World War II Manuscript Collections
The bombing of Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941 was a pivotal event in American history, propelling the United States into World War II, and dramatically altering the fabric of life in Hawaii. The World War II Manuscript Collections at the University of Hawaii Archives & Manuscripts Department document the impact of the World War II in Hawaii from both a military and civilian perspective. The collections provide insight into the influence the war had on Hawaii’s culture, politics, economics, and social structure.
World War II Manuscript Collections
- Hawaii War Records Depository (HWRD): Created by the Territorial Legislature in 1943, the HWRD is an extensive collection of personal accounts, correspondence, reports, photographs, scrapbooks, posters, maps, newspapers, clippings, phonograph discs and other materials that document life in Hawaii during World War II.
- Japanese American Veterans Collection (JAVC): Collections in the JAVC document the rich heritage of Hawaii's AJA veterans and their families. AJA veterans served with distinction in World War II as members of the 100th Infantry Battalion, Hawaii Territorial Guard, Varsity Victory Volunteers, 442nd Regimental Combat Team, 1399th Engineers, and Military Intelligence Service.
- Otto Kuehn Family Papers: This collection documents members of the Kuehn family during World War II. The papers were collected by Dr. Bernhard L. Hormann, who provided a home for two sons of the Kuehn family when the Kuehns were incarcerated at the Sand Island Detention Center on Oahu.
- Robert F. Walden Collection: This collection documents wartime operations of the Pearl Harbor Navy Yard, including salvage and repair work done on ships, including those damaged during the bombing of Pearl Harbor. The collection also concerns the development of Civilian Housing Area III, which housed civilians working at the Navy Yard during World War II.
Contact the Archives & Manuscripts Department
By Mail:
Archives & Manuscripts Department
University of Hawaii at Manoa Library
2550 McCarthy Mall
Honolulu, HI 96822
Phone: (808) 956-6047
Fax: (808) 956-5968
Email: archives@hawaii.edu
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