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Honoring Veterans at Honolulu’s Punchbowl

by Mary Jo Manzanares on February 12th, 2008

If you watched the NFL Pro Bowl over this past weekend, you got a glimpse of Oahu, Honolulu, and the Waikiki area.  It’s very tempting to think of the island as one of sun, sand, surf, sunbathing, and adult beverages.  All that would be true, of course, but there is another side to Hawaii, a side full of history, culture, and reverence.

On my recent trip to Honolulu, I had the opportunity to enjoy both aspects of island life, and today’s post touches on a more serious side of island life.

Overlooking the city of Honolulu, is the extinct volcano Punchbowl Crater, home to the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, frequently referred to as Punchbowl Cemetery, or simply the Punchbowl.

In addition to its tremendous views of the city, Waikiki, Diamond Head, and Pearl Harbor, the Punchbowl is the final resting place for veterans of World War I, World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.  During holidays, the individual graves are decorated with small flags, making a sobering view. 

Marble slabs called the Courts of the Missing list the names of military personnel who are missing in action or who were lost or buried at sea (in photo above). At the base of the staircase leading up to the Courts of the Missing reads the following inscription:

In these gardens are recorded

the names of Americans

who gave their lives

in the service of their country

and whose earthly resting place

is known only to God

The Punchbowl was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.

The Punchbowl is located at 2177 Puowaina Drive, Honolulu (map it), and is open daily.  Visiting hours are 8 am - 5:30 pm, September 30th - March 1st, and until 6:30 pm, March 2nd - September 29th.  On Memorial Day, visiting hours are 7 am - 7 pm.  There is no charge to visit.

There is no charge to visit.

The Punchbowl is accessible by car, and a number of tour companies make it a scheduled stop on their itineraries.  I much prefer the solitude of a personal visit, rather than visiting with a gaggle of others, who are sometimes unappreciative of the reverence that should be demonstrated while visiting.  There is an e-tour available for those unable to visit in person.

Photo credit

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POSTED IN: Things to See & Do