By Joseph Bonfiglio, Honolulu District Public Affairs – FORT SHAFTER, HAWAII – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Honolulu District recently awarded a task order construction contract to build new pavilions for the Honolulu Memorial at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific at Punchbowl to Innovative-Mira Joint Venture (IM JV LLC) of Aiea, Oahu for $4,144,500.00. The lead architect and designer for this project is Fung Associates, Inc. of Honolulu.
The work entails constructing two new pavilions located next to the two existing flag poles which flank the processional stairs of the Honolulu Memorial, one of 25 federal memorials maintained worldwide by the American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC). The design of the new pavilions will be compatible with the materials, features and architectural style of the existing map galleries’ terminating pavilions. One of the two pavilions will include Vietnam War battle maps to complement the existing World War II and Korean War battle maps. The other pavilion will serve as an orientation center for the Memorial.
In addition, the project will provide exterior illumination to the pavilions; repair and/or replace existing walkway areas, drainage and landscaping that are affected by the construction; and improve handicap accessibility to the Memorial by adding a handicap ramp to the Mauka side map gallery entrance, rebuilding the handicap ramps to the restrooms to meet current guidelines, and providing an accessible parking and loading stall in the upper area of the Memorial.
The Honolulu Memorial was built by the Corps of Engineers and dedicated in 1966 to honor those missing in action from World War II’s Pacific theater and the Korean War, and contains wall-mounted battle maps commemorating famous battles, such as the Battle of Midway. The memorial was expanded in 1980 to bear the names of 2,504 missing service members from the Vietnam War, but battle maps from the Vietnam War were not included.
“With the addition of these pavilions, we will appropriately honor the service and sacrifice of those that fought in Vietnam and in particular those commemorated in the memorial’s courts of the missing,” said Mike Conley, spokesman for the American Battle Monuments Commission.
During construction of the new pavilions and handicap accessibility improvements, public access to portions of the Memorial may be limited. However, access to the Memorial Chapel, columbarium, and all gravesites will not be affected. The Committal Services, interments and burials conducted by the Department of Veterans Affairs, National Cemetery Administration will continue without interruption.
The Honolulu Memorial commemorates 18,096 American World War II missing from the Pacific, excluding those from the southwest Pacific; 8,200 American missing from the Korean War; and 2,504 Americans missing from the Vietnam War. Galleries containing mosaic maps and descriptions of the achievements of the American armed forces in the Central and South Pacific regions in World War II and in Korea flank the memorial chapel.
The project is expected to be completed by November 2012. This solicitation was issued as a sole-source 8(a) solicitation. The Honolulu District is fully committed to support small businesses in Hawaii.
General questions regarding access to the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific at Punchbowl can be answered by calling (808) 532-3720.