Historic Preservation Survey and Nomination to the National Register of Historic Places of the U.S. Coast Guard Omega Station Located at Haiku, Kaneohe, O`ahu Island, Hawai`i.
Prepared for:
Edward K. Noda and Associates, Inc.
615 Piikoi St., Suite 300
Honolulu, Hawaii 96858-5440
Contract No. DACA83-96-D-0008
Delivery Order No. 0002
Prepared by:
Ogden Environmental and Energy Services Co., Inc.
680 Iwilei Road, Suite 660
Honolulu, Hawai`i 96817
December 1997
Final Report
Historic Preservation Survey and
Nomination to the National Register of Historic Places
of the U.S. Coast Guard Omega Station
OÔahu Island, HawaiÔi
By:
Dot Barton, M.A.
Project Director and Editor
Scott Williams, M.A.
Prepared For:
Edward K. Noda and Associates, Inc.
615 Piikoi St., Suite 300
Honolulu, Hawaii 96858-5440
Contract No. DACA83-96-D-0008
Delivery Order No. 0002
Prepared By:
Ogden Environmental and Energy Services Co.
680 Iwilei Road, Suite 660
Honolulu, HI 96817
December 1997
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The U.S. Coast Guard is preparing for closure of the U.S. Coast Guard Omega Station located in Haiku, Kaneohe, on the Island of Oahu. This closure initiated the preparation of National Register of Historic Places nomination forms for five structures within the Omega Station. The station was originally built during World War II as the Naval Radio Station at Haiku Valley, a low frequency radio station capable of sending transmissions as far as the bottom of Tokyo Harbor.
This report first summarizes the historical data of the wartime and post-war construction era and includes an architectural description of the five structures. The structures combined together form a unit that is a historic representation of World War II efforts in the Pacific and the innovative design and construction of the station. A completed district nomination to the National Register of Historic Places, based on Criterion A, historical association with World War II and radio technology, and Criterion C, distinctive architecture and engineering of a Naval Radio Station unique to the Cold War period.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY i
INTRODUCTION 1
GOALS 1
METHODS AND PROCEDURES 1
FIELD WORK 3
PHOTOGRAPHIC DOCUMENTATION 3
Photographs, Written Historical and Descriptive Data 3
Part I. Historical Data 3
World War II- U.S. Navy 3
Contractors, Pacific Naval Air Bases 6
Construction at Haiku Valley 7
Haiku Valley Post-War, Omega Station 23
Part II. Architectural Information 27
Historic Construction 27
Transmitter Building (Building #1) 27
Location 27
Past Use 28
Present Use 28
Construction 28
Alterations 28
Present Condition 28
Helix Building (Building #6) 28
Location 28
Past Use 28
Present Use 33
Construction 33
Alterations 33
Present Condition 33
Commercial Power Building (Building #9) 33
Location 33
Past Use 33
Present Use 33
Construction 36
Alterations 36
Present Condition 36
Haiku Stairway 36
Location 36
Past Use 36
Present Use 36
Construction 36
Alterations 44
Present Condition 44
The Concrete Retaining Wall, Marked USNRS, Haiku Valley 44
Location 44
Past Use 44
Present Use 44
Construction 44
Alterations 44
Present Condition 44
NOMINATION TO THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES 49
Conclusions 49
Preparation 49
Recommendations and Procedures 49
REFERENCES 50
APPENDIX A. Archival Records, National Archives and Records at San Bruno, CA. [here omitted]
APPENDIX B. Compendium of Acquisition. [here omitted]
APPENDIX C. Historic Resource Inventory Forms. [here omitted]
APPENDIX D. National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form. [here omitted]
LIST OF FIGURES
1. Map of Haiku Valley Radio Station Area (From U.S.G.S. 1983 Kaneohe Quadrangle Map)
2. The Cliffs of Haiku Valley (From Ft. DeRussy Army Museum Archives, Honolulu, Hawaii).
5. Anchorage on the Mountain Top at Haiku Valley (From Woodbury 1946)
6. Method of Raising the Antenna at Haiku Valley (From Woodbury 1946)
9. Above Ground Grid System Prior to Removal (From Holmes and Narver, 4-21-71)
12 a. Interior of Transmitter Building, 1997.
b. Transmitter Building with New Helix Room, 1997.
13 a. Aerial View of Transmitter Building, 1997.
b. Aerial View of Helix Building, 1997.
14 a.Cable Access, East Wall, 1997.
b. Blast Door, North Wall, 1997.
15. Helix Building, Concrete Block Addition, East Wall, 1997
17. South View of Commercial Power Building (From U.S. Coast Guard Omega Station Records 5-15-43)
18. a. Possible Evidence of Wood Form for Poured Concrete, West Wall, 1997.
19. a. Remaining Power Lines Running Along the Haiku Stairway, 1997.
b. Remains on Old Wood Stairway, Laying Beside the Steel Stairway, 1997
20. a. Beginning of the Steel Stairway in the South Side of the Valley, 1997.
b. Detail of Steel Stairway Connecting Units, 1997.
21. Variations in Stairway Construction (From Holmes and Narver, 1971).
22. a. Steel Catwalk Along the South Ridge.
b. Concrete Steps Out of Cable Car House Going Up the South Ridge, 1997
23. a. Aerial View of Stairway, Southern Approach to Cable Car House, 1997.
b. Southern Stairway, Missing Section at Top is Replaced with a Temporary Ladder, 1997.
24. a. Stairway, Southern Access, 1997.
b. Original Wood Stairway and Remains Along Side Steel Stairway, 1997.
25. Concrete Retaining Wall, West View of Valley, 1997.
INTRODUCTION
This report presents the results of historical preservation survey and assessment of five structures located at the Haiku Coast Guard Omega Station to the National Register of Historic Places and preparation of the National Register of Historic Places form. This project was conducted by Ogden Environmental and Energy Services company, In (Ogden) under contract DACA83-96-D-0008, Delivery Order 0005, with E.K. Noda and Associates, Inc. Honolulu, Hawaii.
The survey and assessment of five structures at the Haiku Coast Guard Omega Station include the Transmitter Building, the Helix Building (Building #6), the Commercial Power Building (Building #9), and the nameplace concrete retaining wall. The research and nomination form are in compliance with the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 and are being undertaken in order to afford adequate protection of cultural resources during the upcoming closure of the Omega Station.
Dot Barton is the principal investigator for this project, and Scott Williams is the Project Manager. Field work and archival research was conducted from May 19 to June 6, 1997.
Goals
Research initially focused on assessing the construction of the five structures, their renovations, and use. Part of this process was research in order to obtain original historic engineering and construction information. The Naval Radio Station at Haiku Valley is a unique example of the resourceful technology and engineering that was part of the Pacific offense during World War II. The radio station used the natural topography as the means to create a "tower" higher than technology could construct at that time. The station continued on as part of radio and engineering history during the 1950s, when experimentation began for an Omega station, a complete and cost effective global navigational aid, and in the 1970s, when it started official operation as one of the first of eight Omega stations in the world .
The goals of this project were threefold. First was documentation of the five structures construction, their renovation, and present use and condition. Second was collection of historical and architectural/engineering information concerning the structures and the development of the Haiku Valley Naval Radio Station and U.S. Coast Guard Omega Station. Finally, this project culminated in completion of a district nomination form for the National Register of Historic Places.
Figure 1. Map of Haiku Valley Radio Station Area. From U.S.G.S. 1983 Kaneohe Quadrangle Map.)
Methods and Procedures
In preparation for both the documentation of the five structures and the nomination to the National Register of Historic Places, archival research was conducted at the following locations in Hawaii: U.S. Coast Guard Environmental Office; U.S. Coast Guard Omega Station; PACDIV Real Estate Office, Plan Files, and Naval Facilities Engineering Command Library; Pearl Harbor Navy Base Library; Bishop Museum Archives; Hamilton Library Government Documents, Newspaper Archives, Hawaiian Collection, Graduate Library, and Video Collection; Naval Public Works Center; Hawaii State Library; Kaneohe Public Library; Marine Corps Base Hawaii Library; and the Ft. DeRussy Army Museum Archives. Outside of Hawaii archival research was conducted at: the National Archives and Records at San Bruno, CA.; the Navy Historical Center, Washington D.C.; and the Construction Battalion Center, Port Heuneme, CA. Additional information was provided from interviews with Ronald Ching, previous Communication-Electronics Facilities Coordination Officer during the Coast Guard alterations; Phil Akwa, Southern California Engineering Co; Jeff Dodge, U.S. Navy Historic Preservation Specialist; Paul Wainwright, retired Vice President, Hawaiian Dredging Co; and Commanding Officer Paul Zerby, U.S. Coast Guard Omega Station.
FIELD WORK
Field Work was conducted during May and June of 1997. The field work consisted of an initial site survey at the ridgeline of Haiku via helicopter. Further site surveys were carried out in Haiku Valley and included visual inspection of the sites for photographic recordation and documentation of structural integrity, and documentation of historic association and architectural/engineering specifications, as necessary, for preparation of the nomination forms.
PHOTOGRAPHIC DOCUMENTATION
A variety of photographic documentation is included in this report. The majority of the photographic documentation is thirty-five millimeter black and white photography which is included with the written historical documentation. Eight color thirty five millimeter photographs are included along with the written documentation also. Thirty-five millimeter black and white photography is used on the historic resource surveys and included with the nomination form to the National Register of Historic Places. Copies of 8x10 black and white photographs of the original construction are included with the permission of the U.S. Coast Guard. Photographs will be submitted with the final report once review comments and subsequent revisions have been completed.
