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
John Brown Pike
How did this metal blade spark violent tension between the North and the South?
-
Also with Eduardo Pagán
Civil War Letters
What can these letters reveal about a racially-charged massacre on a Civil War battlefield?
-
Related Investigation
Whaling Ship
Might a ship docked in Mystic Seaport, hold secrets to the Underground Railroad?
-
Also with Eduardo Pagán
Pancho Villa Watch Fob
Did the owner of this watch fob witness the horrifying raid on Pancho Villa?
-
Also in Depression and WWII: 1929-1945
Seadrome
Did floating airports dot the Atlantic before modern air travel?
-
Also in Season 9
Tiffany Window
What can this watercolor reveal about the unexpected world of one of America’s great artists?
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.