Kokua Line
By June Watanabe
Tuesday, February 2, 1999
Kokua Line
Can you help locate an Army buddy from World War II? I have been searching for Albert K. Wong, who lived on Wong Ho Lane, Honolulu, in 1944-45. We were in the 274th Infantry -- 70th Division. I was with a machine gun section and he with a mortars section in Eastern France and Western Germany during that terrible winter of 1945. I have written to numerous people, but so far, have been unsuccessful. Records center helps
soldiers get in contactCan anyone help? If so, write to William A. Smith, 4895 Lancaster-Circleville Road, Lancaster, OH 43130.
According to the Web site for the U.S. Army public affairs office (www.dtic.mil/armylink/), the Privacy Act of 1974 prohibits releasing the address of former Army members without their written consent. However, the National Personnel Records Center will help by forwarding your letter to a person's last known address.
The procedure is: 1. Write a letter to the soldier and place it in a sealed, stamped envelope, including your full name and return address. 2. Write a letter addressed to the National Personnel Records Center requesting help with your search. Include the service member's name, serial number and/or Social Security number and date of birth, if available. 3. Place both envelopes in one envelope and address it to the National Personnel Records Center, 9700 Page Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63132-5200.
The center has only a service member's last officially recorded address. Letters to people the center cannot identify or who are known to be deceased will be returned.
I live on Coelho Way in Nuuanu, where they were fixing the gas line with heavy equipment at the corner. It's a single-lane road off Burbank, and there's a preschool at the end of the street. Workers were at that spot for about two days. Shouldn't there have been a flag man or police officer directing traffic? It was so dangerous for drivers making almost a blind turn.
"Even though this particular lane has limited traffic, we agree it would have been more prudent to have a flagman on site," said the Gas Co. spokesman Stafford Kiguchi. The matter was discussed with the contractor hired to do the work, he said.
A flagman helps ensure the safety not only of motorists but workers, as well, he said.
"On high-traffic streets, we will insist on either a company flagman or, more typically, will hire off-duty police officers for traffic control," Kiguchi said.
Regarding the complaint about fiddle wood trees being cut in Waikiki: Years ago, we asked the city to take out all the fiddle woods in the city because they are obnoxious pests that do not belong in the ecology of Hawaii. They will be the miconia of tomorrow. They should be replaced with palms or plants that look more tropical.-- Waikiki Residents Association Fiddlesticks to fiddle woods
To Mark Quiday and Emily Albero. One early, dark Thursday morning, while driving through an unfamiliar Waipahu neighborhood, I got a flat tire. I asked several people standing outside their homes if they could point me to a public phone or call a garage for me. I was given rude and negative responses. I kept walking to find a phone but instead found Mark, who, without hesitation, let me use his phone. I returned to my car, then waited for 1 hour, 20 minutes. Still no service truck. I then saw Emily getting out of her car and going into her yard. She allowed me to use her cellular phone. I offered to pay for use of her phone, but she said it was not necessary. Thanks to these good Samaritans for the aloha extended to a stranger. -- G.C. Mahalo
Need help with problems? Call Kokua Line at 525-8686,
fax 525-6711, or write to P.O. Box 3080, Honolulu 96802.
Email to kokualine@starbulletin.com
