In a Honolulu Advertiser article from 11/11/2003 entitled "Veterans' headstones treated 'like rubbish'", journalist William Cole reported:
- Aunty Girelli remembers many WWI veterans' headstones dotting the hillside.
- No one knows why many of those headstones are gone now, possibly they were removed as they deteriorated.
- Many from Hawaii served in WWI (500 in Navy, 9100 in Army, 200 in British military) and 102 were killed. Cites "Hawaii in the World War" (1928).
- Photo shows five WWI vet headstones scattered in the grass: George Kaninau, Edward Coronwy Owens, John Palakiko, Alexander Kahuli, and Moole Punilei. All are marked "Hawaii Inf" except Owens' which references his role in a medical department.
- "World War I" marks the headstones. They may have been replaced at some point since prior to WWII, the war was referred to as the "Great War".
- Others remember the gravestone covered hillside, and have had trouble locating their ancestors.
- This land was leased to the Territory of Hawaii in 1901 by Bishop Estate (cites 1987 State report).
- Original name of this cemetery was "Kalaepohaku".
On 11/11/2008, Advertiser columnist Lee Cataluna reported the VA agreed to provide a memorial marker for the unmarked graves ("Efforts to recognize WWI soldiers pay off"). The memorial was to be installed by 11/11/2010 ("Aloha for cemetery brigade results in WWI stone for hill", Advertiser 10/29/10, Lee Cataluna).
Indeed, this cemetery today has a rather bulky memorial for four of those listed above, with room for additional names to be added. It is visible in one of Bryan I.'s photos. It reads:
"To the memory of these individual sons of Hawaii who served in the Hawaii infantry during World War I - - the location of their final resting place remains unknown
CPL ALEXANDER KAHULI US ARMY JAN 18 1898 AUG 22 1930
PVT PUNILEI MOOLE US ARMY JAN 15 1894 AUG 17 1925
PVT JOHN PALAKIKO US ARMY OCT 22 1898 OCT 1 1927
CPL GEORGE KANINAU US ARMY OCT 22 1902 JUN 26 1942"
Looks like Edward Coronwy Owens has a new marker and his resting place, not far from the memorial, was known.
There are many other veteran markers scattered throughout the cemetery, as well as many different styles of headstones, including some that appear to have been DIY'd. Several bear dates from over a century ago.
The cemetery looks like it is maintained on a shoestring budget, but the site itself is a beautiful hillside overlooking Kalihi with some very nice plumeria trees. The grounds could use more plumeria trees and irrigation.
Big Mahalo to Aunty Girelli, community steward!