Punchbowl National Cemetery

The Punchbowl National Cemetery is located in the Pu'owaina Crater known as the Punchbowl. In ancient times Punchbowl Crater was known as the "Hill of Sacrifice". So today the Punchbowl National Memorial Cemetery is to honor the sacrifice made by the men and women in the United States Armed Services. On September 2, 1949, 776 casualties from the attack on Pearl Harbor Memorial were among the first to be buried here.

The Honolulu Memorial was erected by the American Battle Monuments and commissioned in 1964 and dedicated in 1966. It was erected to honor sacrifices and achievement of American Armed Forces in the Pacific during WWII, Korea, and Vietnam.

Punchbowl National Cemetery sits high on the wall of the crater overlooking the graves area of the Punchbowl cemetery. There is a chapel, two map galleries, a monumental staircase which leads from the crater floor to the Court of Honor. Lady Columbia symbolizes grieving mothers and looks out on Punchbowl cemetery that fills the 116-acre Punchbowl Crater. The view from the Punchbowl Crater includes the city of Honolulu from Waikiki and Diamond Head to Pearl Harbor.

Facts & Trivia

• In ancient times Punchbowl Crater was known as the "Hill of Sacrifice"
• 776 casualties from the attack on Pearl Harbor Memorial were among the first to be buried here in 1949
• Overlooks Honolulu, Waikiki and Diamond Head