Anniversary Crew chief of year Motorcyclist 1st Marine Brigade Satisfaction is a job Leatherneck challenges begins 82nd year well done the trials Page B-1 Page A-2 Page B-2 HAWAII MARINE Voluntary payment for delivery to MCAS housing/$1 per four meek period. VOL 12 NO. 3 KANEOHE RAY, HAWAII. JAN. 19, 1983 TWENTY PAGES Air station celebrates 31st the Nuuanu by Sgt Inez J. Stoner Pali when Kameha- During World War I, Ulupau particularly pleased with the flat meha the Great forced the enemy Crater was again employed as a plain of Heeia. army over the Mokapu cliffs at the Pali. military base when the Kuwaaohe The largest weapons at Ft. Hase Peninsula is one of the Another prominent land feature most beautiful and most versatile Military Reservation was during World War II were 14-inch on the peninsula is Puu Hawaii- established there in 1918. guns from the battleship places on Oahu. It is also the home loa, site of Kansas Tower today. for more than 9,000 Marines who President Wilson signed an Pennsylvania. These were celebrated the 31st anniversary of Geologically, it is regarded as executive order that made it what emplaced in a position known as the commissioning of Marine being older than Ulupau, is now considered one of the oldest Penn Battery. In addition, French Diamond Head, Koko Head Corps Air Station, Kaneohe Bay and military bases on Oahu. Battery stood between the Hilltop the Punchbowl. It is believed to Jan. 15. area and North Beach. have been formed from a volcanic A number of 3-inch guns The Air Station covers the entire crater or vent. WITH WORLD WAR II Mokapu Peninsula, a land steeped approaching, the Kuwaaohe manned by Army Cannoneers were between the sand dunes in ancient Hawaiian legend. The Military Reservation was re- of IN THE 19TH CENTURY A Heleloa and the western base of very word "Mokapu" means great change began taking place established. Early in 1942, "sacred land." cannoneers Ulu Pau. Fifty caliber machine in Hawaii. Royalty began leaving began arriving to set guns were along the up coastal defenses on Mokapu North Beach Mokapu for the rapidly changing area from Pyramid Rock to IT IS HERE THAT, ACCORD- leeward side of Oahu where Peninsula. When commissioned Ulupau. ing to Hawaiian legend, three Waikiki was becoming the status in 1941, it was known as Camp Hawaiian gods shaped man's residential area for monarchs and Ulu Pau but was redesignated image from the sands of Heleloa Fort Hase, in honor of Major PRIOR TO AND DURING foreigners. As the royalty moved World War II, the Ft. HaSe Beach and gave him life. out, commoners moved in and General William T. Hase, in In the early days the peninsula February 1942. The post served as detachment grew from its humble paved the way for the "Great beginning as a defense battalion was considered a barren, desolate Mahele" or land reformation. headquarters for the harbor wasteland. This changed during defense of Kaneohe Bay. to a major unit of the Windward In 1848, the common people Coastal Artillery Command. With the 16th century when King were given the right of title to The Army was not alone in its Kamehameha the Great built his interest of Mokapu Peninsula. In its growing pains taxing the land, a right previously held by facilities, the Army acquired an royal palace near the Nuupia fish Hawaiian royalty. Farmers and 1939 Navy planners began eyeing ponds in the vicinity of the the area as a possible advance additional 474 acres (the present tradesmen came to Mokapu and Capehart housing area) of land present-day main gate. on the flatlands of this sacred naval base. Security on the The sands of Heleloa Beach face isolated peninsula could be easily from Harold Castle. peninsula, where royal pheasant By the end of the war, to the east where Ulupau Crater hunts once took place, cattle now maintained with only one road rises nearly 700 feet from the grazed. leading onto the land, and airfield Cont'd. on A-4 ocean. The first military use of planners and engineers were Mokapu may have been at Ulupau Crater during the mid-1700s. In legends it is said that Pele, the Hawaiian goddess of fire and ..ARIkt.1:1141 volcanoes, chose Ulupau for her e Oahu home , wandering around the islands. It was originally called Kuwaaohe, Sergeant Major J.R. McGurik meaning "stand and wait," and may have applied to sentries who stood watch for invaders from the New sergeant major other islands. ONE ACCOUNT HAS IT that Kahekili, the king of Maui takes brigade's helm and Molokai, sent spies to gather information about the army of by Sgt Corrina Martell Upon selection to sergeant major Oahu. With the