The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-04-09
Secret Maneuvers Spotlight Americas "Gibraltar of Pacific"
Hawaiian Defense Keystone of U. s. Military Power
By NEA Service

by NEA SerV1ce
 San Francisco, April 9.-Military and naval maneuverS now taking place in and near Hawaii in an at mosphere of unusual secrecy have centered attention on that "Gibral- tar of the Pacific" certainly the most strongly defended position un- der the American flag.
 Hawaii's importance in the eyes of the military is suggested by the fact that almost $60,000,000 has been put into developing the naval base and yard at Pearl Harbor, that $18,000,00 is going into the greatest army air field under the Stars and Stripes, and that the maneuvers and practice move ments in the vicinity of Honolulu have become more secret, more frequent, and more realistic as each year passes.
 From a strictly military point of view, the Hawaiian Islands are important to the United States be- cause they offer position 2,500 miles out in the Pacific on which to base fleet. Therefore any fleet wishing to attack the United States west coast would have first to put this advance base out of business. Otherwise the enemy might be attacked from the rear as soon as it got closer to the United States mainland than the islands.
 Keystone
 To hold and keep functions as naval base the Hawaiian Islands is therefore the keystone of Ameri- can military policy in the Pacific. It is largely to protect that naval base that 10000 soldiers, the largest single unified military force of the United States, are stationed so far out in the Pacific.
 Defense measures are concen- trated on the island of Oahu, though Hawaii itself is larger. But Oahu has the city of Honolulu and the magnificent Pearl Harbor, stretching inland like the palm of mans hand with deep inlets and safe anchorage for the whole Unlted SLaLeS IleeC.
 It is to depend this harbor and the drydock, repair, supply, and other fleet base facilities, that Oahu has been turned into one great fortress. Yet many tourists go to Hawaii and return without having been conscious of any mili- tary display at all. That is because, first, many of the strongest Notifications are so well concealed as to be invisible to the untrained eye, and second, because the Army and Navy, especially of late, have become secretive and barred even ap- proach within 8 mile of certain new defense works.
 Great Defense
 Three great airplane fields and bases aim to make sure that no enemy air force should be able suc- cessfully to bomb the island. The more than 200 planes now stationed in Hawaii are also charged with see- ing to it that no invading naval force shall draw near without ade- quate warning to the land batteries, both coast artillery and anti-air- craft.
 The great guns should be able to outrange and outshoot anything now mounted on battleships. Mounted in Forts Kamehameha, deRussy, Ruger, Weaver, Barrette, and others, they are so placed as to command the best sea ap- breaches.
 Special new military roads with easy gradients, and a narrow gauge railways, make it possible to bring mobile artillery to bear on any point of approach to the island.
 Even should the defending planes be driven from the air, and the great guns silenced, say by air bombardment, an enemy would still not have Oahu in his hand. He would have to get through an extensive submarine and mine defense. He would have to land troops, and actually occupy the harbor and naval base.
 Here again, it would be difficult. Every possible approach, every beach that offers a chance for landing, has been perfectly ranged for light artillery and machine gun fire. It therefore seems cer-