#FlashbackFriday: October 1975—The Hawaiian Military Resort Exchange Funds Helped Build (and There’s a PX There)
Updated Oct. 17 to correct hotel’s opening date.
On Oct. 25, 1975—48 years ago this month—the Hale Koa resort hotel opened at Fort DeRussy, on Waikiki Beach in Hawaii. Originally a 15-story, 426-room hotel, it was a resort for service members and their families. The hotel included—and continues to include—a PX. The hotel was financed entirely by money provided by Exchanges and officer and enlisted clubs.
According to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, Gen. Fred Weyand, who commanded the 25th Infantry Division in Vietnam, wanted to make it possible for service members in Asia and elsewhere to have an affordable hotel in Waikiki so they could come there for some R&R with their loved ones. Weyand gave a lot of credit to Hawaii Sen. Dan Inouye, a Medal of Honor recipient for heroic acts during World War II, for getting the hotel built.
A second tower for the hotel was built in 1995, increasing the number of rooms to 818.
According to the hotel’s website, the PX (which is part of the Hawaii Consolidated Exchange) is “conveniently located near the reception desk in the Ilima Tower lobby.” (Ilima is the hotel’s original tower.) Registered hotel guests who are sponsored can get a special pass at check-in to shop there (certain products, however, are still available only to military ID cardholders).
The Exchange’s history in Hawaii goes back almost as far as the Exchange itself. Post exchanges in Hawaii date back to the Spanish-American War in 1898. The first exchange in the Pacific was started by a military unit at Hawaii’s Camp McKinley to serve troops en route to the Philippines to fight in the war.
By 1910, post exchanges were located at Schofield Barracks, Camp McKinley, Fort Armstrong, Fort DeRussy, Fort Reger, Fort Shafter and Fort Upton.
During World War II, exchanges served troops at 18 locations on the islands of Hawaii, Oahu, Kauai, Maui, Molokai and Lanai. The post exchange at Hickam Field was severely damaged in the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
During the war, Schofield’s post exchange operated 110 field PXs throughout northern Oahu, ranging from large stores to small establishments serving 140 Soldiers manning machine-gun positions on top of Mount Kahala.
Today, the Army & Air Force Exchange Service still operates stores at Schofield Barracks, Joint Base Pearl-Harbor Hickam, Fort DeRussy, Fort Shafter and other installations.
Sources: Exchange Post archives, Honolulu Star-Bulletin.
WHAT A GREAT IDEA!