A Calendar of Preparations for War

I know that reading a calendar of events is not the most exciting way to spend time. Facts tend to be dry, and in this case, a bit overwhelming. But, I think we need to step back a few years and take a look at what was happening on Oahu regarding preparations for war.
The residents and military on Oahu expected and prepared for some military action by Japan, but most military and civilians expected the attack to be on the Philippines, not Hawaii. (In fact, there are letters from Navy wives [at the Hawaii War Record Depository collection] stating that their husbands felt their families were safer in Hawaii than they would be on an east coast naval base.)

Nevertheless, the Office of Civilian Defense plans were developed, the army and navy prepared, and local volunteer social organizations prepared. I’ll begin in 1939.

In 1939, the navy held the biggest war games it had conducted to date, that was in April. In May, the first black out of Honolulu was staged—it lasted 20 minutes. In August, the FBI reopened its Honolulu office and started working with the navy and the army on threats of possible sabotage. In December, the Home Economics Division of the Department of Public Instruction presented an emergency plan to the army on how to feed the public during an emergency. The use of school cafeterias was suggested.

By 1940, the pace stepped up. In February, the Navy announced its plan to triple the capacity of the Pearl Harbor Naval Station. The army was right behind them. In March, General George C. Marshall, Army Chief of Staff, visited Hawaii and announced the expansion of army units. By April, 130 ships of the U.S. naval fleet arrived in Honolulu, and the Secretary of Navy Charles Edison, after inspecting the fleet, announced to Washington, D.C. that the “Hawaii facilities are completely reassuring.”

In May 1940, there was a territory-wide black out drill, and in June the American Red Cross began its production of surgical dressings and other items for the European war zones. That same month, the Navy established a base on Maui.

In June, General Short reiterated the need for people to start a systematic and gradual accumulation of food. He stressed that this should be “everyone’s patriotic duty” to which the University of Hawaii Experiment Station responded with a recommended list of nutritional staples for home storage.

In July, Major General Charles D. Herron, Commanding General, Hawaiian Department of Army, asked the mayor, chief of police and managers of sugar plantations to plan for civilian participation in defending Hawaii against attack.

In August, fingerprinting and registering of aliens was implemented under the Federal Alien Registration Act. The Mayor’s Food Survey Committee reported that residents of Oahu could survive 45 days should outside food sources be cut off.

In September, the Pineapple Producers’ Cooperative Association appointed an emergency food committee to work with the army about using pineapple lands for vegetable crops should outside food sources be cut off. The Army gave plantation managers secret plans for control over production, storage and distribution of food in the event of war.

In October, the S.S. Mariposa and the S.S. Monterey made a trip to Asia to evacuate Americans who wanted to return to the U.S. It was in October, too, that American men registered for Selective Service.

In November, the U.S.S. Washington arrived from the mainland with 750 members of the 251st California National Guard Coast Artillery Regiment and the first big group of defense workers for the Pearl Harbor Navy base and Midway Island. (Many of the civilians stationed at Midway would be killed or taken as prisoners of war.)

In December, the Navy moved into Kaneohe Naval Air Station. The Army Engineers contracted with Hawaii construction companies to build ammunition storage magazines, radar warning stations, railway track, fixed fortifications and radio stations. Admiral Claude C. Block, Commandant, 14th Naval District, reported to Washington on the inability of the navy to “meet hostile attack with the equipment and forces at hand.” Deficiencies of planes for long-range reconnaissance, the Army’s lack of fighter planes and anti-aircraft guns, and an incomplete antiaircraft warning system were emphasized.

The preparations for Civilian Defense intensified in 1941. In January, Secretary of the Navy, Frank Knox wrote to the Secretary of War: “If war eventuates with Japan, it is believed easily possible that hostilities would be initiated by a surprise attack on the Fleet or the naval base at Pearl Harbor. . . The dangers envisioned in their order of importance and probability of attack are considered to be: (1) air-bombing attack, (2) air torpedo-plane attack, (3) sabotage, (4) submarine attack, (5) mining, (6) bombardment from gunfire. Defense for all but the first two appears to have been provided for satisfactorily.”

