The Case:
History Detectives’ first ever Hawaii story takes us to the island of Ni’ihau, the backdrop for a fascinating tale often overshadowed by the enormity of the raid on Pearl Harbor.
This investigation hinges on two engine parts. Our contributor got the parts from his father who served as an army mechanic in Hawaii during World War II. His father said the parts came from a Japanese fighter plane that crash-landed on Ni’ihau during the attack on Pearl Harbor. The pilot survived, but held island residents hostage, setting the stage for a drama of terror and heroism.
History Detectives gains unprecedented access to the “Forbidden Island” to conduct this extraordinary investigation.
More Information
Pacific Aviation Museum
319 Lexington Blvd
Honolulu, HI 96818-5004
(808) 441-1000
Ni'ihua Naval Report
Read an excerpt of the Naval report from 1942 that describes the crash of the Japanese plane on the island of Ni'ihua and subsequent events.
Related Links
Explore
-
Related Investigation
Short Snorter
Was this British ten-shilling note witness to the forging of the alliance between America and Britain?
-
Related Investigation
Howard Hughes Crash
Was this the instrument that chartered Howard Hughes' near fatal plunge into Beverly Hills?
-
Also in Depression and WWII: 1929-1945
Bonnie & Clyde's Bullets
Are these the bullets that ended one of the most infamous crime-sprees in American history?
-
Also in Depression and WWII: 1929-1945
Hindenburg Artifact
Was this device snatched from the burning wreckage of the ill-fated zeppelin?
-
Also in Depression and WWII: 1929-1945
Theremin
How did this strange instrument help spark a rock n’ roll revolution?
-
Also with Eduardo Pagán
Empire State Building Plane Crash Piece
Does this piece of metal belong to the plane that crashed into the Empire State Building?
Comments
This is a place for opinions, comments, questions and discussion; a place where viewers of History Detectives can express their points of view and connect with others who value history. We ask that posters be polite and respectful of all opinions. History Detectives reserves the right to delete comments that don’t conform to this conduct. We will not respond to every post, but will do our best to answer specific questions, or address an error.