Battlefields & Memorials in Hawaii: Pearl Harbor, Punchbowl & More

Hawaii's Sacred Sites of War & Remembrance

Hawaii's strategic Pacific location made it a pivot of World War II and a lasting memorial landscape.

1. Pearl Harbor National Memorial (Oʻahu)

• USS Arizona Memorial – Straddles the sunken battleship; 1,177 entombed.
• USS Missouri Memorial – "Mighty Mo"; Japan's surrender signed aboard (Sept 2, 1945).
• USS Bowfin Submarine Museum – "Pearl Harbor Avenger."
• Pacific Aviation Museum – Hangars 37 & 79 on Ford Island.

2. National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl Crater, Oʻahu)

• 116-acre crater cemetery; 53,000+ interments (WWII, Korea, Vietnam).
• Court of the Missing: 28,788 names of MIA/buried at sea.
• Panoramic Honolulu views.

3. Lahaina Noon Gun (Maui)

• 19th-century cannon fired daily at solar noon for ship chronometers.
• Now a cultural tradition; restored 2023.

4. ʻIolani Palace (Honolulu)

• Only royal palace on U.S. soil.
• Symbol of Hawaiian Kingdom overthrow (1893) & annexation (1898).

5. Mokoliʻi (Chinaman's Hat, Oʻahu)

• Basalt islet; Hawaiian legend (moʻo tail).
• Not a battlefield—cultural landmark.

6. Other Sites

• Kāneʻohe Bay – Seaplane base attacked Dec 7, 1941.
• Wheeler Army Airfield – P-40s scrambled during attack.
• Hickam Field – Heavy bomber base; bullet-scarred hangars remain.

Visiting Tips

• Book USS Arizona tickets 2 months ahead (recreation.gov).
• Allow full day for Pearl Harbor sites.
• Punchbowl: drive-through or walk; respectful silence expected.
• Combine with Bishop Museum for pre-contact history.