Fort Shafter
Fort Shafter (1905-Present) - A U.S. Army fort established on Kahauiki Military Reservation in 1905 in present day Honolulu, Honolulu County, Hawaii. Named Fort Shafter in G.O. 145, 1907, for Major General William Rufus Shafter, U.S. Civil War Medal of Honor recipient, who commanded the 5th Army Corps in Cuba in 1898 during the Spanish American War. Active military installation.
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Fort Shafter History
Initially established on Kahauiki Military Reservation with construction beginning in 1905 and completed in 1907. The post was built as a permanent replacement post for troops stationed at Camp McKinley (2). First garrisoned by four companies of the 20th U.S. Infantry in July 1907 (first post return). In 1915 adjacent land was acquired for the Hawaii Arsenal.
The post was structured around a central parade that was lined with palm trees and became known as Palm Circle. The west and north sides of the parade were lined with fifteen sets of officer quarters while the south and east sides were barracks areas. Subsequent development built large housing areas north east of Palm Circle.
During World War II Fort Shafter was the Headquarters for all U.S. Army forces in the Pacific theater and the site of the U.S. Army's 14 story Tripler Hospital. The old barracks were converted to offices and new construction included three large buildings that came to be known as the "Pineapple Pentagon". The three "Pineapple Pentagon" buildings were completed in 1944 ( T-100, T-101, T-102) and three associated tunnels (T-101, T-102, T-103) were completed in 1942 and 1944.
Since World War II the post has served as headquarters for a number of regional pacific units including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Pacific Ocean Division and the U.S. Army Western Command.
Current Status
Active military installation and headquarters in Honolulu, Honolulu County, Hawaii.
USGS Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) Database Entry: 2512220
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Location: Honolulu, Honolulu County, Hawaii. Map point is the flag pole in Palm Circle. The GNIS map point is actually the edge of the old Honolulu Arsenal. Maps & Images Lat: 21.3463744 Long: -157.88715 |
Sources:
- Roberts, Robert B., Encyclopedia of Historic Forts: The Military, Pioneer, and Trading Posts of the United States, Macmillan, New York, 1988, 10th printing, ISBN 0-02-926880-X, page 246-247
- National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination Form: Historic Palm Circle, 100 Area, Fort Shaftner
Links:
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Fort Shafter Picture Gallery
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