Lualualei, Hawaii is the largest coastal valley on the leeward side of Oahu in Hawaii. It is located on the west side of the Waianae Range.
Etymology The name could mean either "beloved one spared", or more likely "flexible wreath", according to Hawaiian Language expert Mary Kawena Pukui.
Geography The town on the makai side of the valley (westward towards the ocean) is Māili.
United States Navy facilities
The valley hosts several government communication stations including USN VLF Lualualei and the USCG Communication Station Honolulu.Gregg K. Kakesako - Lualualei: The Navy owns more than 9,000 acres in the Waianae Valley. Its radio towers are a familiar sight, but more goes on beneath the earth Honolulu Star Bulletin. Monday, October 5, 1998 The Naval Magazine Lualualei also is located in the valley.Naval Magazine Lualualei, Waikele Branch, Tunnel Magazine Type, Waikakalaua & Kipapa Gulches, Pearl City, Honolulu County, HI Photos from Survey HABS HI-262 Library of Congress
The Waikele Gulch magazine was a 350-acre area where steep-banked ravines allowed tunnel construction with no two entrances facing. The construction was in response to the Commander-in-Chief of the Pacific Fleet directive to solve the problem of massive ordinance storage above ground with secure underground storage readily accessible for Pearl Harbor. Construction began in September 1942 with completion in December 1943. The completed facility had 120 tunnels 240 feet long serviced by 9 miles of railroad, 10 miles of paved road and the facilities for magazine operating personnel. On June 11, 1944 some 78 Torpex torpedo warheads exploded during transfer from a truck to a tunnel loading platform killing ten and injuring three.
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