“82 years ago, Duke Kahanamoku, the Olympic Legend and Hawaii’s original Ambassador of Aloha, inaugurated the Natatorium. What a glorious day that was.
If he could be with us today, he would be appalled and deeply saddened by what he would see. He would be outraged that our elected officials were considering demolition, because he had a deep aloha for what this Memorial stood for — reverence, honor and respect for those who defended us.”
— John Henry Felix from his remarks on May 24, 2009 at the 21st Annual Memorial Day Service at the Waikiki War Memorial Natatorium.
Watch more from his address: