Honouliuli, located on Oahu was one 17 Hawaii incarceration centers where civilians from the innocent were held during World War II. Click for more
Although not currently open to the public, the Hono Uli’uli National Site will present information about the background of imprisonment, martial law, and the stories of prisoners of war during the Second World War. This historic location is a place where visitors can reflect on previous wartime memories and renew their commitment to justice and freedom.
Honouliuli National Historic Site was home to an internment camp that housed 4,000 war prisoners. The historic site is a reflection of wartime experiences.
Honouliuli National Historic Site reports the past and use of Honouliuli, World War II’s longest-running internment camp. The camp, which accommodated about 400 internees and roughly 4,000 detainees, was controlled by the US army. Following the Japanese military bombing of Pearl Harbor, the majority of the internees were Japanese Americans who were American citizens but were suspected of being disloyal to the United States. By the close of WWII, almost 2,000 Japanese Americans of Hawaiian heritage had been interned. They were not accused of sabotage or espionage. While the majority of non-Japanese Americans were of German heritage, there were also some Americans of Italian, Irish, and Russian ancestry. It was discovered by volunteers from the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii. Continue reading
Honouliuli Education Center features photos from Honouliuli Inmate Camp, as well as artifacts and oral histories of internees. It also offers virtual tours to the Honouliuli National Historic Site. JCCH has an online directory that allows you to search for internees in Hawaii.
Honouliuli was closed for civilian internees in 1945 and for prisoners of war in 1946. The camp was closed in 1945 for civilian internees and 1946 for prisoners of war. Fast-growing vegetation soon took control. Honouliuli became forgotten while Americans celebrated World War II victories and focused on the American valor at Pearl Harbor. Both the Hawaiian and mainland internment camps exhibit wartime prejudices and injustices. However, Honouliuli highlights the difference in how forced removal was handled in Hawaii.
Former President Barack Obama designated Honouliuli a national monument in 2015. It housed more than 175 buildings and 14 guard towers, as well as over 400 tents, from 1943-1945. It was visited by 400 internees, 4,000 prisoners-of-war and Jigoku-Dani (or Hell Valley) who knew the site.