The Wahiawa Lions Club honored 21 World War II veterans from Wahiawä who died in combat and recognized their families at the Second Annual Wahiawa War Memorial ceremony on July 10. The ceremony, which was held at the Wahiawä District Park, was also a reminder of how the City and County of Honolulu’s first swimming pool was built, to be enjoyed by the entire Wahiawä community. The Wahiawa War Memorial Swimming Pool was originally a saltwater pool. It was turned over to the City and County of Honolulu in 1949.
While in training at Camp Shelby, Miss., the Wahiawä community sent a sum of money to the Wahiawä soldiers in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. The soldiers returned the money, asking that it instead be used for something that would benefit the entire community. The result was the Wahiawä swimming pool, which was dedicated to the 21 soldiers from Wahiawä who were killed combat during the war.
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