Punchbowl

Punchbowl

Punchbowl National Memorial Cemetery

Punchbowl Crater, located in the Kewalo district of Honolulu, is home to The National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific and The Honolulu Memorial. The crater is a tuff cone volcano and in Hawaiian is known as Pūowaina. It picked up the name Punchbowl due to its obvious resemblance to a large punchbowl.

Punchbowl is Open

On January 4, 1949, Punchbowl, The National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific was opened. The first to be interned there was an unknown soldier from the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor. At the same time, 776 other casualties from that attack were buried there. Some of the others who have been buried there include World War II war correspondent Ernest Taylor “Ernie” Pyle and Hawaii’s Ellison Onisuka who died in the Challenger tragedy.

PunchbowlOn May 1, 1966, The Honolulu Memorial was dedicated to honor the sacrifices and achievements in the Pacific during World War II, the Korean Conflict, and the Vietnam Conflict. It would be worth a stop to visit the memorial and see the 10 courts of the missing which honors the 26,280 MIA soldiers, the mosaic maps showing the progression of the wars, plus a chapel. To the front of the memorial is the most recognized feature of the memorial, Lady Columbia. She stands 30 feet tall on what symbolizes the prow of an aircraft carrier. She is meant to symbolize victory and also all the grieving mothers from the wars. Just under Lady Columbia are the words of Abraham Lincoln written to a Civil War mother who had just lost five sons: “The Solemn Pride That Must Be Yours to Have Laid So Costly A Sacrifice Upon the Altar of Freedom.”

Punchbowl is Full…

On August 1, 1991, with 33,143 graves, the 114 acre cemetery was declared full. Now, veteran’s may be buried at the Hawai’i State Veterans Cemetery located in Kāne’ohe, on the windward side of O’ahu.

A Final Word on Punchbowl

Punchbowl is one of those sometimes forgotten points to visit, but it’s well worth the effort and you’ll get some great city views from just outside the entrance.  Next, Moanalua Park.