John R. Rowe Post 17, Honolulu, Hawaii

09/28/2026

A celebration of life will be held for civilian Pearl Harbor survivor and World War II veteran Robert Lee on Thursday, October 1, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. at the O’ahu Cemetery Chapel: https://www.oahumortuary.com/obituaries/Robert-John-Lee?obId=49696945&utm_source=copy+url&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=obituary-share&utm_content=copy+url

Bob - affectionately known to many as “Uncle Bob” - was born October 1, 1921, in Honolulu, Hawai’i, and enjoyed an idyllic childhood.

On the morning of December 7, 1941, Bob awoke to explosions and gunfire near his home. He grabbed his r***e and returned fire at Japanese aircraft. Later he and his family helped triage wounded servicemembers and then helped evacuate military spouses and children.

He joined the Hawaii Territorial Guard on December 11, 1941, served for six months, and then enlisted in the US Navy, where he served from 1942 to 1946.

He returned home to Hawaii after the war with his bride Ella “Jean” Welke and started a family. They spent 66 years together until her death in 2012.

In his later years, Uncle Bob became a Pacific Historic Parks volunteer at the Pearl Harbor National Memorial, sharing his stories with thousands of visitors from around the world.

Bob passed away on August 5, 2026, at the age of 104.

09/27/2026

Maggie, Michele and I attended the 2026 Joint Memorial Service for the 100th, 442nd, MIS, and 1399th at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl), 2177 Puowaina Dr, Honolulu, HI 96813. The veterans' organizations of the World War II soldiers of the 100th Infantry Battalion, 442nd Regimental Combat Team, Military Intelligence Service, and 1399th Engineering Construction Battalion request the honor of your presence at our 2026 Joint Memorial Service (JMS), commemorating the members of these units who died during World War II and those who have since passed away. This year, the 100th Infantry Battalion Veterans (Club 100) will be the organizer. This year, the 100th Infantry Battalion Veterans (Club 100) will be the organizer. On September 29, 1943, Sgt. Shigeo “Joe” Takata was the first soldier of the four units to be killed by enemy fire on European soil. Composed mostly of Americans of Japanese ancestry (AJA), the 100th, 442nd, MIS, and 1399th would endure the loss of many lives as they overcame tremendous obstacles on and off the battlefield, proved unquestionable loyalty to their country, and achieved civil rights changes that have had an enormous positive impact on society. We were honored that Hawaiʻi-born Major General Jason Kamiya, U.S. Army (Ret.), a 100th Infantry Battalion descendant, will fly in from San Antonio, Texas, to deliver the keynote address at this event.

09/26/2026

Hurricane Nolo turned West!!!

09/21/2026

American Legion Department of Hawaii Family Remembers: “You Are Not Forgotten”

HONOLULU, HAWAIʻI — September 18, 2026 — Members of American Legion Department of Hawaii Family joined fellow veterans, veterans service organizations, gold star families, active-duty service members, military families and members of the community today at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific for the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency’s (DPAA) National POW/MIA Recognition Day Ceremony.
Gathered among the quiet beauty and solemn history of Punchbowl, those in attendance came together for a simple but powerful purpose: to remember Americans who were prisoners of war and those who remain missing in action.
For the American Legion, remembering those who served is more than an annual observance. It is part of the responsibility veterans carry with them—to honor those who came before us, stand beside those serving today and never forget those who did not return home.
The ceremony was a moving reminder of that responsibility.

The U.S. Indo-Pacific Joint Service Color Guard presented the colors, while military leaders, veterans and Gold Star family members participated in the program. Wreaths were placed in remembrance of America’s missing service members.

One of the most meaningful portions of the ceremony was the recognition of more than 200 American service members whose remains were identified by DPAA during the past year. Their names were read aloud, restoring individual identities to men and women whose families had waited years—even decades—for answers.

For the families of the missing, the DPAA mission represents something deeply personal. Behind every name is a mother, father, spouse, child, brother, sister or friend who has carried the uncertainty of not knowing what happened to someone they loved.
The work of DPAA continues around the world through historical research, investigations, scientific analysis and recovery operations. Its mission is to provide the fullest possible accounting for America’s missing and unaccounted-for personnel and, whenever possible, bring them home.
Here at Punchbowl, that mission takes on an especially powerful meaning.
The National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific is home to the Courts of the Missing, a memorial honoring thousands of American service members whose remains have not been recovered or identified. Their names stand as a permanent reminder that the nation has not forgotten them.
For the Legionnaires and their families, the familiar black-and-white POW/MIA flag carried particular significance throughout today’s ceremony. Its words, “You Are Not Forgotten,” express a commitment shared by generations of American veterans.
Time does not erase that commitment.
Whether a service member has been missing for decades or was only recently identified, every name matters. Every family matters. And every American who raised a hand to serve our country deserves to be remembered.

