Other WWII Archival Collections at UH

The bombing of Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941 was a pivotal event in American history, propelling the United States into World War II, and dramatically altering the fabric of life in Hawaiʻi. In addition to the Hawaiʻi War Records Depository, there are several related collections held by the University Archives & Manuscripts Department that document the impact of the war on Hawaiʻi from both military and civilian perspectives. The collections provide insight into the influence the war had on Hawaiʻi’s culture, politics, economics, and social structure. A sampling of the materials includes:

Japanese American Veterans Collection (JAVC)

Collections in the JAVC document the rich heritage of Hawaiʻi‘s AJA veterans and their families. AJA veterans served with distinction in World War II as members of the 100th Infantry Battalion, Hawaiʻi Territorial Guard, Varsity Victory Volunteers, 442nd Regimental Combat Team, 1399th Engineers, and the Military Intelligence Service.

Otto Kuehn Family Papers

This collection documents members of the Kuehn family during World War II. The papers were collected by Dr. Bernhard L. Hormann, who provided a home for two sons of the Kuehn family when the Kuehns were incarcerated at the Sand Island Detention Center on Oahu.

Robert F. Walden Collection

This collection documents wartime operations of the Pearl Harbor Navy Yard, including salvage and repair work done on ships, including those damaged during the bombing of Pearl Harbor. The collection also concerns the development of Civilian Housing Area III, which housed civilians working at the Navy Yard during World War II.