Photographs, Written Historical and Descriptive Data
Part I. Historical Data
World War II- U.S. Navy
The Naval Radio Station at Haiku Valley began construction in 1942. The Naval Radio Station was built in a horseshoe-shaped valley, using the topography of the surrounding cliffs, the most innovative technology of the time, and sheer determination to create an antenna system that reached almost 3,000 feet (Figure 2). This unique design and construction of the Naval Radio Station are a testament to the lengths the military and civilian workers reached under the pressure of war.
The radio station at Haiku Valley satisfied two requirements of the war. It allowed for long range transmission and was built in a position that allowed for excellent natural protection. "The Haiku Radio project was completed in December of 1943and over the 200 KW Alexanderson Alternator at Haiku messages to merchant ships, weather reports to naval ships and despatches to submarines were broadcast" (Honolulu Nav Comm Sta, 1960: 5).
There were few places in America that felt the harsh reality and understood the urgency of the war more than Hawaii. The U.S. Navy had begun preparations in Hawaii for the war in 1939. Prior to that time there were no separate Atlantic and Pacific fleets and Pearl Harbor was a small unit with little significance. After the outbreak of war in Europe in 1939 President Roosevelt declared a state of National Emergency and the Navy began to send part of its fleet to Pearl Harbor for the purpose of deterring the Japanese' movement in the Dutch East Indies (Allen, 1950: 227).
The positioning of Naval forces to Hawaii began as a temporary movement but by the summer of 1940 the chief of Naval Operations determined the fleet would remain indefinitely. On December 7, 1941, the Naval fleet at Pearl Harbor fell under attack. Overnight the islands of Hawaii were transformed. The people were fearful of future attacks, the military struggled to repair the damage from the Dec. 7th bomb raid, and rapidly began to prepare itself as the base center of America's World War II Pacific military efforts. The construction was rapid and widespread on the island of Oahu. By the time the Japanese government surrendered to the allied forces in 1945, the affiliated Naval bases in Hawaii comprised the most extensive defense installation in the world.
Figure 2. Sketch of Possible Radio Layout by Lt. Butzine, May 25, 1942 (From National Archives and Records, San Bruno, California.
Naval radio communication played a vital role in World War II efforts and Hawaii's defensive installation. The wireless was invented by Marconi in the late nineteenth century and the Navy was quick to make use of the new technology. The basic wireless invention went through a rapid evolution between the first and second World Wars. By 1940, the Naval communication system included technology capable of high, medium, and low frequencies that could send signals out to all corners of the globe (U.S. Dept. Navy, 1947:401).
In Hawaii, Navy communications began in September, 1916, at Hospital Point, Pearl Harbor. In 1920 a receiver station was constructed at Wailupe. At the time it was considered one of the largest radio receivers in the world and could receive six messages simultaneously. In 1931 land was bought in Lualualei Valley for the purpose of constructing a new transmitter facility. In 1936 the Lualualei Valley transmitter was activated (HABS, 1997:6).
With the outbreak of World War II, radio communication stations in Hawaii were built as rapidly as all other military operations that combined to make the Pacific offensive. The result was an overseas radio facility program that was advanced in proportion and technology above other area installations. The Army had three major and several minor radio installations. The Navy's radio station installations grew rapidly. Along with the previously erected Naval station at Lualualei Valley was a naval communications station at Wahiawa, near Schofield Barracks. The station was commissioned on December 21, 1941, and grew to be one of the largest Naval radio stations in the world at that time (Allen, 1950: 226).
However, the Naval fleet expansion into the Pacific created communication needs that were not yet being met. The Submarine Base at Pearl Harbor, established in 1919, found itself at the forefront of war operations for the Pacific during World War II. As the submarines left the harbor and ventured into Japanese waters there was an exigency for communication (Allen, 1950: 225).
One more item was needed to give the Pacific fleet full striking power: absolute certain means of radio communications with headquarters at Pearl. The new receiving station at Wahiawa amply met these requirements but the main Navy transmitter at Lualualei was not powerful enough for an all-ocean war. A giant sending station must be built that would reach not only to the waters of Australia and the Indian Ocean but also to every Allied submarine-submerged-especially if she were on the bottom of Tokyo harbor (Woodbury, 1946:349).
It was deemed that the 600 foot tower at Lualualei was not powerful enough to send radio waves of the length necessary for communication in the Pacific. A system was needed that could send messages to the bottom of Tokyo harbor. The initial problem was how to build a tower higher than 600 feet. The Navy believed it possible to use the natural geography to create the necessary height. In Java there had been successful experimentation by the Dutch of such a facility using cables strung between two mountain peaks (Woodbury, 1946: 350).
The Navy quickly decided to build a long range low frequency radio station in Hawaii using this type of natural resource. The station was highly experimental and also highly classified. The station would be able to obtain long range signals because it would use a very low frequency. The huge, high powered antennas would send out stable, long waves that were able to travel long distances and penetrate intrusions, such as mountains and water. The system would also require a transmitter building at the bottom of the valley, placement of anchors at the ridge of the cliffs, wires running from the anchors to the transmitter, and a copper grid system in the valley to assist in conducting the signals.
Contractors, Pacific Naval Air Bases
How to make this low frequency radio system become reality was one of the most complicated jobs in the Pacific during the war. The project was one of hundreds that were completed under the coordination and leadership of the Pacific Naval Air Base (PNAB). The PNAB was initiated in the 1930s as turmoil was mounting in the Pacific. At that time, the mood of America was one of caution. People were very hesitant to become involved in another war, particularly if America was not directly involved. However, in 1938, there were also many officers and political leaders that sensed the seriousness of the rising turmoil in China and the growing interest of the Japanese in the Pacific, including Hawaii. These individuals, including Charles Edison as the Assistant Secretary of the Navy and Rear Admiral Ben Moreell, the head of the Bureau of Yards and Docks, met with President Roosevelt. Working towards the same goal, they slowly and stubbornly inched towards a proposal for Pacific Naval Bases (Woodbury, 1946: 65).
At this point in time the proposal for the Pacific Naval Air Bases was being limited to defensive measures. In January of 1939 the Naval Affairs Committee opened hearings on the specifics of the proposed new Naval Bases. During this hearing Admiral Moreell laid out the exact method that would be used in building the bases. The Admiral proposed:
" . . . the vital issue of using private contractors to do the work in the pacific. There would be no bidding on the island contracts. The Navy would choose the contractors it believed competent to do pioneering work under stress of emergency, then pay them on a cost-plus-fixed fee basis. This would be the first time that the Government had ever used this method on a big job" (Woodbury, 1946: 52).
This innovation constituted the Contractors, Pacific Naval Air Base (CPNAB). In the hearings of 1939 were stated several points that convinced skeptics of the decision to use this system of CPNAB. First, that private contractors would be used because the use of civil service engineers was too slow. Second, the contracts were awarded to large firms because small ones did not have the experience or talent for this large scale operation. Lastly, contracts should be paid a fixed fee instead of the conventional percentage of cost because it does not benefit the contractor to spend money but instead rewards him for not spending money (Woodbury, 1946:59). On May 25th, 1939 Congress passed an appropriation bill providing 63 million dollars for Naval Air Bases. In the near future the unique and innovative organization of the CPNAB set forth by Admiral Moreell would prove indispensable for expeditious construction in Hawaii after the 1941 bombing of Pearl Harbor (Woodbury, 1946: 55).
Over one hundred firms applied to be the Contractors used for the Pacific Naval Bases. After much deliberation and intensive screening three companies were determined to be the strongest competitors having knowledge, experience, and imagination. The original contractors were Turner Construction Company of New York, the Raymond Pile Company of New York, and the Hawaiian Dredging Company. On August 9th the contract (No y-3550) was approved and the Contractors began work. Logistics were quickly decided upon and offices began to function. One of the first tasks was building the Operation Office in Alameda. This office would be responsible for coordinating all of the purchasing and shipping of supplies (Woodbury, 1946:68).
By the winter of 1940 Congress began to understand the full impact of the Pacific turmoil and approved a bill that included $31 million specifically for the Pacific island bases. With this increase in appropriations the Contractors also needed to expand their resources and invited in two new private companies, the Morrison Knudsen Company, Inc. and the J.H. Pomeroy and Company, Inc. On July 11th, 1940, a new bill was approved (Woodbury, 1946:140). Over the next three years the contracts given the CPNAB grew to be the largest contractual award in history. When the contract was finally terminated, December 31, 1943, the total construction and cost amount of their contracts was over $692,000,000 (U.S. Dept. Navy, 1946:139).
The CPNAB had an interest in Haiku Valley as soon as the war broke out. Workers hiked up the back side of the cliffs, from the Red Hill side, soon after the attack on Pearl Harbor. The men that reached the ridgeline were pondering the possibilities and problems of construction at the site. In particular they questioned how the wires would be brought to the top of the ridge from the Valley side. More to the point, how might the workers themselves reach the top of the ridge (Wainwright, 1997). The contractors did not reach any definitive conclusions but very quickly the prospects of a radio station in Haiku Valley took on a demanding nature and immediate decisions began to be made about the construction as the plans for the Pacific Naval Air Bases took on an offensive position.
Construction at Haiku Valley
The construction of the Naval Radio Station at Haiku Valley was one of the most complex and perplexing jobs of the Pacific offensive. The facility was classified top secret and there was no discussion with the Army or the operating committee of the Navy. There was no real model to follow for engineering construction, the terrain was extremely rugged and often dangerous to work in, and they were working under the pressures and trials of the war-racked island.