American Legion was honored to stand with the military community and the families of the missing at Punchbowl today. We presented wreathes, met many familiar people and a few new. Mark & Irene DeVirgilio, Michele Hauser, Maggie Gaukler and CR Drumheller had opportunities for family pictures but, during the picture, Maggie was missing while being interviewed by Hawaii News Now.

The day was focused upon our POWs & MIAs; so much more to do.

We remember their service.
We honor their sacrifice.
We stand with their families.
And we will never forget.
You Are Not Forgotten.

09/20/2026

On September 18, 1945, this photograph captured two of the less glamorous, but arguably more important, weapons that helped win the Pacific War.

They weren't battleships or aircraft carriers. They were Advance Base Sectional Docks, or ABSDs, enormous floating dry docks that allowed the U.S. Navy to bring something approaching a naval shipyard with it as the war moved steadily westward across the Pacific.

The problem was geography. A carrier, battleship, or cruiser suffering serious underwater damage normally needed a dry dock, and the great American naval shipyards were thousands of miles from the fighting. Sending a damaged ship back to Pearl Harbor or the West Coast could remove it from combat for weeks simply getting there and back. The Navy's solution was remarkable: build dry docks large enough for capital ships in sections, tow those sections across the ocean, assemble them at an advanced base, and bring the shipyard closer to the fleet.

The largest ABSDs were giants. When assembled, the ten-section versions measured 927 feet long and 256 feet wide and could lift about 90,000 tons, enough to raise the Navy's biggest battleships and aircraft carriers completely out of the water. They could repair hull damage, propellers, shafts and other underwater components that couldn't be reached while a ship remained afloat.

That capability became increasingly important as the Pacific offensive accelerated. Instead of repeatedly sending ships thousands of miles back to established yards, the Navy created advanced repair bases at places such as Espiritu Santo, Manus, Guam, and eventually the Philippines and Okinawa. At Manus alone, the Navy built a major repair complex capable of servicing the fleet, with huge floating docks forming its centerpiece. USS Iowa, for example, underwent emergency docking at Manus in December 1944.

Their value became brutally apparent during the Okinawa campaign, when kamikaze attacks damaged ship after ship. The Navy's own postwar history concluded that the availability of mobile dry docks near the combat zone saved ships and dramatically reduced the time damaged vessels were out of action, going so far as to suggest that they “may well have represented the margin between success and failure.”

Had you ever heard of them before?

09/19/2026

American Legion Post 17 and Young Marines Give Back to the Community

John, Barrett, “CR” and Simon of American Legion Post 17 & the Young Marines joined forces to make a difference in the local community by completing an Adopt-A-Highway cleanup along Fort Barrett Road in Kapolei.

Legionnaires and Young Marines worked side by side collecting litter and debris along the roadway, helping keep the area clean, safe, and welcoming for residents and visitors.

The project provided an opportunity for generations to work together in service to the community. The Young Marines brought their energy and enthusiasm, while Post 17 members shared their commitment to community service and the values of service, responsibility, and pride in our community.

American Legion Post 17 is proud to partner with the Young Marines on projects like this and looks forward to continuing to serve Oʻahu through volunteerism and community involvement.

Serving veterans, supporting our community, and helping build the next generation of leaders—that’s what teamwork is all about.

09/19/2026

The United States Air Force celebrates its 79th birthday, marking its establishment as an independent military branch on September 18, 1947.

09/19/2026

Attendees gathered at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Sept. 18, 2026, to honor former prisoners of war, remember those who remain missing and stand with the families who continue to

09/18/2026

09/08/2026

The next American Legion National Convention will take place in Kansas City, Missouri from August 27 to September 2, 2027.

Future National Convention Schedule:
2027: Kansas City, Missouri — August 27–September 2 2028:
Columbus, Ohio — August 25–31 2029:
Indianapolis, Indiana — August 24–30 2030:
Salt Lake City, Utah — August 23–29 2031:
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania — August 22–28 2032:
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma — August 27–September 2 2033.