Fort DeRussy (Hawaii)
Encyclopedia
Fort DeRussy is a United States
military reservation in the Waikiki
area of Honolulu, Hawaii
, under the jurisdiction of the United States Army
. Unfenced and largely open to public traffic, the installation consists mainly of landscaped greenspace
. The former Battery Randolph now houses the U.S. Army Museum of Hawaii
, which is open to the public.
, one in Kentucky
, and one in Washington, D.C.
, were all built during the American Civil War
. This one was named for General René Edward De Russy
(1789–1865). Rene and his brother Lewis were both graduates of the United States Military Academy
at West Point. Lewis was the oldest West Point graduate to serve in the Confederate Army, while older brother Rene served on the Union side.
Located on Waikiki Beach, very near Oahu's historic hotels the Royal Hawaiian Hotel
and the Moana Hotel
, the former Shore Battery Randolph was used as site for servicemen on Rest and Recuperation (R&R) during the Vietnam War
. Fort DeRussy was one of a number of shore batterys on the island of Oahu designed to provide coastal defense. Most of the guns on these sites were retired during the early 1950s. The Fourteen inch guns of Shore Battery Randolph were fired once in a practice shortly after the Attack on Pearl Harbor
, shattering many of the windows in the Royal Hawaiian and Moana, and were not fired again.
, the Fort DeRussy Chapel, and the Hale Koa Hotel
, a Morale, Welfare and Recreation
facility.
is housed inside Battery Randolph, an old coastal artillery
battery. Battery Randolph was constructed in 1911 to defend Honolulu Harbor
on Oahu
from attack, and was equipped with two 14-inch guns on disappearing carriages
with a range of about 40000 yard.
It was named for Maj Benjamin H. Randolph (died 1907).
The museum's collection contains some World War II
armor pieces, an AH-1 Cobra
helicopter
, and small arms indoors, as well as the battery itself. The exhibits cover the history of US Army warfare in the Pacific hemisphere and admission is free.
It is located on Kalia Road, coordinates 21°16′44"N 157°50′1"W.
Another installation of two 6-inch guns was called Battery Dudley, named for Gen. Edgar S. Dudley (died 1911). The "Artillery District of Honolulu" (state historic site 80-13-1382) was added to the National Register of Historic Places listings in Oahu
on June 5, 1984.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
military reservation in the Waikiki
Waikiki
Waikiki is a neighborhood of Honolulu, in the City and County of Honolulu, on the south shore of the island of Oahu, in Hawaii. Waikiki Beach is the shoreline fronting Waikīkī....
area of Honolulu, Hawaii
Honolulu, Hawaii
Honolulu is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii. Honolulu is the southernmost major U.S. city. Although the name "Honolulu" refers to the urban area on the southeastern shore of the island of Oahu, the city and county government are consolidated as the City and...
, under the jurisdiction of the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
. Unfenced and largely open to public traffic, the installation consists mainly of landscaped greenspace
Open space reserve
Open space reserve, open space preserve, and open space reservation, are planning and conservation ethics terms used to describe areas of protected or conserved land or water on which development is indefinitely set aside...
. The former Battery Randolph now houses the U.S. Army Museum of Hawaii
U. S. Army Museum of Hawaii
The U.S. Army Museum of Hawaii is housed inside Battery Randolph, a former coastal artillery battery, located at Fort DeRussy Military Reservation. The museum's collection contains some World War II armor pieces, an AH-1 Cobra helicopter, and small arms indoors, as well as the battery itself...
, which is open to the public.
History
Fort DeRussy in Honolulu is one of five Forts DeRussy in the United States. The two in LouisianaLouisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, one in Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, and one in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, were all built during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. This one was named for General René Edward De Russy
René Edward De Russy
René Edward De Russy was an engineer, military educator, and career United States Army officer who was responsible for erecting many Eastern United States coastal fortifications...
(1789–1865). Rene and his brother Lewis were both graduates of the United States Military Academy
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
at West Point. Lewis was the oldest West Point graduate to serve in the Confederate Army, while older brother Rene served on the Union side.
