Hawaii
At 104, a respected Pearl Harbor veteran returns to Hawaii for a somber anniversary
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – A respected war veteran and Pearl Harbor survivor is back in Hawaii.
104-year-old Ira ‘Ike’ Schab Jr. of Portland touched down in Honolulu Tuesday ahead of the 83rd commemoration the attack on Pearl Harbor. He’s one of the few remaining survivors of that day, and the only one left from the USS Dobbin.
His flight was met with a water cannon salute, and at the gate, sounds of the Navy’s U.S. Pacific Fleet Band filled the air.
“What do you remember from that day?” he was asked.
“Oh, being scared, more than anything else,” he replied. “Wondering about my brothers. Where they were.”
As a musician in the Navy band, Schab was starting a seemingly quiet day when the attack in 1941 began. He quickly sprung into action, feeding ammunition to the gunners.
All these years later, he’s back in the islands to commemorate the solemn anniversary, and the lives of those lost.
“I’m one of the very few left — and they deserve to be recognized and honored,” he added.
For many years, Ike’s family said he didn’t want to return to the islands because the memories of the attack were just too painful.
“It was an embarrassment for a long time,” Ike said about the attack. His son Karl Schab added, “In the time, it was kind of a shock the United States that we were attacked and so the embarrassment was real. And then when I was stationed here, I said, ‘Hey dad, come out and visit.’ He said, ‘No I really don’t have any desire to relive that.’”
However, several years ago during the 75th anniversary, he changed his mind after seeing how few survivors remained.
”He said, ‘As long as I’m able to make the trip, I want to make the trip for the people that can’t make the trip,’” Karl said.
He’s since returned to Pearl Harbor annually. Joining him from Portland this year are 14 of his family members and caregivers.
“It’s a real chicken-skin moment. It’s tearful, it’s so special and meaningful to be a part of that,” John Kim, president of Hawaiian Airlines’ Veterans Employee Network, said.
“It’s important for us as Americans to recognize service men and women like Ike because they helped to shape the foundation of our country and allows us to be free,” Kim added.
The cost to get him to the islands and ensure care is available around the clock is steep, and family members have set up a GoFundMe to help pay for various expenses. It has already raised more than $4,300.
As Ike reflects on the past, his service is celebrated, and the memory of his fellow sailors lives on.
“What do you want your legacy to be remembered by?” he was asked. “That I remembered them. This is a second home,” he said.
Copyright 2024 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.
Gov. Josh Green today issued a statement regarding a federal lawsuit challenging the eligibility requirements within the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act.
“The Hawaiian Homes Commission Act was established to address the historic dispossession of Native Hawaiians and reflects a longstanding commitment to them by both the federal government and the state of Hawaiʻi,” said Green.
“This lawsuit threatens that commitment. I have directed the Department of the Attorney General to vigorously defend the Hawaiian Homes program. We will fight this lawsuit with everything we have,” he said.
The lawsuit was filed by Eric Ryan, an Oʻahu resident who is not Native Hawaiian and tried to apply for a lease, but was denied due to the 50% Native Hawaiian blood quantum requirement, according to Hawaiʻi News Now and court documents published at Courthouse News Service.
The Class Action Complaint argues that the “explicitly ancestry-based requirement” establishes a “permanent government mandate for state officials to engage in outright racial discrimination, perpetuates stereotypes, and limits housing opportunities for most Hawai‘i residents. The blood-quantum requirement thus violates the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment and the Due Process Clause of the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution,” the complaint alleges.
Green said the administration “stands firmly with the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands and the thousands of Native Hawaiian beneficiaries who rely on this program and its promise for future generations.”
Attorney General Anne Lopez also issued a statement saying the state of Hawaiʻi has both a legal and moral obligation to uphold the commitments embodied in the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act.
“This lawsuit seeks to dismantle a program that has provided opportunities, stability and hope to generations of Native Hawaiian beneficiaries,” said Lopez.
Solicitor General Kalikoʻonālani Fernandes, who has extensive experience handling complex constitutional litigation on behalf of the state, will lead the legal team in defending the state against the challenge.
“We are prepared to vigorously defend the Hawaiian Homes program and the promises it represents,” said Lopez.
Under the Green administration, the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands has accelerated the delivery of homestead opportunities and expanded pathways to homeownership for Native Hawaiian beneficiaries.
In 2025 alone, DHHL offered more than 2,500 lease awards and continues to advance major housing projects, including Hale Mōʻiliʻili on Oʻahu, which will provide 278 affordable rental units for beneficiaries.
“These efforts reflect the administration’s commitment to reducing wait times, strengthening Native Hawaiian communities and fulfilling the promise of the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act,” according to the governor’s announcement.
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Concrete fell from the exterior of an Ala Moana Center parking structure Monday afternoon near the Kapiolani Boulevard exit, damaging a vehicle.
No injuries were reported.
Security blocked an exit lane as debris scattered across the roadway. Ala Moana Center said they are grateful no one was hurt, and the lane will remain closed while structural engineers and construction professionals assess the damage and make repairs.
Copyright 2026 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.
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