Pu'unene Airport

photo credit: UH Manoa

Compliments of:  Airfields Freeman website

A civil airfield was established and constructed in 1937 and began conducting business via Inter-Island Airways in 1939, under the Territory of Hawaii.  On June 15, 1938 an executive order [Governor's Executive Order #804] has set aside 300.71 acres of land in Pulehunui that was slated and under control of Public Works and construction began in July 1938.

Questions:

1. How did they obtain the 300.71 acres of land in Pulehunui?
2. Under the Kingdom, what department handled the Department of Public Works? 
3. Was that something that developed after the illegal annexation?  

No appropriation of funds was made for this in 1939.  Instead, they took ten thousand in money that was slated for the construction of Kahului Pool.  The money that was appropriated for the pool in 1937 was used to complete runways 1 and 2 that were 3000 feet long and 500 feet wide.  The roads were either graveled or macadamized to that length.  Citation: Hawai'i Aviation

Questions:

1. Was it legal for them to do that?  What process did they use?
2. Did the Voice of the People count in this decision?
3. At this point, who owns the land?

This airport was to replace the smaller airfield they already had in Ma'alaea.

Just a year after opening, the airport was being used by the Navy in 1940 when elements of the Utility Squadron VJ-3 arrived to tow targets and operate target drones.

Shortly after that it was also in use by the Army Air Corps who established a small support base at that location.  When one looks at facts, you can easily identify that they wasted absolutely no time filling these islands with military to the maximum capacity.

In 1941, a radio range beacon and weather station were added.

The field was gradually enlarged and served as one of the top three airports used by the Territory of Hawaii.

Executive Orders concerning land transfership:

• 6/15/1938 - Executive Order 804 ceded 300.71 acres of Pulehunui lands to build Pu'unene Airport.  
• 11/26/1941 - Executive Order 959 transferred 14.77 acres to the USA for Maui Airport Military Reservation and the Army contributed $600 to finance construction work at the airport.
• 11/26/1941 - Executive Order 963 withdrew 21.92 acres from Executive Order 804 for the Navy Department for quarters and other Navy personnel facilities stationed at the airport.
• For more information on Ceded Lands, click on the words to be directed to the state aviation website where I summarized highlights from in this post. 

There is a lot more to be researched on this topic but for legal and authentication reasons, I am going to redirect you to the two websites that I obtained 100% of this information from.  When I have something original to write, I will post that.  Until then, let us not forget the resources we now have to keep our torches lit and the information flowing.

I'd like to thank those who have posted on this topic in those and other websites.  I'd like to thank the state aviation site and the airfields-freemen website for their accurate information, and to all the readers here, I would like to let you know that when I gather information, I will write it here, so we have yet another resource to combine with the rest for future generations to learn from, infinitely.

For information concerning the proposal for these lands by developer Munekiyo Hiraga and addressed to Gladys Baisa back in 2012, please click on the link provided in the name of the developer.

For more information regarding the Motorcross Park where the runway once landed, please click on the link provided in the name of the park.  This appears to be a public hearing however I have not had the time to thoroughly read it yet.  I simply am now compiling the information necessary to learn more.