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The Honolulu Advertiser

Posted on: Wednesday, July 9, 2003

EDITORIAL
Ford Island's history can't be paved over

Like Gettysburg and Williamsburg, historic battlefields should not be paved over and forgotten, but preserved as reminders of the bloodshed, tragedy and courage that permeate America's military past.

So it makes perfect sense to add to that list Ford Island, known as the "Gettysburg of the Pacific," for its role in the world-shaking Pearl Harbor attack of Dec. 7, 1941.

Once listed as one of America's 11 most endangered places by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Ford Island was tapped for some heavy redevelopment in 1997, including major Navy housing and recreational and commercial ventures.

But with steady pressure from historic preservationists, the Navy is finally adapting its development plans to protect such landmarks as Luke Field and seaplane ramps still scarred by strafing runs.

Ford Island was used for large-scale sugar cultivation before the U.S. government transformed it into a major air facility in the late 1930s. Just over a decade later, it played a central role in the Japanese attack that drew the United States into World War II.

Concerns about the development of Ford Island didn't emerge until 1999 when the National Trust and the Historic Hawai'i Foundation learned about the Navy's planned development, which included housing, a festival marketplace and recreational marina.

After much discussion, the Navy agreed to be sensitive to the island's history. But an actual commitment wasn't made until an agreement was signed last week by the Navy and the developer, Fluor Hawai'i LLC and Fluor Federal Services LLC.

We now appear to have a deal that everyone can live with, which just goes to show that it pays to pick the right battle.