Early in 1942 the proposal was headed by Commander Hord, Radio Materials Officer at CINCPAC; BuDocks (Bureau of Yards and Docks) engineers, Lt. Commander R.M. Belt, Lt. Butzine, and Lt. Thatcher, engineers of the Radio Corporation of America, including Mr. McKesson; and the New York designing firm of Gibbs and Hill (Woodbury, 1946:349). The project was a result of extensive combined efforts.
Drawings were prepared by the District Public Works Design Section, and by the contractors' design department. Mountain-top anchorage, method of raising and lowering the aerial systems, and layout of roads and trails were designed by the contractors. The aerial system, the antenna ground system, the transmission lines for carrying radio-frequency power from transmitter to antenna and ground system, and the transmitter layout (including suggestions for main and auxiliary building layouts) were designed by R.C.A. communications, Inc., in connection with their order to furnish radio-installation material and field-engineer supervision on installation. R.M. Towill, of Honolulu, was employed to make preliminary site surveys" (U.S. Dept. Navy, 1944: A-816).
Certain portions of the work was later completed by construction battalion forces including "installation of the 600-kw diesel standby generator in the bombproof transmitter building, installation of several poles on the transmitter building on the Pali summit, and installation of a short length of underground cable" (U.S. Dept. Navy, A-829; 1944).
The construction was difficult due not only to the sharp terrain but also due to extra pressures created by the war situation. Materials and labor were difficult to come by. "Before the Japanese attack, all barracks were constructed of reinforced concrete, but after the outbreak of war all personnel facilities were built of wood, to conserve critical materials" (U.S. Dept. Navy, 1946:139). This was clearly the case at the Naval Radio Station at Haiku Valley. The barracks, mess hall, and other basic structures were of frame construction. Generally the most important buildings, those vital to the successful transmission of long range messages, were constructed of reinforced concrete. These were the bomb-proof transmitter building, helix building, intra-island communication transmission building, and the commercial electric supply building. On the island tensions rose as the need for rapid construction increased and supplies were limited. Often when supplies did arrive they were in poor condition and further time was needed to repair them.
Skilled workers were in demand because of the high volume work load as the island scrambled to not only repair damage but also to build a stronger defense (U.S. Dept. Navy, 1947:120). One engineer described the atmosphere of the building industry during early 1943:
We had airfields to build, we had ammunition storage to build, war storage for gasoline on five different islands. Every damn thing was important, and one job would be hot today and probably another job hotter tomorrow, depending on the using agency putting pressure on a certain job . . . We were trying to do three year's work in one year, under difficult circumstances, and I think everyone did their darndest (U.S. Dept. Navy, 1947:140).
Along with the shortage of workers and materials there was also the heightened stress factor in Hawaii following the trauma of the attack on Pearl Harbor December 7, 1941. The community was struggling with the tension of living under martial law including black outs, curfews, and barbed-wire strung along the beaches.
The choice of Haiku Valley was based on its topography. In order to build the facility a site was needed that had two mountain walls rising as vertically as possible, both a similar height over 2,000 feet, and with flat land in between. By studying a Coast and Geodetic map it was determined that the walls of Haiku Valley eroded into a series of cliffs like in an amphitheater open towards the ocean, would be ideal. The valley was covered with dense vegetation and large lava rocks. Huge twisted hau trees were tightly knit throughout the valley. Axes were used to chop through the hau trees as the first expeditions were made though the valley (Woodbury, 1946:350).
Beyond clearing the valley, the largest problem facing the construction of the radio station was finding a way to send men to the top of the cliffs. The cliffs that semi-encircle the valley range between 1,800 and 2,850 feet. In many places the cliffs rise vertically at a 90 degree angle [sic]. To further add to the problems of scaling was the fact that the dirt was often either crumbly lava or was muddy and unstable from the high amount of rain and fog.
The contractors had considered sending back to the mainland for professional high-scalers when it was brought to their attention that two such high-scalers were working on another tough military project in nearby Red Hill. The two men, Bill Adams and Louis Otto, under the leadership of rigger Ray Cotherman, were known for their fierce determination and courage in conquering the heights. They began their climb up the steep slopes with one coil of rope, a rock pick-sledge hammer, and some three foot steel pins (Woodbury, 1946:356).
The story of their ascent and the construction that they opened the door to has been documented in David O. Woodbury's book Builders for Battle and magazines such as Reader's Digest due to the harrowing nature of the work (Honolulu Star Bulletin, October 7, 1950). The climbers began up the south, or Pali, side of the valley. The two men worked their way up the steep rock by driving in one spike, standing on it and driving in another, attaching the rope to that spike and then pulling themselves up to drive in another spike. When the spikes were used up for the day they returned to the bottom and began again the next day. It took Adams and Otto 21 days before they reached the top. What the two found was that the top of the cliffs were, in effect, a 'razor top'. Nowhere was the top more than 12 feet wide and in most areas it was 4 to 5 feet wide (Woodbury, 1946:356).
The experts continued to make design suggestions as the project progressed. The waging war was evident in the incoming ideas. There was a constant urgency for completion and also references in planning memos to a lack of materials due to the enormous amount of construction occurring in the islands and the confusion of obtaining items from the mainland, where the volume of incoming orders was overwhelming (Woodbury, 1946:74).
During this time plans were being made for the construction and design of the facility. On May 14, 1942, a summary of cost was written by the five members of CPNAB for an estimate of a radio transmitting station. The estimate contained a detailed listing for the transmitter building which included the cost for clearing the site, 850 cubic yards of concrete and 136,550 pounds of reinforced steel to construct the bomb-proof structure. It also included the cost of installing a 10 ton crane (CPNAB, Estimate, 1942). This crane currently remains in place at the transmitter building at the Omega Station at Haiku Valley.
The estimate for the design and construction of the antenna's anchors included costs for cableways to the ridges, lateral transport along the ridges, hoists and hoist houses, rigging gear, special tools, excavation and rock trimming, and a large sum for contingencies. This initial estimate attempted to prepare for the ability to make full use of the radio station as soon as possible. It allowed for not only the construction of the transmitter building and cableways but also telephone installation, roads, a fence, topographic survey, and quarters for 35 men. The equipment would be shipped on the mainland by railroad freight to California, by ocean freight to Hawaii, by truck from Honolulu to the site, placed in storage at the site, and it was planned that guards would be hired to protect the materials. The total estimate for the transmitter building was $598,300 and included 10.24% for accident insurance and taxes, 20% for the job overhead, 5% for the operating base office in Alameda, and a 5% fee for the contractors (CPNAB, Estimate,1942).
On May 25, 1942, the valley was sketched out by Lt. Butzine (Butzine, 1942). The sketch showed the land area that the Navy hoped to lease for the station in order to 'stretch aerial wires'. After some study, on June 11, 1942, BuDocks authorized acquisition of the land instead of leasing the area, with a decision that the land would be leased temporarily in order that construction on the radio station could begin as soon as possible (PACDIV:9). It was not uncommon for months to go by before legal acquisitions were made during the time of the outbreak of the war.
Lt. Butzine also noted on his 1942 rendering of Haiku Valley and its proposed aerials:
There has been no decision to date of the final locations of Aerials. BuDocks has recommended an overall spread of 1700 feet but the Officer in Charge has recommended that the maximum spread not exceed 1200 feet to simplify construction. It is essential to construct small helix houses under the aerials as well as installing certain ground and telephone poles (Butzine,1942 ).
This early sketch indicated both options of placements of aerials on the ridges, 1200 and 1700 feet apart (Figure 3). It also placed four helix houses near the center of the valley, one for each of the cables, a transmitter building at the east of the helix houses near the entrance to the valley, and a building that would serve as quarters for 35 men, also near the entrance and the transmitter (Butzine, 1942).
Over the next months the Contractors, PNAB regularly corresponded with the R.C.A. engineers in New York. Due to the fact that the project was experimental all aspects of the construction were up for revision as the combined efforts of the workers resulted in innovative solutions to handle each new problem as it arose. On June 23, 1942, the Plant Design Superintendent, J.L. Finch from R.C.A. Communications, Inc. wrote to the CPNAB regarding further specifics of the anchor and aerial placement. At this point R.C.A. was basing its information on photographs and maps they had been sent on May 19, 1942, and a field representative they had in Hawaii.
The serial system is to consist of four cables roughly parallel and strung between mountain tops in a northwesterly-southeasterly direction and with down leads hung from a point near the center of each. The northwest end anchorages are to be located on a ridge shown on enclosure C having an elevation of slightly over 2500 feet and with a length of about 630 feet in a northeasterly southwesterly direction. The Southeast end anchorages are to be located with two of them straddling the summit named "Puu Keahiakahoe" with two then to have an elevation of slightly above 2750 feet and the other two on a step along the ridge in a northeasterly direction from the summit and shown to have an elevation slightly above 2450 feet.
Numbering these cables from the northeast, according to the present plan the northwest end anchorages will be spaced as follow:-between No.1 and No.2 100 feet, between No.2 and No. 3 400 feet and between No.3 and No.4 100 feet. Similarly at the southeast end the anchorages will be spaced as follows:-between No.1 and No.2 100 feet, between No.2 and No.3 700 feet and between No.3 and No.4 100 feet (Finch 1942:1).
