memorial Day at the Natatorium You are cordially invited to the 27th annual Memorial Day observance at the Waikiki War Memorial Natatorium. It’s at 10 a.m. on
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