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Tom Briggs | all galleries >> Galleries >> Potpourri (Places) > Waikiki Beach and Diamond Head ... 1966
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1966 Tom Briggs

Waikiki Beach and Diamond Head ... 1966

Hawaii

A Sunday afternoon in March 1966 ... not quite as crowded as today. This was taken during a 4-hour stop in Honolulu on our way to Vietnam ...
For those of you wondering what that expanse of vacant white sand is, let me clarify. The photo was taken from a room in the Hilton ... the beach below is the Hilton's beach. The next beach over (the empty one) is Fort DeRussey, an active military installation to this day. The building you see at the end of that beach is The Reef hotel.
In the intervening years, the US Army has built a high-rise beachfront resort hotel on Fort DeRussey for use by all active duty and retired military personnel.


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Patricia Oswald-Hamil 24-Jan-2015 06:42
In February 1966 at the age of 21 my best friend and I moved to Honolulu and lived 2 blocks from Waikiki. Within a couple weeks we were regular guests at Ft. DeRussey every Sunday afternoon. We would swim out to the barges you see in the distance and lay there for hours. In the evening there was a band and we would dance till midnight. Fort DeRussey was the landing point for Army personnel for 5 days R&R before they returned to Viet Nam. It was a time of bittersweet memories as it made the war very real. I spent several years there then moved to Portland. I have never been able to bring myself to go back as I wanted to remember it exactly like in was in the late 60's. Thank you for helping me relive that memory. Your beautiful photo is exactly how it looked and what I remember. I would love to know how to buy a copy.
Long Bach Nguyen19-May-2010 01:38
excellent view and composition
Milan Vogrin25-Jul-2009 21:53
Very nice view!
Dan Greenberg23-Jul-2009 05:38
Hey Tom - spectacular shot of this. Perfectly exposed. It really brings back memories. My first luau ever was on that same deserted beach at Fort DeRussey in 1982 with 2 different Army guys I met while visiting the Arizona memorial. It wasn't empty then. ~V~
Carol Rollins18-Apr-2009 14:22
This is an amazing shot Tom! Wonderful information too. ~
I bet this view has changed tremendously since 1966.
bill friedlander18-Apr-2009 00:53
Great POV of this lovely beach. Looks like the perfect spot for basking in the sun. V
Jim Coffman17-Apr-2009 16:52
This is a awesome view,Tom! V
Michal Leszczynski17-Apr-2009 14:45
Beautiful view on Waikiki Beach, ocean, these hills in distance and these palms below, very good composition and point of view, beautiful photo, very well done. V.
Dave Hein17-Apr-2009 12:40
That's a priceless shot, Tom! I was just over there a few weeks ago and I don't think a single one of those coconut trees is still out there.
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