These R.C.A. measurements would make the aerial span only 900 feet at its widest, well within the recommended 1200 foot length. In the same correspondence there were specific discussions of the type of steel wires to be used and the positioning of the insulators, downleads, and counterweight placements (Finch 1942:2) The general idea of the plan was followed although the specifics changed during the construction.
On August 4, 1942, R.C.A. wrote the Bureau of Ships a letter regarding the measurements of the transmitter room. They recommended a "possible decrease in the height of the transmitter room to 21 feet and in the height of the coil room to 15 feet (R.C.A., 1942:1). It appears from this correspondence that it was determined that the helix room and the transmitter room would be in the same building instead of the prior proposal of four helix buildings that would have been under each antenna cable. By October, 1942, the correspondence between Finch and CPNAB reflects a progression in the construction as it was more concerned with details, such as the specifics for duct trenches and trench cover details.
While engineering ideas progressed many workers were continuing to solve the problem of access to the cliffs, necessary to build the anchors. First, simple sections of ladders were brought up along the south side of the valley and attached to spikes in the mountain. The workers called this a "sissiesâ climb" and with it the first group of men could gain access to the ridge and search for the proper placement of the aerials and research building conditions (Woodbury 1946:356).
Access was found to the North Ridge by the use of a local pathway that approached the rim from the opposite side of the valley, the Red Hill approach. Apparently the pathway had been built earlier by the Civilian Conservation Corps, a group organized by the New Deal government to create jobs for young men. It was used both by hikers and bikers up till the time of construction of the radio station (Honolulu Star Bulletin, Oct. 7, 1950). Due to the highly classified status of the project the Navy had not notified the Army, the territorial board of agriculture and forestry, or any other relevant parties. Upon discovering that civilians were using the trail and observing the construction, action was taken to limit use of the trail strictly for Naval construction purposes (Honolulu Star Bulletin, Oct. 7,1950). Use of the back trail meant that there was no immediate need for scaling the cliffs and construction of stairs on the north valley cliffs, but a round trip using the back trail still required 23 hours.
Though delayed by week-long bouts of fog, engineers studied the rim and obtained distance and altitude information for the aerials. Geologists studied the mountain and were relieved to find that the muddy exterior and crumbly base were covering a solid foundation for the anchors. This was of particular concern because the five proposed anchors would be supporting a pull of 25,000 pounds each. A letter dated May 19, 1942 stated:
"The first 8 inches were black humus; the next 3 feet were a red crumbly volcanic conglomerate, and the last foot was grey rock and earth partially decomposed. It is believed that the ridge formations are composed of hard lava rock and conglomerate masses under a covering of humus and disintegrated material. It is believed that anchorages of expansion bolts bored into the rock, such as used in hard granite walls, would hold, due to the broken texture of the rock . . . "(U.S. Dept. Navy, 1944: A-818).
It was determined that they would not use the standard procedure used in stone of expansion bolts but instead would use concrete anchors (Woodbury, 1946:356).
While the exploration continued on the ridge, efforts were ongoing to improve the climb up the south wall. The ladders were replaced with wood steps and catwalks. The ladders were constructed in 6 foot sections using 1"x6" sections of steps fitted into carved sections of long side boards to form a flush ladder section. Eventually there was 8,050 feet of stairway. 3,500 feet of wood ladders were built by the CPNAB in 1943 along the southern access of Haiku Valley. 950 feet of galvanized steel ladder was built along the ridge in 1947 by the contractor Walker Moodey. 3600 feet of glavinized steel ladder was built in 1952 along the northern access by contractor A.W. Yee (U.S. Dept. Navy, 1955). Records indicate that this northern portion of stariway was originally slated to be built as a wood stairway in 1944 (Klepper, 1944:1).
When the first section of stairway was completed on the southern access, it took approximately 3-1/2 hours to go up to the ridge using the stairs. Immediatley following completion of the southern access work began to build cable cars and a tram system so that men, and most importantly heavy equipment, could be taken to the top of the ridge (Woodbury, 1946:357).
Engineers concluded that a small cable car, several men, and some materials would have an actual pull of nineteen tons. This, along with a determined safety factor meant that it must be built to withstand a fifty ton pull. This required 38,000 feet of inch wide steel wire rope. This amount of wire weighed twenty tons and left the obvious problem of getting it to the top of the mountain (Woodbury, 1946:357).
Ideas for getting the wire to the top of the North Ridge were considered, including having it dropped by an Army bomber, but the final decision was to carry up a lighter wire loop. To do so, 52 men carried a 10,000 foot long, quarter-inch cable over 6 miles up the steep terrain by coiling up 100 foot sections, placing one over the shoulder of one worker, having him walk up 100 feet, and then loading up a second man with 100 feet of wire and sending him up, until finally the entire length was laid along the path of the mountain. The men reached the top by evening and camped at the ridge. The next day, one of the original mountain scalers, Bill Adams, volunteered to make the loop by taking the line down the north face of the cliff, where there were no steps or ladders. He spent the day sliding down and axing his way through the brush until he reached the bottom (Woodbury, 1946:359).
The South Ridge was easy in comparison as workers were sent up the wooden stairway carrying the quarter inch wire. At the top a small loop was made with a piece of boards placed in it for a seat and a man was lowered down in it to the bottom. With the light wires in place it was possible to use a diesel powered hoist to pull up the heavier steel wire (Woodbury, 1946:360).
The cable car was supposed to carry either 500 pounds or three men at one time (Figure 4). Often the rule was overlooked.
" . . . at quitting time on top the men could not wait for rules. Everyone who could possibly hang on anywhere would get aboard and swing out over the chasm, singing and tossing around their rigger's language." The engineers did have one strict safety feature, " . . . the use of a 'skookum block' for each headend pulley. This block had a completely enclosed body and graphite-lubricated bearings, which made it impossible for the cable to jam or pull loose" (Woodbury, 1946:361).
Prior to raising the heavy wire the engineers wanted to test out the antenna. Temporary anchors were erected and a medium weight heavy cable hoisted. A small transmitter was set up in the valley and connected to the downlead (Woodbury, 1946:360).
The results of this test, along with the measurements and calculations of the Haiku antenna, came out on November 11, 1942. The test antenna had a 4,575 foot flat top and 1250 foot downlead. The final antenna was proposed to have a 4600 foot flat top, a 1453 foot downlead, and of course a stronger steel wire. Various measurements were taken such as ground resistance, comparisons with other low frequency stations, effective heights, measured capacity, and antenna efficiency (U.S. Dept. Navy, 1942b).
The results of this test were a matter of great interest because the nature of the project was one of experimentation. This was clear in the introduction to the report.
The erection of a low frequency antenna between mountain tops is a departure from normal antenna design. Previous experience with such antennas has been extremely limited, and because of this, it was impossible to estimate accurately the performance of such an antenna. The most important unknown was the radiation resistance value upon which the efficiency of the antenna depends. (U.S. Dept. Navy, 1942b)
The conclusion of the report indicates that the results were not as notable as was expected but did rate high enough to serve its intended purpose.
These tests and calculations show that the Haiku antenna as designed will be a good low frequency antenna. The test shows that the performance will be considerably below the expected performance based on preliminary calculations. However, it will be a better antenna than any existing tower type antenna and will be a satisfactory replacement for the Lualualei antenna. (U.S. Dept Navy, 1942b).
After receiving the positive results of the test the progress of construction picked up pace even further.
All through the valley terraces were leveled and made ready for the bomb-proof transmitter building, the 'helix house', living quarters, barracks, sewage plant, and system of roads. The 'keying' or actual message-sending from Haiku was to be done at Wahiawa, seventeen miles away. To make the connection, a cable was run to Kaneohe, and thence around the island by road (Woodbury 1946:362).
One of the components of the radio station was an elaborate copper wire ground system. The wires were to be attached to poles and set out in a grid pattern to cover the valley floor. The grid system worked to increase the radiating capacity of the system. In a letter to the Morrison Knudsen Company in 1943 Martin Broan stated that, "The ground system at this station is much more elaborate than most staions of this type have due to the high power and the poor conductivity of the soil in the valley (pg.5). The work was very difficult because the terrain was muddy, preventing the use of bulldozers, and covered with the heavy twisted hau trees. The holes for the poles were dug out by hand and dozens of wires, each a quarter of a mile long, were placed in a spider web fashion following the plan laid out by R.C.A.
The cable car systems were improved. On the North Ridge a sixty foot tower was constructed in order for the car to be able to pass over an overhanging ledge. The South Ridge had few snags. Once the car was stuck and two men were forced to spend the night in the dangling car. Another trolley system was placed along the ridge so that it would pass over the five anchor spots and materials could be brought in this manner. Workers remained on the mountain for days on a regular basis (Woodbury, 1946:365).
Construction of the five main anchors was ready to begin (Figure 5).
[They] were lofty A-frames made of eight inch steel I-beams set down ten feet or more in solid blocks of concrete . . . Before they could be set, the gangs had to notch out the crest of the mountain with picks and shovels till solid bedrock was exposed, then blast a well to hold the anchor block. Concrete was mixed dry down at the Kaneohe batching plant and trucked in to the valley floor. Here it was watered and sent aloft in big steel buckets, than transferred to the [cable car] and poured directly from it through a portable chute (Woodbury 1946:365).
Finally the heavy steel wires were to be put in place. Several options for this were discussed including one from R.C.A. which was deemed unrealistic. The method used consisted of using a pulley in the valley to raise the loop of cable by gradually lifting the end of the loop off the ground (Figure 6). Weight boxes were built and placed behind the anchors on the ridge as counterweights to the fourteen ton pull of the cable. The weight boxes were each 14 tons. Woodbury relays the risk involved in this one process. One worker slipped while attempting to place one of the weight boxes and fell approximately 400 feet but was basically unscathed (Woodbury, 1946:366).
