500 Leis from Hawaii Hail Returning 442nd Heros

Five hundred fresh flower leis, including 100 orchid leis, will be presented to the men of the 442nd as gifts from the school children of Hawaii. This was revealed by Mrs. Ellen O'Brien editor of “Paradise of the Pacific,” a Hawaiian publication, and wife of James A. O'Brien, public relations director of the Territorial Council on Veterans Affairs, who has in making the arrangements for the presentation of the leis. These arrangements have now been officially designated “Operations Aloha.”

According to a late communication received from O'Brien in Honolulu, “the school children of Hawaii will provide leis for their big brothers and fathers who are returning home from the wars.” Although Dr. Miles Carey, principal of famed McKinley High School, has assured O'Brien that the students of McKinley High School alone can supply 1000 leis “at any hour you want to name,” the leis were made by school children throughout the Territory of Hawaii. The orchid leis are coming from Hilo, Hawaii, while strands of mokihana, a fragrant vine used in leis, are coming from the island of Kauai.

On Monday the Army Transport Command is flying the leis from Honolulu to San Francisco on the first lap of “Operations Aloha.” From the Bay City they will be flown into New York by a C-47 plane. The leis have been consigned to the Weekender.

Fresh flower leis, symbolic of the gay, friendly Aloha spirit of the islands, are made from various tropical flowers, among the most popular being pikake blossoms, gardenia, Akulekule or ice flowers.

It is tentatively planned to make the lei presentations at the dance scheduled for the evening of July 3.