Place:National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Honolulu, Honolulu, Hawaii, United States

Location & Directions

National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific
Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii
2177 Puowaina Drive
Honolulu, HI 96813-1729
Phone: (808) 566-1430
Phone: (808) 532-3720
FAX: (808) 532-3756

Cemetery is located in central Honolulu, approximately midway from the Honolulu International Airport and Waikiki Hotel area. Take Hwy 1 East and exit onto Lunalilo Freeway. Then North onto Pali Hwy. Immediately across the interstate overpass, turn right (East) and proceed about 1 block. Turn left (North) approximately 300 feet then angle-turn to the right onto Puowaina.

Cemetery Information

About 35,224 interments at this cemetery. Complete listing of interments from the Department of Veterans Affairs recorded at Interment.net and at FindAGrave.com.

Few national cemeteries can compete with the dramatic natural setting of the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. It lies in the middle of Puowaina Crater, an extinct volcano. The “Punchbowl” was formed some 75,000 to 100,000 years ago during the Honolulu period of secondary volcanic activity. A crater resulted from the ejection of hot lava through cracks in the old coral reefs which, at the time, extended to the foot of the Koolau Mountain Range.

It was officially dedicated on September 2, 1949, on the 4th anniversary of V-J Day. Of all the national cemeteries, this one has been described as the most beautiful and the most moving.

The cemetery consists of 112.5 acres. Roughly translated, "Puowaina" means “Consecrated Hill” or “Hill of Sacrifice.” The Punchbowl was the site of many secret Alii (Royal) burials. It was also the place where offenders of certain kapas (taboos) were sacrificed. In the early 1800’s the crater was an important stronghold for Oahu natives who tried in vain to resist the invading Army of Kamehameha when he unified the Hawaiian Islands in 1810. The kingdom established by Kamehameha existed until Queen Lilioukalani was deposed in 1893.

Notable Persons

Medal of Honor Recipients

First Lieutenant Willibald C. Bianchi, (World War II), U.S. Army. Bagac, Province of Bataan, Philippine Islands, Feb. 3, 1942 (Section MA, Grave 39).

Private Erwin Jay Boydston, (Boxer Rebellion), U.S. Marine Corps. Peking, China, July 21 – Aug. 17, 1900 (Section G, Grave 703).

Private First Class William Robert Caddy, (World War II), U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, Company I, 3rd Battalion, 26th Marines, 5th Marine Division. Iwo Jima, March 3, 1945 (Section C, Grave 81).

First Lieutenant George Ham Cannon, (World War II) U.S. Marine Corps, Battery H, 6th Defense Battalion, Fleet Marine Force. Sand Island, Midway Islands, Dec. 7, 1941 (Section C, Grave 1644).

Corporal Anthony Peter Damato, (World War II), U.S. Marine Corps. Engebi Island, Eniwetok Atoll, Marshal Islands, Feb. 19, 1944 (Section A, Grave 334).

Sergeant William G. Fournier, (World War II), U.S. Army, Company M, 35th Infantry, 25th Infantry Division. Mount Austen, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, Jan. 13, 1943 (Section C, Grave 462).

Pharmacist’s Mate Second Class William David Halyburton, Jr., (World War II), U.S. Naval Reserve, Marine Rifle Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division. Okinawa, Ryukyu Islands, May 10, 1945 (Section O, Grave 274).

Private Mikio Hasemoto, (World War II), U.S. Army, Company B, 100th Infantry Battalion, 34th Infantry Division. Cerasuolo, Italy, Nov. 29, 1943 (Section D, Grave 338).

First Lieutenant William Dean Hawkins, (World War II), U.S. Marine Corps, Scout Sniper Platoon, Assault Regiment. Tarawa, Gilbert Island, Nov. 21, 1943 (Section B, Grave 646).

Chief Boatswain Edwin Joseph Hill, (World War II), U.S. Navy. Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, Dec. 7, 1941 (Section A, Grave 895).

Staff Sergeant Robert T. Kuroda, (World War II), U.S. Army, Company H, 442nd Infantry Regiment, 34th Infantry Division. Bruyeres, France, Oct. 20, 1944 (Section D, Grave 92).

Corporal Larry Leonard Maxam, (Vietnam War), U.S. Marine Corps, Fire Team Leader, Company D, 1st Battalion, 4th Marines, 3rd Marine Division. Cam Lo District, Republic of South Vietnam, Feb. 2, 1968 (Section J, Grave 388).

Private First Class Martin O. May, (World War II), U.S. Army. Iegusuku-Yama, Ie Shima, Ryukyu Islands, April 23, 1945 (Section N, Grave 1242).

Gunnery Sergeant Robert Howard McCard, (World War II), U.S. Marine Corps, Platoon Sergeant, Company A, 4th Tank Battalion, 4th Marine Division. Saipan, Marianas Islands, June 16, 1944 (Section B, Grave 1024).

