Medicine in Hawaii: The World War II Experience

The attack on Pearl Harbor stands as one of the major turning points in Hawaii's history. With the attack, Hawaii's medical community became directly involved in the events that followed. Months before December 7th, 1941, the Hawaii Territorial Medical Association (HTMA) and the four county medical societies had set up Preparedness Committees to plan and prepare the Territory of Hawaii (hereafter referred to as the Territory) and the physicians in case the United States of America (USA) entered the war. When war came to the Territory, the physicians were ready and responded immediately to treat the injured.

Table of Contents

• Diary
• Remembrances
• Bibliography
• Other Internet Sites

Diary of the HCMS Headquarters Preparedness Committee

The diary reproduced here combines two logs recording the initial three-day response by Honolulu physicians to the Pearl Harbor attack. The first log is from the Honolulu County Medical Society (HCMS) Headquarters of the Medical Preparedness Committee. The second log, dated July 3, 1942, is from the Emergency Medical and Ambulance Service, Office of Civil Defense, Oahu. The Service was headquartered at Kaahumanu School in Honolulu.

Remembrances of December Seventh

This eight-part series was originally published in the Hawaii Medical Journal from 1947 to 1948. The series documents the recollections of more than eight physicians on the Honolulu medical community's response to Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.

• Reminiscences of December Seventh: I
  A.G. Hodgins, MD (In Memoriam biography)

• Reminiscences of December Seventh: II
  Homer Izumi, MD (In Memoriam biography)
  Harold Johnson, MD
  William Winter, MD (In Memoriam biography)
  Clarence E. Fronk, MD (In Memoriam biography)
  H.L. Arnold, Sr., MD (In Memoriam biography)

• Reminiscences of December Seventh: III
  S.R. Brown, MD (In Memoriam biography)

• Reminiscences of December Seventh: IV
  J.E. Strode, MD (In Memoriam biography)

• Reminiscences of December Seventh: V
  Rogers Lee Hill, MD (In Memoriam biography)
  Hing Biu Luke, MD

• Reminiscences of December Seventh: VI
  Frank Spencer, MD (In Memoriam biography)
  Thomas Richert, MD (In Memoriam biography)
  R.K. Uyeno, MD

• Reminiscences of December Seventh: VII
  William H. Wynn, MD (In Memoriam biography)
  Frederick F. Alsup, MD (In Memoriam biography)
  S. Clifton Culpepper, MD

• Reminiscences of December Seventh: VIII
  James R. Judd, MD (In Memoriam biography)

Bibliography

The bibliography lists the various resources at Hawaii Medical Library about medical practices and advances during World War II.

Other Internet Sites for Hawaii and World War II

• Hawaii War Records Depository - Housed at the University of Hawaii Archives.

• USS Arizona Memorial - Information on the memorial that is maintained by the U.S. National Park Service.

• USS Arizona -- "that terrible day" - The University of Arizona Library's webpage on the famous battleship. It includes a brief history of the USS Arizona, images of USS Arizona-related exhibits and materials at the University of Arizona, and links to Internet resources on the USS Arizona and the Pearl Harbor attack.

• USS Bowfin Submarine Museum & Park - Tour and learn about the submarine USS Bowfin (SS-287) which went on nine patrols during World War II.

• www.katonk.com - Provides information on the 100th Battalion and the 442nd Regimental Combat Team.

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