The WWII Battle of Manila: The Deadliest Urban Battle of the Pacific War
Japanese Rear Admiral Sanji Iwabuchi carried a heavy burden. In November 1942, the USS Washington’s guns had sent his battleship Kirishima to the bottom of the ocean off Guadalcanal. He survived. In Japanese military culture, that survival brought immense disgrace. Two years later, commanding naval forces in Manila, Iwabuchi saw his chance at redemption. General […]
Schofield Soldiers Developing Drones for Pacific Operations
Soldiers at the 25th Infantry Division’s “Lightning Lab ” at Schofield Barracks have been developing, building, tinkering with and modifying drones as technology that was once seen as science fiction becomes increasingly a fact of life in the 21st century. The Lightning Lab is the division’s “innovation and development ” section, meant to look at […]
Army in Hawaii Reinvests in Boats for Service in the Pacific
The Army logistics support vessel SSGT Robert T. Kuroda, stationed at Pearl Harbor, is named for a World War II Medal of Honor recipient from Aiea. The Hawaii soldier served in the legendary 442nd Regimental Combat Team, fighting through Italy and France. Kuroda died in combat near the French town of Bruyeres, where he single-handedly […]
Scale of Cuts to the VA in the Pacific Unclear
With significant proposed cuts to the Department of Veterans Affairs by the administration of President Donald Trump, it’s not yet clear what that will mean for veterans in Hawaii and across the Pacific. The agency has confirmed to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser that it has terminated a “small number” of probationary employees in Hawaii, and additional […]
As the Gaza Pier Is Packed Up, Experts Worry About What It Portends for a War in the Pacific
The U.S. Army, every few years, would break out a series of pontoons and boats and practice creating a pier where none existed before to land vehicles and cargo. It usually went pretty well, and it almost never generated any attention. Sometimes, weather would get in the way, and so the last time the service […]
Explorers Discover Possible Wreckage of World War II Ace Richard Bong's Plane in South Pacific
MADISON, Wis. — Searchers announced Thursday they’ve discovered what they believe is the wreckage of World War II ace Richard Bong’s plane in the South Pacific. The Richard I. Bong Veterans Historical Center in Superior, Wisconsin, and the nonprofit World War II historical preservation group Pacific Wrecks announced in March they were launching a joint […]
Keeping Peace in Pacific Is Crucial, Army General Says at Hawaii Conference
The Association of the U.S. Army kicked off its annual Land Power in the Pacific Symposium on Tuesday at the Sheraton Waikiki, bringing in attendees from 30 countries. In an opening keynote address, U.S. Army Pacific Commander Gen. Charles Flynn gave a somber warning, telling attendees that “the global security situation is becoming more perilous. […]
Army Planning Big Boost to Pacific Operations Next Year with More Training, Deployments and Equipment
The Army is seeking to better prepare itself for a potential conflict in the Pacific, with increased spending on regional training, deployments and equipment, according to its fiscal 2025 budget request. The service has requested a 200% increase in funding for Pacific training and employment, in addition to a massive $1.5 billion chunk of funding […]
Army Soldiers Wrestle with Jungle Challenges in the Pacific
Members of the Schofield Barracks-based 25th Infantry Division are training across the Hawaiian Islands and in the island nation of Palau this month as the Army continues to adjust its operations for the Pacific. On Wednesday, soldiers from the division kicked off the 2023 rotation for the Hawaii portion of the Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness […]
Army Aviation Plays Central Role in Pacific
Chief Warrant Officer Wayne Griffin has spent 5-1/2 years of his decade-long career as an Army pilot based in Hawaii. The mountains, valleys and the long stretches of blue ocean between the islands serve up some of the most beautiful views a pilot can see — but they come with unique challenges, too. “Flying here can be extremely […]