Figure 5. Anchorage on the Mountain Top at Haiku Valley (From Woodbury 1946)
One last project was left that involved the arduous construction along the ridge: " . . . a complete bomb-proof block house on the highest pinnacle of the ridge- at 2850 feet- to contain the ultra-highfrequency unit which could maintain communication with Kaneohe and Wahiawa if the regular cables failed" (Woodbury,1946:367). This structure was referred to as the 'CCL House' or the Communications Control Link Station. While there were "direct lines for telephone and telegraph . . . connected to Pearl Harbor, Kaneohe Naval RAdio Station, Ford Island Naval Air Station, Wahiawa Naval Radio Station, and Lualualei Naval Radio Station", this equipment housed at the pinnacle of the ridge allowed for an "ultra high frequency direct beam radio that also coule reach the points listed above" (Morrison, 1942: 4). With this, the radio station was complete and ready to handle high priority information during the war.
On the valley floor, not only had workers been building the bombproof transmitter building, but they also had completed an entire complex of other necessary structures to insure complete operational facilities for the radio station (Figure 7). From the original scope of work (Project 809, authourized by change A04, dated May 15, 1942, and Project 860, authorized by change M-4, dated June 19, 1942) projects included;
" . . . preliminary survey work, and construction of a radio transmitting station, including equipment, services, etc., by R.C.A.; construction of a bombproof transmitter building, barracks for 35 men, roads, walks, fence, and services; clearing; power supply; setting poles for RF line; installation of water cooling system, and oil cooling system; telephone installation; construction of anchorages; and transportation and installation of eqipment. The estimated cost of the work was $1,198,000 . . . Additional work included construction of quarters for the Officer-in-Charge, addition of 600-KW. standby Diesel-electric generator, additional construction for TCG transmitter, testing aerial, addition of filter beds to septic system, and repair of fire damage. The estimated cost of additional work--after adjustment deductions for work omitted from contracat (because of delayed deliveries) and later performed by Construction Battalions-- was $521,300" (U.S. Navy, 1944: A-816).
Figure 6. Method of Raising the Antenna at Haiku Valley (From Woodbury 1946)
The installation used its own lumber yard within the valley for these projects (U.S. Dept. Navy, site map).
In November, 1942, there was a decision to locate the TCG (Transmitter, Coast Guard [U.S. Dept. Navy, 1944: A-811]) antenna that was scheduled to be placed at another Naval Radio Station, Lualualei, at the Haiku location instead. Preliminary specifications for the TCG antenna stated:
The antenna shall be located northeasterly from the low frequency antenna being erected in Haiku Valley. The south anchorage shall be located approximately 100 feet east of #1 wire of the low frequency antenna where the elevation is approximately 2600 feet. The north anchorage shall be located about 1600 feet east of #1 wire of the low frequency antenna . . . The transmitter shall be located in the bomb-proof main building . . . The anchorages, antenna and ground system shall be similar in design and construction to the spans to be erected for the low frequency antenna. (Preliminary, TCG, 1942:1).
The TCG antenna had its own ground system and bombproof helix house. The funding and materials of the antenna and radio system mainly came from appropriations that were made earlier for the antenna to be erected at the Lualualei station. "TCG antenna across Haiku better suited than 600 foot tower at any available location Oahu . . . present transmitter building for Haiku . . . can accommodate TCG as well . . . It is recommended that the funds originally set up for installing the Model TCG at Lualualei be transferred to the Haiku Valley siteÉ (U.S. Navy, BuShips 'Bureau of Ships', 1942: 1). Again, mention was made of possible supply shortages as the ground grid system was specified. "Poles for ground system distribution may be made of 6x6 creosoted lumber if stub poles are not readily obtainable" (U.S. Navy, BuShips, 1942a:2).
By April of 1943 the station was almost complete until approximately 12:45 A.M. on April 29, 1943 when there was a fire in the transmitter building. A report concerning the fire was written to the chief of the BuDocks on May 5, 1943 describing the conditions of the building and the fire. It stated that, " . . . a fire was discovered in the explosion chamber of the bombproof transmitter building . . . Fortunately, the blaze was confined to this room" (Ghormley, 1943). The fire damaged some of the tuning coils which were reordered on a priority basis from Alameda. This created a problem for the radio station. As hard as the workers worked to hurry the construction, this event and the delay were unavoidable. Not only were general materials in short supply but many of the materials used in the construction at Haiku were very specific and unusual.
The report continued on to say, "All local sources are being combed for possible substitutions to make the unit operable at the earliest possible date, but it is believed that even under the best conditions, completion of the station will be delayed by two to three months" (Ghormley, 1943:2). The structure of the building was not seriously damaged though and the report went on to mention the suspicious cause of the fire that would create the delay in completion of the station (Figure 8). "Cause of the fire has not been determined. The entire room was ablaze when it was discovered by the contractors civilian guard who was stationed in the main transmitter room. . . . [he] indicated that the fire had been in progress for at least 45 minutes when discovered. Certain circumstances suggest the possibility of sabotage and this phase is being investigated by representatives of Hawaii Intelligence" (Ghormley, 1943:2). It was almost exactly 3 months later that the station was established on August 22, 1943.
A contractor report wrote about the Haiku Radio Station in 1943 stating that,
The antenna system at this station is considered unique for serveral reasons:
1)- It is believed to be the longest unsupported span in existence (7600 ft.)
2)- It is believed to have the longest downlead employed in radio transmission (1200 ft.)
3)- Mountain tops are used for antenna anchorages in place of the conventional towers (Morrison, 1943: 6).
On August 17, 1944, a report was written that was a study and estimate of recommended alterations for the Naval Radio Station at Haiku Valley. Lt. Commander Klepper's statement in the opening paragraph was indicative of the continuing trials that construction in Haiku Valley posed for the workers and in creating an estimation for the report.
The extremely difficult terrain, and access only by steep ladders and cable cars to the top of the mountain, makes ordinary bases of estimating impractical. Cable and other building materials have to be handled in relatively short lengths and safety precautions taken, which will materially lengthen the working time. Frequent rains and fog will also cause delays and interfere with the progress of the work. A generous estimate of man hours has been made in order to anticipate those conditions. However, a close estimate of the actual man hours is impossible to make and the man hours shown are more of a guess than an estimate (Klepper, 1944:1).
He continued on to describe the then current construction of catwalks and ladders as built with 2"x6" boards with 1"x6" boards nailed against them and using a handrail made of 2'x4' boards where needed. The power cable was laid on one side of the ladder and the telephone on the other. Klepper suggested that when replacing portions of the cable that the same method be used because it allowed for easy checking on the cables, was not much of a fire hazard due to using armored cable, and any other method would require extremely time consuming labor. Portions of the cables would be placed in ducts. The commander suggested that the sections that were being replaced remain in place so that they could serve as spares if needed.
Klepper also discussed the proposed stairway on the North Ridge. Stating that it would be "approximately 3000 feet in length, with approximately 25% requiring ladders of the same construction as the South Ridge" (Klepper, 1944:1). The north access did not require any power or telephone cable be laid and in many sections the recommendation was to eliminate the wood walkway and a four foot path with a steel rod and cable handrail installed for safely. He referred to the sharp prominent edge at the rim of the north cliff and realized that it would require hand leveling. He ended his report with the estimate for constructing the stairway to anchorages on the north Ridge as, "Estimated material cost $1000 and an estimated man-hours 6000" (Klepper, 1944:2).
Also in 1944 the continued possession of the land within Haiku Valley was discussed in correspondence from the Navy Department and the Lands Division of the Department of Justice. A motion confirmed continuing possession of the area in October of 1944. It stated that the petitioner (The United States of America), "states that continued possession of said lands is necessary to aid in the prosecution of the War, for naval purposes, by determination of the Secretary of the Navy . . . " (District court, 1944:1).
The land was eventually acquired over the period of time between "1944 until 1972 by purchase, condemnation, and Executive Order setting aside land for defense purposes" (U.S. Dept. Navy, NavFacEngCom, 1973:4). This is an example of one such action taken on several parcels of the land.
Éa petition for Condemnation in Civil 540 was filed on 30 October 1944, with Order Confirming Possession of all the subject land being issued the same day. Declaration of Taking filed 5 October 1945. Negotiations with the various owners of the lands were successfully completed each case, compensations being arrived at and judgments rendered on stipulation, from December 1945 until November 1947 (SECNAVNOTE 5450: 8).
Haiku Valley Post-War, Omega Station
In 1954 the Navy entered into an agreement with the U.S. Air Force giving them permission to use approximately 130 feet of the interior of the building built on the pinnacle of the ridge for the purpose of an unattended microwave relay station with antenna mountings. On May 24, 1963, the Air Force notified the Navy that the interior of the building was vacated by them and the microwave relay system was replaced by passive and reflector antenna on the roof of the building (SECNAVNOTE 5450). Eventually the permit was transferred to the Coast Guard and the Marine Corps Base in Kaneohe. The unit was used as a passive transceiver to relay fire alarm signals between MCBH Kaneohe Bay and the Federal Fire Department at Pearl Harbor. Recently the Marine Base entered into a contract with NISE West (now renamed 'NRAD Act Pac', Naval command, Control and Ocean Surveillance Center Research Development Test and Evaluation Activity Pacific) to install an active repeater to Pearl Harbor which eliminated the need for the existing fire alarm relay station at Haiku (Kakesako, 1996:1).
