Countdown to Pearl Harbor Day - Naval Air Station Kaneohe

Mokapu Peninsula
Public Domain

On December 7, 1941, the Japanese Imperial Navy bombed the military airfields on Oahu before turning their attention on Battleship Row in Pearl Harbor.   The first - Naval Air Station Kaneohe.    Check out this link for pictures from that day.   NAS Kaneohe lost 18 sailors and one civilian during the two raids on the Mokapu Peninsula.   Yet the sailors fought back, including John Finn.  From this link,

Navy Chief Ordnanceman John Finn served as the aviation ordnance chief for the PBY squadrons at the station. The morning of Dec. 7, Finn was lying in bed when he was startled by the sound of gunfire. As he dashed to the hangar where he worked, he observed that nonAmerican planes were attacking the base.  He mounted a .50 caliber machine gun, used for training, and set up a defense position to begin firing at the Japanese planes that were destroying the base.

Finn firing may well have helped bring down the only Japanese plane to crash on land during the attack — the plane of Japanese pilot Lt. Fusata Iida, near the base of Puu Hawaii Loa. During the intense fighting that took place during the attack, Finn was wounded by shrapnel several times. 

He was instructed to report to sick bay to be treated for his injuries, which he did, but he did not stay long. During the period after the attacks, Finn supervised the repair of many of the damaged weapons used in the battle.  For his superior bravery and meritorious actions, John Finn was awarded the Medal of Honor by the President of the United States. 

Today, the Mokapu Peninsula is home of the Marine Corps Base Hawaii (MCBH).   The base has a few markers and memorials for "this day of infamy" but I have not taken pictures of them.  Instead, I offer you the tranquility it has become, remembering the brave actions of those who defended the Mokapu Peninsula.

MCBH is located on the windward side of Oahu, so the winds are strong!  Above is the Fort Hase Beach (Fort Hase preceded both the Naval Air Station and the Marine Corps Base on the peninsula).    Despite the weather, it offers a stark beauty.

And then the weathered cleared!  Above is Pyramid Rock Beach - it is a family friendly sheltered cove.   So family friendly that it is often closed during the winter holidays for the First Family.  They vacation in nearby Kailua ... but come to MCBH for its seclusion and security.

At first, we thought the dark bump in the sand was a lava rock or a washed up tree branch.  But the sign reminded us that the beach was also popular with ....

... the Hawaiian monk seal!  One randomly selected commenter from this week's blogs wins a book choice form my convention stash.  This giveaway is open to all readers.  Comments are open through Saturday, December 8, 10 pm in Hawaii.  I'll post the winner on Sunday, December 9, on SOS Aloha.

Mahalo,

Kim in Hawaii

Aerial View of MCBH
Public Domain