Veterans Day at the Pacific Aviation Museum

The Pacific Aviation Museum hosted a lecture on the effects of WWI on Hawaii. So interesting, right?

“Mom, I don’t know very much about World War I. How did it start? Will there be a World War III?” Isaac asked at the breakfast table. Oh my word, the question of the hour.

We met up with Isaac’s friend Ben and my friend Amber on November 11, because the museum was free for veterans, active duty and dependents. Amber and the boys opted to tour Hanger 79—the one riddled with Pearl Harbor attack bullet holes—while Eloise and I learned that WWI changed the food fate of the Hawaiian Islands. The food, along with the boats needed to transport it, that was imported from the mainland were now needed for the troops. The islands rallied, moving away from imported beef, wheat and canned goods, and focused on fish, rice and bananas. Japanese clubs (Japan was a WWI ally) hosted cooking events to help people use available food.

But Hawaii was able to send piles and piles of hand-knit bandages to the war, as well as 10,000 jars of guava jelly!

If you were Filipino you could enlist and earn your citizenship! If you were Japanese, you could enlist, but would not earn your citizenship. The Japanese enlisted anyway.

About this time, the boys returned because they were hungry, and the lecture was over anyway, so we all went to the Laniakea Cafe.

The kids and I headed over to see Hanger 79, where Eloise got an opportunity to channel the surprise and panic of the Pearl Harbor attack. She got stung by a bee while I tried to read exactly one sign. It was very sad, I learned my lesson, and the museum director happened to walk by while she was howling and immediately found her a nurse an ice pop. His kindness was very appreciated.

And of course, we thought about and prayed for our own veteran on Veterans Day, and hope he will be home soon! To Chris and all the rest, thank you for all you do!