information in 1976, he was transferred to gathered, the spies would use the Sergeant Major James R. Headquarters Battery, 12th sheer cliffs of Ulupau's northern McGuirk assumed duties as 1st Marines as battalion sergeant slopes as their signal post. They lit Marine Brigade Sergeant Major major, and later selected to be the large fires and torches to relay Jan. 10 at a change of sergeants 1st Brigade Schools Sergeant messages to lookouts on Molokai. major ceremony. Major. Their activities went unobserved Former brigade sergeant major, In 1978, he was transferred to behind the crater's rim. Sergeant Major John C. Lowery, Headquarters and Maintenance Kahekili undermined the power will be retiring from active duty Squadron-24, and then received of Kahana, king of 0 ahu, and won Feb. 28. orders for Manchester, New the kingdom in a bloddy battle. THEN - Ulupau Crater was a welcome site to Marines and sailors stationed at newly McGuirk enlisted in the Marine Hampshire as Recruiting Station When Kahekili died in 1794, his commissioned Kaneohe Naval Air Station in 1952. The gate, then the only access to Mokapu Corps in 1955. His early Sergeant Major for the North son came into power. This set the Peninsula, is now the rear gate. assignments included serving Eastern Section for recruiting. stage for the legendary battle at with the 3d Marine Division; 2nd Upon completion of his tour in Mar Div Camp Lejeune, N.C.; New England, McGuirk was Quantico, Va.; State Dept Duty in assigned here with 3d Battalion, Saudis Arabia and Cyprus; and 3d Marines. Brigade SgtMaj bids Corps farewell recruiting duty. From 1965 to 1966, McGuirk While on deployment in 1982, he served with 3d Battalion, was assigned as the first Marine 9th by Sgt Corrina Martell "I had always heard people say, 'If Marines in Vietnam, after which Amphibious Unit Sergeant Major I'd stayed in I could be retired by he returned to recruiting duty. In in the Corps, and then as the 31st "If I could do it all over again, I now,' " he said. "So I got out 1970 he returned to Vietnam and MAU and 9th Marine Amphibious wouldn't change anything," said specifically to see what was served with 2nd Battalion, 7th Brigade Sergeant Major during Sergeant Major John C. Lowery, happening on the outside. I think I'm Marines as a company gunnery operation Freedom Pennant, former 1st Marine Brigade Sergeant more at ease with myself because I sergeant. Western Australia. Major. Hevvill retire Feb. 28 after more know that I did get out. I knew the Following his second tour in than 27 years of Marine Corps Marine Corps was what I wanted to Vietnam, McGuirk served again McGuirk's personal decorations service. do." with the 2nd Mar Div, and then include two Bronze Stars, two Lowery, who enlisted in 1955, said Upon reenlisting, Lowery served as Marine Barracks, Boston, Mass. Combat Action ribbons, Purple that as early as he can remember, he a truck driver, unit diary clerk, and as the Barracks first sergeant Heart, Vietnamese Cross of always wanted to be a Marine. "The personnel chief at Camp Pendleton, before returning to Vietnam for a Gallantry with Silver Star, and Marine Corps always appealed to me Calif., which was followed by a tour on third tour. During this time he Vienamese Cross of Gallantry because of the leadership and the I-I Staff, 45th Rifle Company, 111 participated in the evacuation of with Bronze Star. confidence they had in themselves," Ogden, Utah. Cambodia and Saigon. he said. "I joined on my own. I sought Following I-I duty, Lowery served in In 1975, McGuirk was McGuirk is married to the them out, they didn't seek me out." what he feels was his most satisfying transferred to Marine Corps Air former Joanna McNultry and has From the start of his military career, tour - drill instructor duty. Station, Kaneohe Bay to serve two sons, James Patrick and Lowery said that he never reached a "On the drill field, you take people with 1st Battalion, 12th Marines. Patrick James. point of throwing up his hands and from all walks of life and mold them saying it wasn't for him. into one precision, moving body called "In boot camp I had no problems a basic Marine," he said. "It's a Accident kills 1, until the last inspection," he said. "We personal satisfaction knowing that were pulling Irish pendants off each you as an individual have left your other and I didn't want to put them on mark on the Marine Corps." the deck, so I put them in my mouth. Lowery volunteered for assignment injures another My drill instructor thought I was to Vietnam following DI duty. lie chewing gum and I told him it was served there twice.