Sergeant LeRoy A. Mendonca, (Korean War), U.S. Army, Company B., 7th Infantry, 3d Division. Chichi-on, July 4, 1951 (Section Q, Grave 1408).

Private First Class Kaoru Moto, (World War II), U.S. Army, Company C, 100th Infantry Battalion, 34th Infantry Division. Castellina, Italy, July 7, 1944 (Court 2, Wall F, Row 400, Niche 422).

Sergeant Joseph E. Muller, (World War II), U.S. Army, Company B, 305th Infantry, 77th Infantry Division. May 16, 1945 (Section N, Grave 1259).

Private Masato Nakae, (World War II), U.S. Army, Company A, 100th Infantry Battalion, 34th Infantry Division. Pisa, Italy, Aug. 19, 1944 (Section U, Grave 1446).

Private Shinyei Nakamine, (World War II), U.S. Army, Company B, 100th Infantry Battalion, 34th Infantry Division. La Torreto, Italy, June 2, 1944 (Section D, Grave 402).

Sergeant Allan M. Ohata, (World War II), U.S. Army, Company B, 100th Infantry Battalion, 34th Infantry Division. Cerasuolo, Italy, Nov. 29 and 30, 1943 (Section III, Grave 474).

Private Joseph William Ozbourn, (World War II), U.S. Marine Corps, 1st Battalion 23rd Marines, 4th Marine Division. Tinian Island, Marianas Islands, July 30, 1944 (Section F, Grave 77).

Private First Class Herbert K. Pililaau, (Korean War), U.S. Army, Company C, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division. Pia-Ri, Sept. 17, 1951 (Section P, Grave 127).

Radio Electrician Thomas James Reeves, (World War II), U.S. Navy. On board U.S.S. California, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, Dec. 7, 1941 (Section A, Grave 884).

Second Lieutenant Joseph R. Sarnoski, (World War II), US Army Air Corps. Buka, Solomon Islands, June 16, 1943 (Section A, Grave 582).

Staff Sergeant Elmelindo R. Smith, (Vietnam War), U.S. Army. Feb. 16, 1967 (Section W, Grave 131).

Sergeant Grant Frederick Timmerman, (World War II), U.S. Marine Corps Tank Commander, 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine, 2nd Marine Division. Saipan, Marianas Islands, July 8, 1944 (Section A, Grave 844).

Captain Francis B. Wai, (World War II), U.S. Army, 34th Infantry Regiment. Leyte, Philippines Islands, Oct. 20, 1944 (Section Q, Grave 1194).

First Lieutenant Benjamin F. Wilson, (Korean War), U.S. Army, Company I, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. Hwach`on-Myon, Korea, June 5, 1951 (Section A, Grave 1060-A).

Sergeant First Class Rodney J. T. Yano, (Vietnam War), U.S. Army, Air Cavalry Troop, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment. Bien Hoa, Vietnam, Jan. 1, 1969 (Section W, Grave 614).

Technical Sergeant Yeiki Kobashigawa, (World War II), U.S. Army, Company B, 100th Infantry Battalion, 34th Infantry Division. Lanuvio, Italy, June 22, 1944 (Court 8, Wall E, Row 500, Niche 536).

Private Shizuya Hayashi, (World War II), U.S. Army, Company A, 100th Infantry Battalion, 34th Infantry Division. Cerasuolo, Italy, Nov. 29, 1943 (Section V, Grave 464).

Others

John A. Burns, U.S. Army, Section N, Grave 828-A, former Governor of the State of Hawaii, interred on April 9, 1975.

Stanley Dunham, Sergeant, U.S. Army, World War II. Grandfather of President Barack Obama.

Spark Masayuki Matsunaga, Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army, Section V, Grave 334-B, former U.S. Senator, interred on April 19, 1990.

Patsy Takemoto Mink, Section U, Grave 1001-B, U.S. Representative, Hawaii, interred on Oct. 4, 2002. Mrs. Mink was interred her based on her husband's eligibility.

Clara H. Nelson, Section U, Grave 653-A, interred on Dec. 17, 1979, was known throughout the Islands as "Hilo Hattie".

Ellison S. Onizuka, Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Air Force, Section D, Grave 1, interred on June 2, 1986. An astronaut aboard the ill-fated Challenger when it exploded on liftoff on Jan. 28, 1986.

Ernest Taylor Pyle, Seaman Third Class, U.S. Navy, Section D, Grave 109, interred on July 19, 1949. Pyle, a World War II correspondent, was killed by a Japanese sniper on Ie Shima, an island off the northern coast of Okinawa on April 18, 1945. He was awarded the Purple Heart by former President Ronald Reagan.

Charles Lacy Veach, Colonel, U.S. Air Force, Court 3, Wall J, Niche 233, inurned on Sept. 10, 1995, was an astronaut. He was awarded the Purple Heart for wounds received in action in Vietnam.

References, Sources, Footnotes

1. Interment.net: National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific
   
2. Department of Veterans Affairs: National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific
   
3. Wikipedia: National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific