Session 9

Early Warnings: Radar Contact at Opana

The mystery of radar in Hawaii and its story on December 7, 1941 was vividly recounted by Dr. Harry Butowsky. Dr. Butowsky was instrumental in establishing the Opana Radar Site as a National Historic Landmark. He was complemented by Kermit Tyler who was a young lieutenant from Wheeler Field who happened to be assigned to the information center at Fort Shafter on that fateful morning. Mr Tyler provided his interpretation of those events and talked about the controversy that still surrounds that moment.

 

Speakers: Dr. Harry Butowsky, National Park Service Historian - As an historian for the National Park Service in Washington DC, Dr. Butowsky headed up the program for National Historic Landmarks and was instrumental in conferring that designation to the Opana Radar Site. Harry teaches at george Mason University and is the author of numerous publications including An American family in World War II.

Kermit Tyler- Kermit Tyler had a long and distinguished career in aviation for the US Army before retiring as a Lt. Col. At the time of the Pearl Harbor attack, then Lt. Tyler was assigned to the information center at Fort Shafter. It was on his watch that the radar station at Opana notified him of unidentified planes coming in from the north towards Oahu.

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