It's somewhat humbling to be able to work in a building that survived the attack on Hawaii. It wasn't just an attack on Pearl Harbor, although that was the main target. The Japanese attacked almost all of our aircraft facilities as well. As a matter of fact, Hickam Field was the first base to be attacked in order to cripple our air force and minimize any response to their main objective of disabling our Navy.
My job requires me to travel from time to time and one of the places we go is Hawaii and specifically, Hickam AFB. Many of the structures on the base, including the old hangars, are still standing and in use. It is my understanding that they are considered national monuments and are restricted as to what can be done to modify them. Many have been modified inside as they are no longer suitable for modern aircraft. They are offices, warehouses and maintenance shops. They can build structures inside to house them, but the basic hangars must remain intact.
The bullet holes still exist.
Those pictures were taken inside Hangar 15 pictured above. Today, the hangar houses an equipment maintenance shop known as AGE or Aerospace Ground Equipment in the USAF. (I was an AGE tech in the USAF).
I'm working in Hangar 17 which sits next to 15 and is connected in the middle by offices (inside the red box on the left).
Other buildings and hangars also show the scars and bullet holes left behind on that "day that will live in infamy". It's an awesome experience to be able work there - inside those buildings - inside history.
VW
Very interesting. I never knew that and don't remember ever reading much about it at all.Thank you.
"Semper Fi"
Posted by: Necromancer | Tuesday, July 27, 2010 at 16:53
Seeing those hangars has to be pretty neat. I wonder whey they never patched the bullet holes?
Posted by: BobF | Saturday, July 31, 2010 at 17:35