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PBY-5A BuNo 2487 flying on routine patrol duty out of Kaneohe NAS on an extended duty day, crashed at Makapu'u Point in the evening hours of 5 April 1942.  Weather was poor with rainy and cloudy conditions making orientation very difficult for a weary crew.  All hands on board perished.  HAPS commissioned a granite memorial marker commemorating their ultimate sacrifice.  The marker was placed at the Makapu'u State Shoreside Park near the overlook at the summit on 11/16/05 with the help of Ed Underwood of the State Parks Division, Don Hinton, Scott Gier and Colin Perry. 

On 5 April 06 a dedication ceremony was held by PATRECON Wing 2 at the memorial site.  Wing Chaplain Michael Grass led an opening prayer and later closed with the benediction.  A few words of appreciation to all who helped get it done were expressed by Colin Perry.  This was followed by a historical accounting by HAPS member Don Hinton, describing the WWII state of conditions in the Pacific at the time and the events leading up to the fatal crash that evening.

Wing Chief Staff Officer, Commander Timothy Duening gave a moving address commemorating the crew.  An additional highlight was the fact that CDR Duening was once himself a member of VP11, the same squadron that the PBY crew  belonged to 64 years ago.   After CDR Duening's address, a traditional ceremonial bell tolled once after the name of each individual crewmember was read.

As a bonus, there was a fourth grade class from Holy Nativity School in Aina Haina on a field trip with their teacher in attendance.   They got a history and civics lesson all in one.

Advertiser reporter Suzanne Roig was in attendance as was a reporter/photographer from the Navy News. 

Pearl Harbor Survivor Association President Emeritus, historian and forensic researcher Ray Emory was present.  Ray initially put us in touch with the Navy Chaplains office at Pearl Harbor, which in turn led to the coordination that made all of this possible

PATRECON WING 2 CSO CDR Tim Duening Keynote Speaker

Click link above for the full frame

Picture gallery of ceremony below.  Click on each picture to expand

Ray Emory, Pearl Harbor Survivor and noted Historian in attendance	Scripting each speaker at the start	Fourth graders and bystanders at the site	Colin Perry thanking all HAPS members for their help in making this possible	Major Hinton recounting the history of the crash
CDR Duening closeup	CDR Duening giving keynote address	Traditional Navy tolling of the bell as each of the deceased crewmembers are named.	HAPS Members present	Uniformed members attending

 

   The Marker:    All that Remains:     The Report:      

War Diary:     Mounted Marker:   Installing Crew:  

Finished Product:             Distant View:  

 

First Honolulu Advertiser Article

Final Advertiser Article

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