After the war the station has continually been instrumental in experimental radio technology. On April 17, 1958, the Naval Radio Station at Haiku Valley was inactivated per SECNAVNOTE 5450 and the property remained under the command of the Navy. After the inactivation the station began a second life as a revolutionary experimental station for the OMEGA transmitting radio technology.
"In the mid-1960s, the formative days of Omega, theoretical calculations were carried out to determine how much radiated power was needed for Omega to work" (Hoyler, 1993:1).
The Navy's experimentation with the Omega system in the 1950s and 60s led to Haiku being one of four all-weather navigational aid stations located around the world in the 1970s. The other three stations were in Bratland, Norway; Port of Spain, Trinidad; and Forestport, N.Y. The system was geared to eventually replace the navigational aids being used throughout the 1960s, the 109 Loran stations. "The Haiku station sends out a signal every 10 seconds. A ship or plane then triangulates the signal from Haiku with signals from two other Omega station in order to get a navigational fix. It only takes one minute. This is done with synchronized atomic clocks." (Honolulu Star Bulletin, Sept. 25, 1969).
The system was expensive to initiate because it required that ships or aircraft have a computer. Funding was done by both the Navy and the Federal Aviation Administration. The Omega system was on the cutting edge of technology and revolutionized global travel systems. The new system had the potential to pinpoint the location of a moving unit to within one mile during the day and two at night (Honolulu Star Bulletin, Dec. 30, 1967). "Previously the Navy sometimes found its ships in the Atlantic at least 50 miles off course. The Navy . . . spent $100 million outfitting surface ships and planes with the system" (Honolulu Star Bulletin, Sept. 25, 1969).
In 1970 the Navy made plans to expand the Omega system in order to achieve truly global coverage. They put in a request for funding from Congress to put up more sophisticated antennas in Haiku Valley. Discussions were under way to build four other Omega stations with Japan, Australia, New Zealand, France, and Argentina. Senator Fong gave a statement that, "The foreign countries have been invited to become partners with us. Each partner will build the station for his country and operate it in precise harmony with the other seven Omega stations" (Honolulu Star Bulletin, April 14, 1970).
John W. Warner, at that time Under Secretary of the Navy, wrote to the Secretary of Transportation July 2, 1970 explaining the inclusion of the Coast Guard in the project. The response stated that the main purpose of the project was now still mainly as a Department of Defense function. It also elucidated that the Omega system was ready to take on its function and, "As a consequence, Coast Guard assistance in the maintenance and operation of the system is now desirable" (Secretary of Trans., 1970:1).
In 1971 the design of the new Omega antenna system began. The system was the most advanced and complex of its time. The modernization of the system was finished in 1975. Like the original Naval radio system in Haiku Valley, this system also was a very low frequency station. The new station could radiate transmissions at a power of 10,000 watts and over an 8,000 mile radius. The finished project worked in conjunction with the other seven global Omega stations (Ching, 1976:13).
Originally Omega was developed from the work of Professor J. Pierce. The principles of his work were tested and developed by the U.S. Naval Electronics Laboratory. While many believed at the time Omega entered its more public phase in the 1970s that it was a brand new idea, it was actually an idea that had been in experimentation for almost 3 decades. The radio station in Haiku Valley was one of the first to do this type of experiment. Of the earlier stations being used for experimentation, including California, Hawaii, New York, the Panama Canal Zone, and Wales, the one in Hawaii was initially the only one that radiated to a satisfactory level. This was largely due to other sites being chosen purely because they had radio facilities, but the other stations were not geographically suited for the project (Wysocki, 1978:12).
The Omega stations transmit signals in sequence on a time-sharing basis at intervals two-tenths of a second apart. All transmitters are synchronized by use of accurate atomic clocks which allow only one station to transmit a signal at any time. The Omega signals form a grid-like pattern which Omega navigation receivers use to measure the phase difference for signals, usually in pairs, from three different stations (Ching, 1976:13).
July, 1972, the first Coast Guard personnel arrived. Prior to that, the Omega station operations had been handled by civilian contract personnel. In February of 1973 the station operations were changed over from civilians to the Coast Guard and the existing antenna was erected. The new system required different wire spans. At some point between 1944 and 1958 the fifth span that was used for the TCG antenna was removed. Before the new antenna system could be erected the existing antenna and ground system had to be removed (Figure 9). This was replaced by an underground copper grid system and a six span antenna. The original ground grid system stood over 8 feet above the ground. It was in a deteriorated state and was not considered large enough to cover the area that was needed for the new six span antenna system. Cost analysis done by the Coast Guard found that installation of a new copper grid system underground would be more efficient (Ching, 1997:4).
The original A-frame anchors were removed and were replaced by 12 buried anchors implanted along the ridge of the cliffs. The spans and insulators were assembled in the valley and then raised up to their places at the ridge and in the air with the use of large pulleys and rigging (Ching, 1997:4). Like the first radio station construction in Haiku Valley it was a troublesome task. "Erection of the six span valley antenna was much more difficult than expected when one man was killed and several others seriously injured" (Omega 1976, 1). Groundwork was done to connect the down leads and it was in this phase that one of the workers lost his life. "He used a polypropylene rope (safety line) and unknowingly "burned" the new rope by friction (not noticed). Friction between the pulleys and the rope heated the tope and decreased the strength characteristics of the rope. The heat did not change the visual appearance of the rope and therefore was not noticed. On his second climb the rope broke and he fell approximately 500 feet (equivalent height of a five story building) (Ching, 1997:4).
Other changes included removal of 34 buildings that were in extreme disrepair, removal of the ground poles used for the ground grid system, and two additions to the transmitter building. An engineering room was added to the north side of the transmitter building and a helix room onto the top of the structure.
The new antenna system reaches 7,200 feet across Haiku Valley and is 1250 feet above the ground. The anchors weigh over 180,000 pounds. Unlike the original construction, a helicopter, helium balloons, and hot air balloons were used in erecting the anchors and placing the wires. The underground grid system covers almost 70 acres and consists of buried copper mesh, rods, and wires. Much of the work was done by hand because of concern with erosion and the topography (Ching, 1976:13).
Figure 9. Above Ground Grid System Prior to Removal (From Holmes and Narver, 4-21-71)
The station was off the air during part of 1973 and 1974 while the system was constructed. Red balls had been placed on the antennas to warn aircraft. When the power was first turned on the red balls burned and a balloon was used to remove the scorched balls (Honolulu Star Bulletin, Feb.28, 1975). On February 27, 1975 the station was commissioned as a U.S. Coast Guard unit (Omega, 1).
The Omega station fulfilled a need that was created by increased global travel and which had not been met by any of the previous systems. "Celestial navigation is an all-weather; present electric systems do not give global coverage; and inertial systems are expensive, limited in accuracy, and degrade with time" (Wysocki, 1978:11). Also, the Omega system could be used, "for full time long range en route navigation with a relatively small initial cost for Omega receivers compared with more sophisticated self-contained systems . . . the accuracy of the Omega navigation system in supplementing celestial navigation provides savings in travel time and fuel" (Ching, 1997:4).
The era of the Omega station came to a close on September 30, 1997. Many proponents of the Omega system feel that it could have remained as a viable entity in the radio transmission community because of its advantages," . . . low cost, worldwide coverage, and important potential as a GPS integrity check" (Hoyler, 1993:3). However, the use of the Global Positioning System will become the main means of navigational aid. "The U.S. Government recently approved use of 24 Pentagon satellites for GPS commercial use. With GPS technology, OMEGA technology is no longer required, even by the private sector" (Kakesako, 1996:1). This will end a reign of 55 years of one site, Haiku Valley, being the world leader in radio technology.
The result was one of the most significant components of the success of the Pacific fleet during World War II. The lives saved due to the message transmissions made possible by the Naval Radio Station at Haiku Valley are believed to be enormous. An article in the Honolulu Star-Bulletin, June 4, 1957, reflects that the . . . "1942 saga in Haiku Valley was a Lifesaver for the Navy . . . Haiku's value in terms of messages that saved lives, is a story open to those willing to scan the Navy's wartime annals".
The initial construction of the Naval station was one of the most difficult jobs undertaken during the war in the Pacific using innovative engineering techniques and cutting edge radio technology. The station also continued on after the war to use the facilities and topography as an important link to the twentieth century's growing travel and intercontinental age.
Due to the radio station occupying the valley between the years 1942-1997, the valley remains a relatively unspoiled natural area in Hawaii except for the as yet unopened span of the Interstate H3 Highway.
Part II. Architectural Information
The five structures proposed for nomination to the National Register of Historic Places were evaluated to determine their past and present use, historic construction, alterations, and present condition. This evaluation required both on site research and archival research to determine the construction date, original appearance, and the use of each structure throughout its history. A historic resources inventory form was completed on each structure noting condition, modification, architectural elements, and materials (Appendix C). The results of this research and evaluation of the five proposed structures are described below.
Historic Construction
Immediately after the Japanese planes bombed Pearl Harbor attention began to be paid to structural protection in case of future bombings. A course entitled "Aerial Bombardment Protection" was instituted by the college of Engineering of New York University in February 1941, under the auspices of the Engineering Defense Training Program of the United States Office of Education. In addition to those for whom the course was originally designed, engineers from the New York offices of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Bureau of Yards and Docks, U.S. Navy, attended (Wessman, 1942:v.).
