Dearest Reader,

Schofield Barracks sits in the center of Oahu, inland from the coast. Established in 1908 and named for Lt. Gen John M Schofield, the post was deliberately placed away from the shoreline to function as a permanent U.S. Army installation. It was designed for training, housing and command and not for naval operations.

By 1941, Schofield Barracks had grown into the largest Army base in Hawaii and the headquarters of the Hawaiian Department of the U.S. Army. It housed tens of thousands of soldiers, maintained vast parade grounds and training areas. Schofield was like the Army’s backbone in the Pacific.

When Japan attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, the focus was on the Pacific Fleet and nearby airfields, including Hickam Field. Schofield Barracks was not a primary target. In the hours and days that followed, Schofield transformed from a training post into a center of rapid mobilization.