Located on Waikiki Beach, very near Oahu's historic hotels the Royal Hawaiian Hotel
Royal Hawaiian Hotel
Royal Hawaiian Hotel, also known as the Pink Palace of the Pacific, is a hotel located at 2259 Kalākaua Avenue in Honolulu, Hawaii, on the island of Oahu. One of the first hotels established in Waikiki, the Royal Hawaiian Hotel is considered one of the flagship hotels in Hawaii tourism...
and the Moana Hotel
Moana Hotel
The Moana Hotel, also known as the First Lady of Waikīkī, is a famous historic hotel on the island of Oahu, located at 2365 Kalākaua Avenue in Honolulu, Hawaii. Built in the late 19th century as the first hotel in Waikiki, the Moana opened its doors to guests in 1901, becoming the first large hotel...
, the former Shore Battery Randolph was used as site for servicemen on Rest and Recuperation (R&R) during the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
. Fort DeRussy was one of a number of shore batterys on the island of Oahu designed to provide coastal defense. Most of the guns on these sites were retired during the early 1950s. The Fourteen inch guns of Shore Battery Randolph were fired once in a practice shortly after the Attack on Pearl Harbor
Attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on the morning of December 7, 1941...
, shattering many of the windows in the Royal Hawaiian and Moana, and were not fired again.
Active facilities
Official military functions include the Asia-Pacific Center for Security StudiesAsia-Pacific Center for Security Studies
The is a United States Department of Defense regional study, conference, and research center established in Honolulu, Hawaii, United States on September 4, 1995. The Center supports the United States Pacific Command theater security cooperation strategy of maintaining positive security...
, the Fort DeRussy Chapel, and the Hale Koa Hotel
Hale Koa Hotel
The Hale Koa Hotel, which means House of the Warrior in Hawaiian, is an Armed Forces Recreation Center resort hotel located on Waikiki Beach and owned by the United States Department of Defense. It sits on the southeast corner of Fort DeRussy on the western end of Waikiki in Honolulu...
, a Morale, Welfare and Recreation
Morale, Welfare and Recreation
Morale, Welfare and Recreation, abbreviated MWR, is a network of support and leisure services designed for use by soldiers , their families, civilian employees, military retirees and other eligible participants....
facility.
U. S. Army Museum of Hawaii
The U.S. Army Museum of HawaiiU. S. Army Museum of Hawaii
The U.S. Army Museum of Hawaii is housed inside Battery Randolph, a former coastal artillery battery, located at Fort DeRussy Military Reservation. The museum's collection contains some World War II armor pieces, an AH-1 Cobra helicopter, and small arms indoors, as well as the battery itself...
is housed inside Battery Randolph, an old coastal artillery
Coastal artillery
Coastal artillery is the branch of armed forces concerned with operating anti-ship artillery or fixed gun batteries in coastal fortifications....
battery. Battery Randolph was constructed in 1911 to defend Honolulu Harbor
Honolulu Harbor
Honolulu Harbor, also called Kulolia and Ke Awa O Kou, is the principal seaport of Honolulu and the State of Hawaii in the United States. It is from Honolulu Harbor, located on Mamala Bay, that the City & County of Honolulu was developed and urbanized, in an outward fashion, over the course of the...
on Oahu
Oahu
Oahu or Oahu , known as "The Gathering Place", is the third largest of the Hawaiian Islands and most populous of the islands in the U.S. state of Hawaii. The state capital Honolulu is located on the southeast coast...
from attack, and was equipped with two 14-inch guns on disappearing carriages
Disappearing gun
A disappearing gun is a type of heavy artillery for which the gun carriage enabled the gun to rotate backwards and down into a pit protected by a wall or a bunker after it was fired...
with a range of about 40000 yard.
It was named for Maj Benjamin H. Randolph (died 1907).
The museum's collection contains some World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
armor pieces, an AH-1 Cobra
AH-1 Cobra
The Bell AH-1 Cobra is a two-bladed, single engine attack helicopter manufactured by Bell Helicopter. It shares a common engine, transmission and rotor system with the older UH-1 Iroquois...
helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
, and small arms indoors, as well as the battery itself. The exhibits cover the history of US Army warfare in the Pacific hemisphere and admission is free.
It is located on Kalia Road, coordinates 21°16′44"N 157°50′1"W.
Another installation of two 6-inch guns was called Battery Dudley, named for Gen. Edgar S. Dudley (died 1911). The "Artillery District of Honolulu" (state historic site 80-13-1382) was added to the National Register of Historic Places listings in Oahu
National Register of Historic Places listings in Oahu
This is a list of properties and districts on the Hawaiian island of Oahu that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Oahu is the only major island in Honolulu County. The location of the city of Honolulu, Oahu is the most populous island in the state. There are 149 properties and...
on June 5, 1984.