DENNIS ODA / DODA@STARBULLETIN.COM As part of festivities celebrating Fort Shafter's 100th anniversary yesterday, Victoria Reed, Linda Sue Moshier and Heather Lindell, who call themselves the American Belles, dressed in outfits from the 1940s. They were with retired Army Col. Thomas Wells, 100, one of the honored guests who spent eight of his 30 years of service at Fort Shafter. His father, retired Maj. Gen. Briant Wells, was the commander of the Hawaiian Department in the 1930s.

Celebration of the century

Fort Shafter, the oldest Army post in Hawaii, celebrated its 100th anniversary yesterday and is a reminder of how instrumental Hawaii is to U.S. control in the Pacific Region.

Joining in the celebration were the community, soldiers and even one of the oldest former Fort Shafter residents.

One hundred-year-old retired Col. Thomas Wells, son of retired Maj. Gen. Briant Wells, the commander of the Hawaiian Department in the 1930s, spent eight of his 30 years of service at Fort Shafter and at one time served as his father's aide.

Fort Shafter "was a happy post," said Wells. "I served here in the early '30s and again from 1945-1948."

For Wells, the occasion brought back fond memories of the place that once was his home.

"All the quarters were filled," Wells said. "I knew most of the people living here."

Fort Shafter was established in 1907 and is named after Maj. Gen. William R. Shafter, commander of the expeditionary force that liberated Cuba in 1898. After the United States took control of the Philippines in the Spanish-American War, it needed a post that would support the Pacific Region, said Command Historian Dave Hilkert.

"We needed some place in the middle to defend American interests," Hilkert said.

DENNIS ODA / DODA@STARBULLETIN.COM Clockwise from lower left, Mark Chun, Eric Ako, Karolyn Childs and Jerry Stanfield positioned the centennial cake so it could be cut and served. The four were dressed in vintage Army uniforms.

Lt. Gen. John Brown III, Adm. Timothy Keating, and Lt. Gov. James "Duke" Aiona spoke at the ceremony.

"Our soldiers, for more than 100 years now, have brought peace to the Pacific," said Keating, the commander of the U.S. Pacific Command.

A yellow trumpet tree, a permanent National Historic Landmark plaque and a time capsule were dedicated at the ceremony to mark Fort Shafter's centennial. The time capsule is to be opened by soldiers on June 22, 2107.

Among the many items placed in the vault were a centennial coin, a Fort Shafter walking tour brochure, a letter from a 2007 soldier to a 2107 soldier, and a letter from a 2007 military family member to a 2107 military family member.

Throughout the day there were musical performances by the different branches of the military. There was also a rock-climbing wall, a Chinook helicopter, vintage and modern Army vehicles, and food booths on hand.

According to Army officials, Fort Shafter remains a focal point for command, control and support of Army forces in the Asia-Pacific region. Future plans for the post include transforming the U.S. Army Pacific into a deployable headquarters for employment anywhere in the region.