This Is The Single Craziest Thing You Never Knew Happened In Hawaii
By Megan Shute|Published November 12, 2016
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Megan Shute
Author
With more than 10 years of experience as a professional writer, Megan holds a degree in Mass Media from her home state of Minnesota. After college, she chose to trade in her winter boots for slippahs and moved to the beautiful island of Oahu, where she has been living for more than five years. She lives on the west side but is constantly taking mini-road trips across the island and visits the neighboring islands whenever she can getaway. She loves hiking, snorkeling, locally-grown coffee, and finding the best acai bowl on Oahu.
Perhaps one of the most tragic military attacks in American history, the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor killed approximately 2,400 Americans and wounded another 1,770. Additionally, the Japanese attack damaged all eight U.S. battleships – four were sunk – three cruisers, three destroyers, an anti-aircraft training ship, and one minelayer. But there is one story from that fateful day that is rarely told outside the islands; the Niihau incident is perhaps the craziest event in Hawaiian history.
After the attack on Pearl Harbor, a Japanese Navy fighter pilot crashed his aircraft on Niihau, the westernmost island of Hawaii’s eight main islands, and terrorized the locals for a week.
At first the encounter was peaceful, and Niihau residents even invited the Japanese pilot to a luau, but it quickly went downhill. The pilot was probably restless and scared after he didn’t hear from his comrades and decided to take it out on Niihau residents.
Two island residents, Hawila Kaleohano and Beni Kanahele, were able to disarm and kill the intruder. Shot three times during the incident, Kanahele allegedly grabbed the pilot, flinging him against a wall and cracking his skull.
According to Pacific Aviation Museum Curator Burl Burlingame, the Japanese Zero Plane was a secretive aircraft the Japanese did not want the United States to get their hands on this “secret weapon” of the Japanese military.
The Japanese assumed that Niihau was only inhabited by aborigines, and they were wrong. The people of Niihau had been preparing for a Japanese attack for years - and the pilots landing gear was severely damaged by an anti-aircraft trench.
Often referred to as the Forbidden Isle, Niihau is owned by the Robinson family and is home to approximately 200 native Hawaiians who have preserved traditional ways of life, including speaking Hawaiian.
The island can be seen from afar via helicopter or boat tour, but is generally off-limits to everyone except relatives of the owners, government officials, and invited guests.
