III. Forestry and Army Cooperation (1931-1932)
On 24 October 1930 Major General Briant H. Wells arrived on O`ahu to take command of the Hawaiian Division at Schofield Barracks. Wells was a hard charging, no nonsense soldier and an enthusiastic hiker. He strongly believed that an enemy invading O`ahu would attack across the Ko`olau or Wai`anae Ranges, rather than through Honolulu or Hale`iwa, as envisioned in the Army’s War Plan Orange. Wells and his staff set out to explore the various routes over and along the two mountain ranges.
On 19 January General Wells met Forester Judd at Schofield Barracks. Judd advised the general on tree removal and planting for the post. Wells agreed to provide soldiers to reclear the Pe`ahinai`a Trail. Over subsequent meetings, usually on foot or on horseback the two men developed a close working relationship and became good friends.
In early 1931 General Wells formed the Piko Club, an informal hiking group for Army officers, their families, and friends. Wells was President, Judd was Chief Guide, and a staff officer, Major Charles W. Thomas, Jr. was Chief Scout. The club’s Sunday outings emphasized summit hiking and included the Makua-Mokule`ia, Schofield-Waikane, Castle, Malaekahana, and Pupukea-Kahuku Trails, the latter recently regraded by the 27th Infantry to allow passage of machine gun carts.
The club took its name from a humorous Hawaiian greeting. During a hike the leaders periodically yelled, Pehea kou piko? (How's your navel?). Those in the rear answered, Maika`i no! (fine!). After lunch or during coffee and smoke breaks the hikers sometimes sang the Piko Club song, which featured the greeting and response. The club membership card showed a leaping hiker and a small white dog, Judd’s constant trail companion. Judd always hiked in shorts and smeared his legs with Vaseline to ward off scratchy lantana shrubs and uluhe ferns. Wells usually wore a large silk kerchief tied around his neck and secured with a kukui nut slide.
The friendship of Judd and Wells yielded benefits to both Forestry and the Army. Forestry rangers developed trail maps for Army division officers and included them on inspection hikes in the forest reserves. In turn, the Army helped clear trail and build cabins in the fight against wild pigs.
On 14 November 1932 Forestry personnel delivered three bundles wrapped in burlap to the Army bomber hangar at Luke Field. Inside the bundles were redwood frames, and tin roof and siding for a 10 by 10 foot cabin to be dropped at the head of Kaipapa`u Stream near the Ko`olau summit. On 16 November Judd, Assistant Forester Russ and Ranger Landgraf hiked up the Castle Trail to the cabin site, cleared it, and set up a 6 by 20 foot white cloth as target for the bombers. That evening a severe Kona storm came in and dumped 8 inches of rain on the summit. Despite the storm the group spent a “fairly comfortable” night in their tent. The next morning heavy clouds draped the summit, keeping the bombers on the ground.
On 21 November 1932 the clouds lifted briefly, allowing a bomber to drop one bundle. It landed within 75 feet of the target, but unfortunately hit a rock bank. The tin sections survived the impact, but the redwood beams shattered. On the afternoon of 29 November the bombers dropped the remaining two bundles on target and in good condition. On 23 December Forestry crews finished building the cabin to be used by pig hunters. The Army assistance had saved the crews many hours packing the material up the Castle Trail.
(to be continued)
Next: Judd Goes to Washington (1933)
References
Judd, Charles S. “Annual Report of the Territorial Forester, 1931.” The Hawaiian Forester and Agriculturist, xxvii (3), July-September 1931.
Judd, Charles S. Daily Journal, 1931 and 1932.
Judd, Charles S. “Routine Reports of the Territorial Forester, April and June 1932.” The Hawaiian Forester and Agriculturist, xxix (3), July-September 1932.
Judd, Charles S. “Routine Report of the Territorial Forester, November 1932.” The Hawaiian Forester and Agriculturist, xxix (4), October-December 1932.
Nielson, Joseph. Interview 2/11/00.
Wells, Colonel (Ret) Thomas J. Interview 2/14/00.
Author: Stuart Ball <lmasu@hgea.org>
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