AMVETS Hawaii Press Release: NAS Barbers Point Memorial Committee

AMVETS Hawaii Stands Up New Committee to Restore the Naval Air Station Barbers Point Memorial

AMVETS Hawaii has established a new committee under the leadership of Col, Jason Seal, (USMC, Ret.), to complete the restoration of the Naval Air Station Barbers Point Memorial on the grounds of the Kalaeloa Airport. The original components of the memorial that were taken down on March 3, 2018, have been in the custodianship of the U.S. Navy awaiting a Hawaii Dept. of Transportation approved plan, designating an organization to carry out the restoration. This committee has submitted a proposal to the Hawaii DOT Airports Division that has met with initial positive reviews and has a timeline for completion in 2021 of the restoration of the original memorial. The purpose of the original memorial, namely, to honor all the tenant units of the Air Station guides the work of the committee. Accordingly, the final design will seek to acknowledge the contributions of these tenant units.

Among the purposes of AMVETS Hawaii is that of helping provide needed financial support to build and preserve memorials and monuments in Hawaii. AMVETS pursuit of this purpose is exemplified by its support to the Arizona Memorial, for which AMVETS is credited persuading Vice President Lyndon Johnson to get the bill for the monument passed in Congress. AMVETS also installed and dedicated the first memorial wall in May 30, 1962 where the names of the then known dead of the USS Arizona were engraved in imperial Danby marble. AMVETS demonstrated its dedication to tending to the Arizona Memorial, by replacing the Wall of Remembrance again in 1983, and then a third time, AMVETS raised $350,000 to rebuild the marble wall of names listing the 1,177 Sailors and Marines who perished on the Arizona during the Dec. 7, 1941 attack. It is this dedication that AMVETS Hawaii will bring to the NAS BP Memorial once completed.

This new committee plans to build on the successful community engagement carried out by Col., USAF, Ret. Rob Moore, to incorporate community inputs on the plan and the successful restoration of the memorial for public access. The Committee includes members of past successful State-level committees, including the Hawaii Gulf War Memorial Task Force, the Hawaii 50th Vietnam Commemoration, and the Hawaii WWI Centennial Commemoration. Officers of the committee include COL, Ret. Arthur Tulak, and SCPO, Ret. Dean Capelouto, The committee welcomes volunteers from the local community and other Veterans Service Organizations to support both planning, and execution, to ensure a successful outcome.

Donations for the restoration of the NAS BP Memorial are being collected by AMVETS Hawaii Service Foundation, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, will ensure that all donations for the restoration of the Memorial shall be used for that purpose. The current fundraising goal is $15,000, of which more than half will go to the first phase of restoring the original memorial components, that remain after it was disassembled on March 3, 2018.

AMVETS is one of the nation’s largest and oldest Congressionally-chartered veterans service organization that is open to, and fights for all veterans who served honorably, including reservists & guardsmen. AMVETS has been a nonpartisan advocate for veterans and their families for more than 75 years. amvets.org

Statement from AMVETS Department of Hawaii Commander and AMVETS Hawaii Service Foundation President & CEO, Donovan A. Lazarus:

The memorial was built to honor all who served on Naval Air Station Barbers Point from 1942 to 1999. It is our duty and our solemn vow to restore the NAS Barbers Point Memorial. AMVETS Hawaii will ensure the legacy of our World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War and the Cold War Veterans who served there is never forgotten.

NAS Barbers Point Memorial Committee Members:

Colonel Jason C. Seal (USMC, Ret.)

Chair, NAS Barbers Point Memorial Committee

Email: jason@amvets-hawaii.org

Colonel Arthur N. Tulak (USA, Ret.), Ed.D

Vice Chair, NAS Barbers Point Memorial Committee

Email: tulak@usc.edu

Senior Chief Dean K. Capelouto (USN, Ret.)

Operations Officer, NAS Barbers Point Memorial Committee

Email: dean@oahuexpress.com

Master Sergeant Mary Noland (USA, Active Duty)

Finance Officer, NAS Barbers Point Memorial Committee