Special Sunday Morning Ewa Battlefield Commemoration, 9 AM
Ewa residents who remember the Japanese air attack on Ewa Field and Ewa Plantation Village on December 7, 1941 will be gathering with Pearl Harbor veterans and Daniel Martinez of the National Park Service at the actual strafing marked Ewa battle site on Sunday morning.
Ewa weather on Sunday will be cool and sunny with a great view of the Waianae Mountains where Japanese planes made their attack approach to nearby Pearl Harbor through the Ewa Plain and over Ewa Plantation.
The Ewa battlefield area is one of the least known Pearl Harbor chapters and involved not only destruction of planes at Ewa Field but also overhead air battles between Japanese planes, Army P-40's and Navy SBD's.
Ewa Plantation Village was also strafed by planes flying back from Pearl Harbor because the Ewa area was the primary regrouping point before Japanese planes flew back to their carriers north of Oahu. At least three waves of planes attacked the area during the two hour air raid, more than any other Dec. 7 battle site on the island.
The Ewa event is also very special because after years of preparation and research a nomination is being submitted to the National Park Service in Washington, D.C. that could lead to American Battlefield recognition and a National Landmark designation.
The special occasion will also be marked with Marine Forces Pacific honor guard and the beautiful voices of the Na Leo Lani chorus. Historic battlefield maps and photos will be on display as well as a walk around the bullet marked aircraft parking ramp hit by waves of Zero and D3A dive bombers.
LINK: Oneula Beach Dec 7, 1941: Air Photos from Landing B-17 Flying Fortress
See the link below for location and more information on the event.
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2013 Ewa Battlefield Commemoration, Sunday Dec. 8. 9 AM
Honoring Major John Hughes, USMC (Ret.) and remembering the Marines, soldiers, naval airmen and Ewa civilians killed and wounded during the December 7, 1941 attack on Ewa Field and Ewa Village.
- Na Leo Lani chorus will be providing songs as part of the program.
- Daniel Martinez, NPS Valor in Pacific Historian will attend and speak.
- Virgil Courneya, Fleet Reserve Association President will also attend.
- City councilmembers Ron Menor and Kymberly Pine expected to attend.
Here are the directions to get there:
Click this link to see a 360 view right by the five warehouse Quonset Huts and Pride Baseball Field.
The closest street address is: 4364 Roosevelt Ave Kapolei, HI 96707
Near the top left on Google see the box that says: Get Directions
John Bond
2013 Ewa Battlefield Commemoration
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How to get to Ewa Field Ceremony Site
Once you get to Roosevelt Rd, the local landmarks are:
1. Hawaiian Railway Train museum (can't miss them!)
2. Pride Baseball Field - four Little League fields which was once a WW-II baseball field where baseball legend Ted Williams once played when not flying F4-U Corsairs.
3. The FIVE BIG SILVER QUONSET HUTS
Go past them and AROUND the white and orange barrier at the end of the road- and you will see a small WW-II Quonset Hut.
Turn LEFT and continue on the white coral road which leads to the concrete ramp parking area and commemoration site.