Navy Test Ground Returns to Hawaii
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Published: May 9, 1994
An island whose ancient shrines are viewed as sacred by native Hawaiians now officially belongs to the state after a half-century of being blasted by Navy guns and bombers.

Hawaii is "whole again," Gov. John Waihee 3d said on Saturday after Under Secretary of the Navy William J. Cassidy Jr. turned over control of the island, Kahoolawe, to the state. The Navy will continue to control access to the island until Nov. 11, 2003, or until all exploded bombs and shells are removed, whichever is first.

Mr. Cassidy said the island's role as a practice target had contributed to the nation's security, "but this is 1994 and times have changed."

Ancient Hawaiians established fishing shrines, agricultural shrines and major temples as well as housing sites on the island, west of Maui. Much later, the 45-square-mile island, which is mostly barren, was a penal colony and then a cattle ranch. The United States military began using the island as a target site in 1941 when martial law was declared in the territory after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.