By George F. Lee, Star-Bulletin
Alfredo Los Banos bows his head in sadness today
after he inspects the damage left by vandals over the
weekend at Punchbowl cemetery.
Public outrage
at cemetery damage
The desecration leaves
By Rod Ohira
Oahu residents irate; offers
of help pour in
Star-BulletinKenneth Tamanaha can feel his anger rising as he looks at the desecrated headstones at Honolulu Memorial Park. "If they ever catch whoever did this, they ought to hang their asses," Tamanaha said. "How can anyone do something like this?"
Fifty-four marble headstones at Honolulu Memorial Park, 80-100 others at nearby Oahu Cemetery, a half-dozen ground markers and the Makino Memorial at Nuuanu Memorial Park were spray-painted in red with an expletive remark, "F--- Hawaii."
Hawaiian Memorial Park Cemetery reports that 40 grave markers on the ground were also desecrated.
A stencil was used in all cases.
The most severe damage over the weekend occurred at two veteran grave sites --the National Cemetery of the Pacific at Punchbowl and the Hawaii Veterans Cemetery at Kaneohe.
"The outpouring of public support has been overwhelming," Punchbowl Director Gene Castagnetti said of the 200 calls his office received this morning from people volunteering to help clean up.
"The public outcry is a comforting statement," he added.
In addition to hate statements at the columbariums, the vandals also spray painted over 100 flower vases valued at $165 apiece that were purchased by loved ones, Castagnetti said.
About 50 ground grave markers were also desecrated. Damage at Punchbowl is estimated at between $20,000 to $25,000, Castagnetti said.
Hate statements were sprayed onto concrete walls at Kaneohe's veterans monument and columbarium. Nine grave markers were also desecrated.
William Harper, director of police and security for the Veterans Administration, is enroute to Hawaii to assist the FBI's investigation of the Punchbowl desecretion.
"Tears came to my eyes when I saw all this," Ellen Inouchi said at Honolulu Memorial Park. "Somebody has to be sick to do this. What could they possibly hope to gain.
"It's just so sad," she added.
By Ken Sakamoto, Star-Bulletin
A visitor to Punchbowl places flowers at a gravesite marred
by graffiti. Punchbowl was one of five cemeteries hit by vandals.
Steven Ruble, general manager of Honolulu Memorial Park, said the insult that has occurred is a deep wound for many of his clients, who are primarily Buddhist."There are generations here and I know many of them are feeling the shame for what has happened to their ancestors," Ruble said.
Cleanup efforts at the Punchbowl and Kaneohe cemeteries are being help up until police and FBI complete their preliminary investigations.
A special Honolulu Police Department task force headed by Capt. Doug Miller has been formed to delve into the vandalism.
As of this morning, there were no leads in the weekend attack, which police say took place sometime between 7 p.m. Saturday and 8:15 a.m. yesterday.
Jean Motoyama, police department spokeswoman, said "there have been a lot of calls to Crime Stoppers, but as yet I don't know if any of the calls have developed into good leads."
Meanwhile, officials at the cemeteries were focusing on how to clean up the mess.
Oahu Cemetery superintendent Harold Lewis Jr. plans to use paint thinner to clean the white marble headstones that were damaged.
"Because some of the marble is so old and porous, we've got to be very careful," Lewis said.
Ruble is still seeking opinions on how to clean the headstones at Honolulu Memorial Park.
The attack on the cemeteries was well planned, and those responsible left a message at the Kaneohe veterans gravesites sensing the public reaction.
The message read: "My love was greater than your love. Now my hate is greater than your hate."
Star-Bulletin reporters Harold Morse and
Gregg Kakesako contributed to this report.Veterans groups will help clean up the mess created by vandals at the National Cemetery of the Pacific. Veterans groups
will help clean Punchbowl"We are just sickened by the event itself," said Craig Oswald, staff assistant at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, which administers the Punchbowl cemetery.
Oswald said his office has received a lot of calls from veterans groups and others offering volunteer cleanup help.
Gary Nakamura, national service officer for the Disabled American Veterans, said, "I personally think this individual or individuals are very, very sick."
Donald Howell, Hawaii state chairman of the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association, said there may be a reward offered by veterans groups to catch the vandals.
"I just can't understand it," said Howell, whose parents, sister and several brothers-in-law are buried at Punchbowl.
"To me it's totally uncalled for," Howell said. "I've seen graffiti, but not to that extent. Our people were very upset."
Paul Takiguchi, American Legion national service officer, added: "We're very angry about this. And we will try to help out as much as we can to erase all that has happened."
Takiguchi said he expects there will be a lot of volunteer help from the American Legion's 3,000 members in Hawaii.
Also planning to offer aid this weekend was Club 100, whose members are World War II Japanese-American veterans from the 100th Battalion. Joichi Muramatsu, Club 100 president, said the organization's Sons and Daughters chapter also has offered their help in cleaning up the cemetery.
Hawaii's U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie said he is checking with the U.S. Veterans Affairs Department to see if stronger federal laws are needed and also whether congressional funding is needed for expedited cleanup or enhanced security at Punchbowl and other national cemeteries.
"It's a shocking desecration of our sacred places," Abercrombie said. "It's an insult to the people buried there, their families and our entire community."
