Named for the ship that discovered her in the early nineteenth century which in turn had been named Palmyra for the glittering city of ancient Syria, PALMYRA ATOLL is the jewel of the Line Islands. His Royal Highness King Kamehameha I, The Unifier, considered Palmyra as part of his far-flung empire.
The Bishop Museum in Honolulu has photo archives open to the public of the many uses to which Palmyra Atoll has been put. It is possible that there are other photographs of the life and times of the Line Islands and, particularly, Palmyra Atoll. Kindly inquire of Kamakai Kipikoa at the email address displayed as to the other records that may be available about this paradise just above the equator.
Our organization, Communications Institute, has an interest also in written materials which depict life on the atoll in the years since it joined the world in the early part of the ninetenth century. Again, Kamakai Kipikoa is the man to contact at our email address.
Palmyra Atoll is located about one thousand miles south of Honolulu and about 350 miles north of the equator. IT IS STRONGLY ADVISED that any visit to the atoll be approved by the owner or the owner's representative. This notice on this page is not an invitation of any kind for anyone to visit the almost pristine atoll. Communications Institute has NO knowledge of the toxic soil status and safe environmental conditions of the atoll which with two landing strips and probable fuel farms (we have aerial photographs taken in the early '40s which appear to show them) was utilized during World War II for practice assault landings in preparation for the Marines' departure to the bloody South Pacific theater.
PLEASE visit the SITE ANNOUNCING the Sailors' Memorial to be dedicated in the Fall, 2001, Vista Point, "on watch" and overlooking San Francisco Bay. The Memorial is to be dedicated to the personnel of all four sea services who went out the Golden Gate to the South Pacific during World War II...some 4,500,000 Navy men alone, thousands of whom stopped at PalmyraAtoll. Go to: http://www.lonesailor.bigstep.com
It is not known by Communications Institute if the atoll is subject to an environmental cleanup program or has a Restoration Advisory Board as is customary for former, decommissioned United States military locations. Besides the US Marine Corps, Palmyra Atoll and other of the Line Islands have been host to the United States Navy, the United States Coast Guard and PanAmerican World Airways. The environmental clean-up program for PalmyraAtoll most likely will fall under the jurisdiction of the United States Environmental Protection Agency.
We have great assistance in building this cyber site. For their help in counting the visitors to PalmyraAtoll, we offer our appreciation to the Menehune, ancient inhabitants of Hawaii.
Here, then, is the call to help us together with their response in their language: "E Menehune mai kakou i ka hana!"
And here is their response ---
WWII military personnel who died, were killed or
injured on PalmyraAtoll (this is a slowly developing list of the Palmyra war dead because the sources of information are difficult to come by):
GEORGE B. DOUCETTE, Pfc. USMC. Born: Woburn, Massachusetts, September 10, 1921. Educated in Woburn. Enlisted in USMC, February, 1942. Assigned to the Pacific Theatre of operations. Accidental death on PalmyraAtoll, November 10, 1942. Buried at sea.
WE ARE SEEKING INFORMATION concerning any allied service person who was wounded, injured, died on PalmyraAtoll during the hostilities of World War II. Please send us your information with source data, and we will add the names and ranks of those officers or enlisted men who should be added to our HONOR ROLL.
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Special gift to the PalmyraAtoll Collection in Communications Library--
The Lord's Prayer in Hawai'ian and English
E ko makou makua i loko o ka lani---
Our Father, who art in heaven
E hoano ia kou inoa---
Hallowed by thy name
E hoki mai kou aupuni---
Thy kingdom come
E malama ia kou makemake ma ka honua nei---Thy will be done on earth
E haawi mai ia makou i keia la, i ai na makou no neia la---Give us this day our daily bread
E kala mai hoi ia makou, i ka makou lawehala ana---And forgive us our trespasses
Me makou e kala nei i ka poe i lawehala i ka makou---
As we forgive those who trespass against us
Mai hookuu oe ia makou i ka hoowalewale ia mai---
And lead us not into temptation
E hoopakele no nae ia makou i ka ino---
But deliver us from evil
No ka mea, nou ke aupuni, A me ka mana---For thine is the kingdom, and the power
A me ka hoonani ia, a mau loa aku. Amene---
And the glory forever. Amen.
WATCH AND LISTEN FOR RADIO-PALMYRA ATOLL!
Our library is in special need of these texts:
OMAI: FIRST POLYNESIAN AMBASSADOR TO ENGLAND. Clark, Thomas Clark. Colt Press, 1940. Omai, the Polynesian prince, went to England in 1774 where he was feted by Fanny Burney, met Samuel Johnson's approval, and was painted by Sir Joshua Reynolds, reproduced in this volume.
THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS: THEIR PROGRESS AND CONDITION UNDER MISSIONARY LABORS. Anderson, Rufus. Boston: Gould and Lincoln. 1864. A comprehensive view of life in Hawaii, including the author's lengthy personal tour of the islands.
Please send all information to Kamakai Kipikoa, PalmyraAtoll@aol.com; Postal Bag 472139, Marina Station, San Francisco, CA 94147-2139. He may also be reached by phone by arrangement: 415-626-5050.