This knowledge was put to use by the Bureau of Yards and Docks and the U.S. Navy in the construction of the three bomb-proof buildings at Haiku Valley, the transmitter building (Building 1), the helix building for the TCG antenna (Building 6), and the high frequency unit at the pinnacle of the mountain used for intra-island communication (Building 18).
These three bomb-proof buildings and Building 9, the commercial electrical building, were all made of reinforced concrete: " . . . concrete alone, like any natural stone, is brittle, but by imbedding in it steel rods . . . the cement adheres, and the metal binds the particles together so that the reinforced concrete is better adapted to withstand jar and impact" (Atlas, 1905:16). Forms were made of wood boards, steel rods set in place, and the concrete was poured in. After the concrete set the boards were removed. The imprint of the form boards on the concrete remain visible on the exterior of the structures today.
Transmitter Building (Building #1)
Location
The Transmitter building is centered towards the west side of Haiku Valley. The location of the building allows for the antenna on the surrounding cliffs of the valley to reach down and enter this centrally located structure.
Past Use
The transmitter building originally acted as the main force of the Naval Radio Station at Haiku Valley. The building housed the transmitter for all outgoing radio messages as well as the helix coil. The helix is a coil of copper wire that transmissions go through in order to regulate the resistance of the signal.
Present Use
The structure houses the transmitter and helix for the U.S. Coast Guard Omega Station.
Construction
Construction began on the transmitter building during late 1942 as part of the Navy's World War II Pacific efforts (Figure 10). The building was built as a relatively square (84ft.x74ft.), two story, reinforced, poured concrete structure built to withstand aerial bombardment. The roof is eight and a half feet thick and the walls are four feet thick and were built with the use of wooden forms. The building contained no windows. The one doorway is on the south side and has a covered entry way to provide concrete coverage for the small double doorway. The roof was flat with an extended overhang surrounding the building. On April 29, 1943 there was a fire in the transmitter building.
The fire damaged some of the tuning coils and thus created a delay in the completion of the station (until August 22, 1943), however, the structure itself withstood serious damage. After construction was complete the exterior was painted in a camouflage pattern (Figure 11). The interior housed the transmitter, the helix, and a ten ton bridge crane that was used to move the heavy transmitter equipment (Figure 12a).
Alterations
When the station made the conversion from the U.S. Naval Radio Station to the U.S. Coast Guard Omega Station in 1971, the transmitter building underwent some alterations. A one story generator room was added to the north side of the building. A helix room was added to the south portion of the roof (Figure 12b). On the interior of the building an office and recreation area were arranged on the second floor. No other major changes have occurred to the transmitter building.
Present Condition
Due to the fact that the function of the building remains generally the same as the original, there are few effects from any outside influence on the structure. The location and setting are almost identical to that of the building during the war era (Figure 13a). The alterations have made a relatively indistinguishable change to the feeling or design of the building. The alterations were done with similar materials and in a symmetrical manner so that the large block shape and flat roof design of the original remains intact. The structure remains in excellent structural condition and repair.
Helix Building (Building #6)
Location
The helix building is located approximately 1/2 mile past the gate, to the north of the entrance road.
Past Use
Building 6 was constructed for the purpose of a helix building specifically for the TCG antenna. The TCG antenna had its own helix, two anchors, wire span, and ground system that were separate from the VLF antenna, although it did use the same transmitter. Records indicate that the structure was in use as a helix house as recent as 1954.
Present Use
Vacant
Construction
A review of details concerning Navy building installations written on Dec. 24, 1942 states that the TCG bombproof helix building would be located underneath the determined final location of the TCG span (U.S. Dept.Navy, BuShips, 1942a:1). Due to the fact that the previously proposed site of the TCG antenna was Lualualei, plans, funding, and some materials were forwarded from that station for the construction at the Haiku site. Construction was completed in 1943.
The structure is a slight rectangular shape, with a 44 foot length, 32 foot width, and height of 36 feet (Figure 13b). The helix house is built on a concrete foundation. The walls and roof are bombproof reinforced concrete, with a eight and a half foot roof and four foot walls. On the exterior east wall, a small portion of reinforced concrete is visible. The east and west walls both have one opening set in a recessed concrete square that served as entryways for the antenna cables (Figure 14a). The one doorway is at the back of the building, on the north wall. The doorway is a 'blast door' (Figure 14b). It [comprises] a heavy concrete slab reaching approximately 13 feet high and is set parallel to the doorway, leaning in slightly towards the structure. The space between the slab and building is covered with another slab of reinforced concrete. The helix house consists of one room, all copper lined on the interior, and 22,000 cubic yards of concrete used in the exterior shell of the sturcture. The interior of the building has circular raised concrete portions for the helix coils and trenches surrounding it that would have held the wires.
Figure 13 a. Aerial View of Transmitter Building, 1997. b. Aerial View of Helix Building, 1997
Figure 14. a. Cable Access, East Wall, 1997. b. Blash Door, North Wall, 1997.
Alterations
There is a small, concrete block, rectangular room that appears to have been added to the south side of the structure at a later date, between 1943 and 1968. The construction of the room indicates that, unlike the main structure, it is not bombproof. The room is in disrepair, does not have a roof, and many segments of the walls are no longer standing.
Present Condition
The poor state of repair of the concrete block addition at the south side of the structure is an obvious detriment to the condition of the helix building (Figure 15). The main building itself has not been in use for some time but the physical materials are strong and in good condition. Presumably it remains standing only due to the fact that during the alterations of the 1970s the bombproof construction proved too difficult for demolition. However, the result of this is a positive one. While the attached building has been open to neglect the primary building remains as a structure holding a strong association and feeling with the original site. It is easy to see that the design, materials, and workmanship are authentic to the property.
Commercial Power Building (Building #9)
Location
Building #9 is located approximately 1/4 of a mile past the gate, on the south of the entrance road.
Past Use
The structure was built as an incoming source for commercial power, a power vault, for the Naval Radio Station at Haiku Valley.
Present Use
The structure remains as an incoming source for commercial power for the valley.
Construction
Plans began on the power vault in 1942 with final construction being in 1943 (Figure 16). The building is a small square shape, 27 ft.x 26 ft., with a flat roof at a 20 ft. height. There is one doorway at the north side of the building. As in most buildings at Haiku Valley, the doorway is protected with a parallel and covered entry way. This entryway has its own flat roof at approximately 10 feet. The front of the entry way is made of concrete block (Figure 17). The rest of the building is poured, form concrete, with discernible evidence of the wood form on the exterior of the structure (Figure 18a). Above the entry way are three mesh covered air vents. To the west side of the doorway are three insulators previously used for conduits running into the building. There is a small raised cube structure on top of the building for electrical purposes.
Figure 15. Helix Building, Concrete Block Addition, East Wall, 1997
Alterations
There are no apparent alterations.
Present Condition
The structure has no alterations and maintains the original setting and design. Due to the fact that the building remains in use and is in constant care and repair it has the appearance of a new building (Figure 18b).
Haiku Stairway
Location
The stairway begins at the southern portion of the valley, runs up the height of the south cliff, and along the top of the mountain to the southern side of the ridge.
Past Use
Access to the anchors and antennas used with the Naval Radio Station.
Present Use
Remains in place as an access to the anchors and antennas of the Omega Station. Occasional recreational (hiking) use.
Construction
The construction of the stairway at Haiku Valley began in 1942. Construction, whether in the form of improvements or repairs, has been an ongoing process since the conception of the stairway. (refer to historical data for more information). The first version of the stairway began on the south side of the valley in 1942. At that time, access to the ridge was crucial so that the anchors and antenna wires could be put in place. High scale climbers, Bill Adams and Louis Otto, toiled for twenty one days up the south side of the mountain before they reached the summit. The climbers left spikes in place as they made their way to the top. During their ascent, workers in the valley built simple sections of ladders. The climbers carried sections of the ladders up and lashed them to the spikes as they reached areas where it was impossible to walk. In certain sections where the wall of the mountain was almost vertical, three or four sections were roped together. The first stairway led workers up to the pinnacle of the mountain, 2,850 feet. Almost immediately, improvements were made as the ladder sections were replaced with wood stairways and gangways going up the side of the mountain and along the ridge, giving access to the anchors for the very low frequency antenna (Woodbury, 1946:357). "A 2300 volt 3 phase, 60 cycle, parkway power line was attached to one side of the ladderway and a 26 pair parkway communication cable was attached to the other side" (Morrison, 1943: 4), thus providing power and communication along the ridge (Figure 19a).
The stairway is 8,050 feet long and has 3922 steps. 3,500 feet of wood ladders were built by the CPNAB in 1943 along the southern access of Haiku Valley. 950 feet of galvanized steel ladder was built along the ridge in 1947 by contractor Walker Moodey. 3600 feet of glavinized steel ladder was built in 1952 along the northern access. Records indicate that this northern portion of stairway was originally built as a wood stairway in 1944 (Klepper, 1944:1).
On August 17, 1944 a memo was sent by the Officer in Charge, Lt. Klepper, concerning a proposed access from the north side of the valley. He suggested that the stairway be similar in design with the south side stairway. The catwalks were made in sections six feet long using creosoted 2"x6" boards and 1"x6" boards nailed across them. The handrails were 2"x4" boards where the topography made it necessary. The cross pieces were nailed into sections that were notched the size of the board so that they were flush with the side boards. In some of the sections the six foot long boards were hollowed out in the middle (Figure 19b). There is no record of the reason for this procedure but it was possible that it was done so that the sections would be lighter to carry up and put in place.
