Wheeler Army Airfield

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Wheeler Army Airfield
IATA: HHI – ICAO: PHHI
Summary
Airport type Military
Operator United States Army
Location Wahiawa, Hawaii
Elevation AMSL 837 ft / 255 m
Coordinates 21°29′05″N 158°02′23″W / 21.48472, -158.03972
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
6/24 5,604 1,708 Asphalt

Wheeler Army Airfield (IATA: HHI, ICAO: PHHI), formerly Wheeler Air Force Base, is a United States Army post located in the City & County of Honolulu and in the Wahiawa District of the Island of O'ahu, Hawaii. It is a National Historic Landmark. Wheeler is directly adjacent to Schofield Barracks across Kunia Road and to Wahiawā on the central plateau of the Island of O'ahu. The U.S. postal code for Wheeler Army Airfield is 96786.

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[edit] History

Soldiers from Schofield Barracks began clearing earth to make an aircraft landing strip in February 1922. On Nov. 11 of that year, the resulting airfield was named in honor of Major Sheldon H. Wheeler, former commander of Luke Field on Ford Island. Wheeler Field was the site of several major historic aviation events prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941, including the first nonstop Mainland-Hawai'i flight in 1927; the great Dole Air Race from California to Hawai'i; the first trans-Pacific flight from the U.S. to Australia in 1928, and the first Hawai'i-to-Mainland solo flight in 1935 by Amelia Earhart. Ms. Earhart visited Wheeler Field in 1935 in her Lockheed Vega and in 1937 in her Lockheed Model 10 Electra. Kingsford Smith, in his plane, the Southern Cross, also used the airfield on his historic flights across the Pacific.

Wheeler Army Airfield is the site of first attack on 7 December, 1941. The Japanese attacked the airfield to prevent the numerous planes there from getting airborne and engaging them. The installation has a National Historic Landmark District in association with the attack on 7 December, 1941.

Wheeler Army Airfield was constructed in the pattern of the Garden City. These type of neighborhoods are the inspiration of Sir Ebeneezer Howard of England, who designed these type neighborhoods in re-action to the industrial company towns that had blighted his nation. The neighborhoods are designed in loops with ample green spaces that were to be shared in common among the residents. The homes within the loops are of the Spanish Colonial Revival style that was flourishing in the 1920s and 1930s.

Today, Wheeler Army Airfield comprises approximately 1,389 acres (5.6 km²) of land returned to the Department of the Army on Nov. 1, 1991. As of the 2000 Census, the base had a total population of 2,829 military personnel and families.

[edit] Geography

Wheeler AAF is located at 21°28'56" North, 158°2'24" West (21.482216, -158.039959)[1]. The Wheeler Main Gate is located on Kamehameha Highway (State Rte 99) running north to Wahiawā (becoming State Rte. 80) and connecting westward to Wilikina Road (State Rte. 99) and Schofield Barracks. Proceeding south on Kamehameha Hwy. provides access to Interstate H-2 and Milillani Town. The Wheeler Kunia Gate is off Kunia Road directly across from the Schofield Lyman Gate. Kunia Road (State Rte. 750) continues south to Kunia, and eventually Waipahu.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the base has a total area of 5.9 km² (2.3 mi²). 5.9 km² (2.3 mi²) of it is land and none of it is covered by water.

[edit] Demographics

As of the 2000 Census, there were 2,829 people, 739 households, and 724 families residing on the base. The population density was 477.0/km² (1,235.6/mi²). There were 855 housing units at an average density of 144.2/km² (373.4/mi²). The racial makeup of the base was 57.02% White, 21.60% African American, 1.10% Native American, 3.99% Asian, 1.87% Pacific Islander, 6.33% from other races, and 8.09% from two or more races. 13.15% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There are 739 households out of which 77.9% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 89.7% are married couples living together, 6.4% have a female householder with no husband present, and 2.0% are non-families. 1.9% of all households are made up of individuals and 0.0% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 3.36 and the average family size is 3.38.

In the base the population is spread out with 36.8% under the age of 18, 20.9% from 18 to 24, 40.9% from 25 to 44, 1.3% from 45 to 64, and 0.1% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 23 years. For every 100 females there are 119.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 127.8 males.

The median income for a household in the post is $32,485, and the median income for a family is $32,264. Males have a median income of $22,961 versus $22,151 for females. The per capita income for the post is $12,364. 7.9% of the population and 5.9% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 9.9% of those under the age of 18 and 0.0% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

[edit] References

  1. ^ US Gazetteer files: 2000 and 1990. United States Census Bureau (2005-05-03). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.

[edit] External links