"On August 1, 1938 over two hundred men and women belonging to several different labor unions attempted to peacefully demonstrate [supporting Honolulu strikers] against the arrival of the SS Waialeale in Hilo. hey were met by a force of over seventy police officers who tear gassed, hosed and finally fired their riot guns [birdshot and buckshot] in the crowd, hospitalizing fifty of the demonstrators." This first day of August, 2008 marks the 70th anniversary for the "Hilo Massacre".
William J. Puette documents this event in his book, "The Hilo Massacre" (UH Press, 1988). If you Google "Hilo Massacre" on the internet, you can read the book and see archival footage of event.
At the circular area just inside the gates of Hilo harbor a plaque was dedicated on 8/1/88 commemorating the 50th anniversary of this incident.
Tomas Belsky, local artist, made reference to the Hilo Massacre on one panel of his mural that once graced the wooden wall that surrounded the construction are of the new court house in Hilo.
Is history a boring blur of names and dates best left to High School or a perpetual unfolding paper puzzle of causes and effects that ripple down through time?
Note: unpublished letter-to-the-editor by Roger B. Sheetz, 2008
very good point--I know that they are still identifying the missing..it is sad that many times the generations are quite far removed from the immediate, or even second generation family members. but, on the other hand, we are all fortunate that we have science that can help us place these brave men and women back to where they belong.
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