There was no need for power or telephone lines to be laid on the north side so the recommendation was made that the wood walkway be eliminated and instead a four foot path made with a steel rod and cable handrail for safety. There was a steep ledge at the North Ridge that required hand-leveling for the path to be able to make a complete approach to the North Ridge.
It is vital to understand the difficult conditions created by the topography in order to understand the construction of the stairway at Haiku Valley. The steep terrain and extreme heights made the work strenuous and dangerous. When proposing the stairway up the North Ridge, Lt. Klepper estimated that construction would have a material cost of $1000 and require 6000 man hours (Klepper, 1944:1).
According to current Commanding Officer Paul Zerby, at one point, between 1945 and 1953, the north side stairway sections were taken down and placed along with the southern stairway sections in order to create one contiguous stairway to the top of the South Ridge. In 1955 and 1956 the wooden stairway portions were replaced by the U. S. Navy with a steel stairway (Goodson: n.d.). The wooden portions were tossed to the side as they were removed and are visible today from the steel stairway.
The steel stairway consists of sections that are approximately 6 feet long and are anchored into the mountain side with steel pins (Figure 20a). Each section is made of two side pieces of steel and eight steps that are attached with bolts. The angle of each step can be manually adjusted along with the steepness of the grade. There is a metal handrail on either side of the steps. A small steel brace is welded onto the ends of each section. Onto this brace, the ends of the handrails are welded and there is a hole for the steel pins that connect the sections (Figure 20b).
This manner of steel constructed steps currently comprises the majority of the stairway although at several areas along the ridge there are a variety of walkways, depending on the topography (Figure 21). In one portion near the north summit there is a natural pathway. Along the south summit there is a steel catwalk and steel plank pathway (Figure 22a). Leading out of the hoist house on the South Ridge there are early laid concrete steps (Figure 22b).
Alterations
Most alterations were discussed in the construction section of this report and were the result of the ongoing nature of the construction, improvements, and repairs. In 1987, vandals destroyed three small sections of the stairway.
Present Condition
The stairway is in generally good repair (Figure 23a). There are three small missing sections of steps at the higher elevations of the stairway (Figure 23b). Some portions of the stairway have general wear, worn out anchor pins, rusted railings, and sections that are out of alignment. While the stairway has been modified over the years, it remains in the original location and setting as the stairway constructed in 1942 (Figure 24a). Much of the original wood stairway remains scattered along the side of the steel stairway, evidence of the evolution of the construction of the stairway (Figure 24b).
The stairway is the most distinctive remaining structural representation of the Haiku Valley Naval Radio Station. due to the fact that it is relatively unaltered, it maintains a high level of integrity. It is substantially significant in itself as the vital link between the transmitter building on the floor of the valley and the anchors high along the ridge. It serves as a clear and immediate representation of the extremely difficult terrain and dangerous construction conditions that were a constant during the experimental construction. The stairway endures as a manifest symbol of the innovative and rare design that enabled the U.S. military to send messages around the world and assist in saving countless lives during World War II.
The Concrete Retaining Wall, Marked USNRS, Haiku Valley
Location
The name place concrete retaining wall is 1/2 mile along the entrance road, on the north side of the road (Figure 25).
Past Use
Served both as a retaining wall for the built up ground area that was used for construction of the mess hall and barracks and as the name place for the Naval Radio Station at Haiku Valley.
Present Use
Retains its use as a retaining wall for the ground area north of the entrance road.
Figure 21. Variations in Stairway Construction (From Holmes and Narver, 1971.
Figure 25. Concrete Retaining Wall, West View of Valley, 1997.
Construction
The concrete retaining wall was made in 1942-43. It is two sections with a centered stairway that led up to the barracks and mess hall of the Naval Radio Station. The wall was made with the use of curved forms and poured concrete. The name of the station 'USNRS, Haiku Valley' was molded into the south side section of the retaining wall.
Alterations
There have been no alterations.
Present Condition
The concrete retaining wall is in excellent condition. It also possesses the location, design, setting materials, and association of the historic property of the Naval Radio Station at Haiku Valley.
NOMINATION TO THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES
Conclusions
The site of the previous U.S. Naval Radio Station, and the current U.S. Coast Guard Omega Station, is eligible for nomination to the National Register of Historic Places, as amended, as a historic district. During both field and archival research, it was determined that the proper format for nomination of the five proposed structures at Haiku Valley was the submission of one district nomination instead of five separate nominations.
The basis for this determination is twofold. First, is the fact that if more than one individual structure is to be nominated, and they share the same history, or are considered to be part of a number of resources that are relatively equal in importance, the U.S.. Department of the Interior, National Park Service states that these resources should be nominated as a district vs. several individual nominations. Secondly, is that the U.S. Naval Radio Station was a complex of interrelated units and structures. Inclusion of the various structures in one nomination creates a stronger nomination and most importantly portrays a more authentic vision of the original nature of the historical site.
Preparation
Based on extensive field and archival research, forms were prepared for the nomination of the Omega Station to the National Register of Historic Places. The nomination names the Haiku Valley Historic District as eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places based on this significance: Criterion A, historical association with World War II and radio technology, and Criterion C, distinctive architecture and engineering of a Naval Radio Station unique to the Cold War period. See Appendix D.
Preparation of the nomination forms was in compliance with the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (16 U.S.C. Sec. 470f, as amended, 90 Stat 1320) and should afford adequate protection of cultural resources during the planned closure of the Omega Station.
Recommendations and Procedures
Prior to submitting the forms boundaries for the Haiku Valley Historic District should be designated and adjusted accordingly on the nomination forms.
It is also recommended that the nomination first go to the Hawaii State Preservation review board which would then pass the nomination to the National review board. This is not mandatory but is standard review protocol for the State of Hawaii.
Bibliographical References
Allen, Gwenfread Elaine. Hawaii's War Years: 1941-1945. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, 1950.
Butzine, Harold. Site map, Haiku Valley. San Bruno: On file at the National Archives and Records, 1942
Ching, Ronald T.K. Transmitting Facility Modernization, Omega Navigation Station, Haiku, Oahu, Hawaii. Honolulu: Wiliki O Hawaii, 1976
Ching, Ronald T.K. Draft of Historical Information per oral interview. Faxed information, June 1997.
Contractors, Pacific Naval Air Bases. Estimate for Radio Transmitting Station. San Bruno: On file at the National Archives and Records, 1942.
District Court. Motion for Order Confirming Possession. San Bruno: On file at the National Archives and Records, 1944.
Finch, J.L. Letter to Contractors, Pacific Naval Air Base. San Bruno: On file at the National Archives and Records, 1942.
Ghormley, Robert L. Letter to Chief of BuDocks. San Bruno: On file at the National Archives and Records 1943.
Goodson, Lee, SSgt. "Mountain Valley Mystery Unfolds." Newspaper article handed out by the U.S. Coast Guard Omega Station, 1982.
Honolulu
Star Bulletin
"42 Saga in Haiku Valley Was Lifesaver for Navy." June 4, 1957.
"All- Weather Aid Station for Oahu." December 30, 1967.
"Navy Has Unique Navigational Aid." September 25, 1969.
"Navy Plans to Put New Antennas In Haiku." April 14, 1970.
"Coast Guard Dedicates Haiku Site." February 28, 1975.
Hoyler, R.C. Power Optimization Program. ONSCEN Station Manager's Conference, 1993.
Kakesako, Ed. Historical Briefing. On File at the PACDIV Real Estate Office, 1996.
Klepper, H.S. Letter to District Public Works Office. San Bruno: On file at the National Archives and Records. 1944
PACDIV. Compendium of Acquisition. On file at the PACDIV Real Estate Office, 1971.
Radio Corporation of America. Letter to Contractors, Pacific Naval Air Base. San Bruno: On file at the National Archives and Records, 1942.
Secretary of Transportation. Letter to John W. Warner. On File at PACDIV Real Estate Office, 1970.
Thompson, Erwin N. Pacific Ocean Engineers: History of the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers in the Pacific. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 1980.
U.S. Coast Guard. The Omega Hawaii Transmitter. Informational Handout given out by the U.S. Coast Guard Station at Haiku Valley.
U.S. Department of the Navy
Bureau of Ships. Letter to BuDocks. San Bruno: On file at the National Archives and Records, San Bruno: 1942.
Test Antenna, Measurements and Calculations, Haiku Antenna. On file at the National Archives and Records, San Bruno: 1942.
Technical Report and Project History Contracts Noy-3550 and Noy-4173. Volume 5 of 11, Appendix A, Chpaters XIV through XXII. On file at the Navfac Construction Battalion Center, Port Hueneme: 1944.
Building the Navy's Bases in World War II. U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington D.C. 1947
SECNAVNOTE 5450. As referenced in the Compendium of Acquisition on file at the PACDIV Real Estate Office, 1954
Inventory, Buildingsof U.S. Naval Radio Station Haiku/Heeia, Oahu, T.H. On file at the Construction Battalion Center, Port Hueneme, CA 1955.
NavFacEngCom. Memo of Transfer of Real Property to the U.S. Coast Guard, Enclosure 3. On File at the PACDIV Real Estate Office, 1973
Wainwright, Paul, Previous Vice President of Hawaiian Dredging Company. Oral interview. Washington: June, 1997.
Woodbury, David O. Builders for Battle: How The Pacific Naval Air Bases Were Constructed. New York: E.P. Dutton and Company Inc., 1946.
Wysocki, J.P. "OMEGA: The Radionavigational System That covers the World." Coast Guard Engineer's Digest. Spring, 1978
