The collection includes 28 record center boxes, 9 document cases, 12 card files, and 15 oversize boxes (of various sizes) of materials related to life in Hawaii during the Second World War, the bulk of which were received between 1943 and 1953. These materials represent the portion of the Hawaii War Records Depository not previously cataloged at the item level in the existing Hawaii War Records Depository card catalog (not including newspapers, scrapbooks, microfilm, audiovisual materials, memorabilia, and oversize materials, which will be described in future finding aids). In this finding aid, the portion of the collection represented in the card catalog is referred to as the ORIGINAL SUBJECT FILES series. For more information on this portion of the collection, please contact an archivist at archives@hawaii.edu.

Since the majority of the materials in this series were collected through a large-scale effort to gather any and all materials related to Hawaii’s wartime experience from anyone willing to send material to the depository, no formal deeds of gift were signed by individual donors. The series was processed in 2009.

The original cataloging scheme established for the Hawaii War Records Depository consisted of 73 major headings, further subdivided by subheadings where necessary. In many cases, the subheadings represent the creating agencies of the documents in the collection. It can be reasonably assumed that, had the Hawaii War Records Depository continued to operate with a full staff, the materials in the UNCATALOGED SUBJECT FILES series would have been incorporated into the cataloged ORIGINAL SUBJECT FILES series, so subject headings have been assigned according to the subject headings from the ORIGINAL SUBJECT FILES series and used as subseries and sub-subseries titles (see Folder list). This series does not include all of the 73 subseries used in the ORIGINAL SUBJECT FILES series. Rather, it is composed of 45 subseries with more specific sub-subseries where necessary. Subject headings in the ORIGINAL SUBJECT FILES series were assigned numbers to facilitate searching for items in the card catalog. Since the UNCATALOGED SUBJECT FILES does not incorporate all of the subject headings used in the ORIGINAL SUBJECT FILES series, however, subseries and sub-subseries have not been given numbers that correspond with the headings in the ORIGINAL SUBJECT FILES series.

The papers have been organized into series, subseries, and sub-subseries (see Folder list). Subject headings have been assigned by archives staff to give this series a similar arrangement to the cataloged portion of the collection, but materials were not originally boxed or foldered according to subject heading. Due to the size of the series, folders have not been physically rearranged to reflect the new series arrangement, and subseries and sub-subseries are frequently spread among several boxes.

The materials in this series cover a wide range of subjects. Some subjects are represented more extensively than others. For a complete list of the subject headings used in the processing of this series, please see the series description below. For a more complete account of the materials, users should consult the series’ folder list. Related materials can be found in the ORIGINAL SUBJECT FILES series, using the same subject headings.

The material was largely in good condition. Many paper clips, staples, and rubber bands had caused minor damage and were removed, but (due to the size of the collection) not all staples and paper clips have been removed. Similarly, a portion of the newspaper clippings present in this series was photocopied for retention, but newsprint is still present in the series. Where possible, the presence of newsprint has been noted in the series’ folder list. When discovered, photographs were moved from this series to the AUDIOVISUAL MATERIALS series, and separation records were created. Select published materials from the series were transferred to the Hawaiian Collection in Hamilton Library at the University of Hawaii, but not all published materials have been removed. Most notably, the series still contains volumes of the federal hearings and investigation of the attack on Pearl Harbor from 1945 and 1946 as well as numerous hearings regarding statehood for Hawaii.

Occasionally, duplicate materials were sent to the Depository from different sources, and due to the size and breadth of the collection, no sustained effort has been made to remove such duplication. Duplicate copies of newspapers and form letters were discarded, but it is possible that further duplicates of these materials exist in other series of the collection, particularly the ORIGINAL SUBJECT FILES series.

All of the papers are open for research.

For other research related to Hawaii’s role in World War II and the war’s effect on the territory, please consult the University of Hawaii Library’s online catalog. See also the cataloged portion of the Hawaii War Records Depository, accessible via card catalog in the Moir Reading Room.