In February, Rear Admiral Husband E. Kimmel became the Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Fleet, and Major General Walter C. Short became Commanding General, Hawaiian Department of Army. The entire tuna fleet, alien-owned, was impounded by the Department of Justice on the grounds that the boats were falsely registered. And, in the first organized effort to entertain increasing number of servicemen on Oahu, the Episcopalian women held a tea at the Bishop’s house.

In March, the governor named a committee to investigate possible food shortages in the event of an attack, and the committee petitioned Washington, D.C. for $3.5 million for warehouses and a six month reserve supply of basic food. That month, the Hawaii Red Cross was placed on wartime alert.

In April, General Short urged production and storage of food, organization for care of possible injured civilians, an organization of a police auxiliary to prevent sabotage and more detailed preparation for evacuation of Honolulu in case of emergency.

In May, the second territory-wide blackout was conducted. The Army announced plans for a $500,000 addition to Tripler and Schofield Hospitals. The Navy acquired 222 acres at Halawa for a 1,000 bed hospital.

In June, the Governor appointed an Emergency Food Committee to act in advisory capacity. The Honolulu Blood Bank receives its first donor. The Mayor’s Major Disaster Council was refused funds by Washington. Port congestion in Honolulu was so severe, that there was 24-hour hauling and warehousing of materials. The Army announced plans for a $750,000 food tunnel at Fort Shafter.

In July, the Japanese and Chinese in Hawaii are affected by the U.S. freeze of assets. Japan retaliated by freezing the assets of U.S. funds in Japan. (Later, the Chinese were relieved of this freeze.) Red Cross Women’s Volunteer Motor Corps started their first regular duty after several months of training.

In August, six mobile radar stations are received in Hawaii. This same month, Mayor Petrie announced the appointment of a rent control committee after receiving complaints of rent gouging. Because civilian workers were pouring in on the island each week, a severe housing shortage followed.

In September, the mayor’s Major Disaster Council estimated that five million dollars should be appropriated by the legislature for use “in the event of an actual emergency.” Tokyo asked the Japanese consul general in Honolulu for more detailed reports on ships in Pearl Harbor.

In October, the Navy filed suit to condemn 117 acres of land near the Pearl City peninsula for the enlargement of the base. The Federal Bureau of Budget disapproved the Territory’s request to provide Oahu with warehouses and a six-month supply of food.

In November, the Taiyo Maru sailed to Japan. Although the Japanese government had suspended all Japanese ships from sailing to U.S., the Taiyo Maru made a special trip to Honolulu so that persons stranded in Japan can return home. Both army and navy commanders received “war warning” dispatches from Washington, D.C. saying hostile actions could be expected. On November 27, 1941, the Japanese task force which attacked Hawaii moved out of Tankan Bay.

On December 2, 1941, the Japanese ocean liner Tatsuta Maru (the last of three ships authorized to bring U.S. citizens back from Japan) left Tokyo. She carried only 23 Americans.

On December 3, 1941, the FBI intercepted a phone conversation from Japan to the Honolulu consulate ordering the staff to burn all their documents. Admiral Kimmel was informed by Navy Intelligence that it was unable to locate four of Japan’s ten aircraft carriers. They also reported that the Japanese diplomatic consul posts in Hong Kong, Singapore, Batavia, London and Washington, D.C. were instructed to destroy their codes and ciphers and burn all secret documents.

On December 6, 1941, the Honolulu newspapers reminded housewives that there were only 17 shopping days until Christmas. Captain James M. Shoemaker, station commander of Ford Island Naval Air Station staged a “simulated surprise sabotage attack at 2 a.m.” He reported that he was satisfied that any local Japanese “Fifth Column” would be defeated. At the conclusion of the drill, Shoemaker released his sailors to return to bed. In Honolulu, the Army and Navy YMCA (it had a capacity of 400 beds and 375 cots) recorded over 700 men used their overnight facilities the night of December 6. So slept some of our U.S. servicemen the night before the attack.