Airport to be Dedicated to John Rodgers

Planes, Carrier Pigeons to Take Part; Tablet Will be Unveiled

Honolulu Star Bulletin
March 21, 1927

Flight of army and navy airplanes, the careering of carrier pigeons, addresses and the unveiling of a tablet will mark the services this afternoon dedicating the John Rodgers airport, near Moanalua Gardens.

The program will begin at 1:30 o’clock when Governor Farrington will officially receive the visitors, and from 1:30 to 2 o’clock army and navy airplanes will do formation flying.

Clarence H. Cooke, of the Honolulu chapter of the National Aeronautic association, will then give the toast of the occasion, followed by prayer by a chaplain.

A. P. Warner, assistant secretary of the navy, who has come to Hawaii especially for the dedication, will give the main address and dedicate the port in honor of the late John Rodgers.

A beautiful fine-grained Hawaiian stone containing an inscription tablet, will be unveiled by Mrs. Farrington following the address.  Simultaneously with the unveiling, Peter McComb, son of the commanding officer of the navy air station at Pearl Harbor, will release the carrier pigeons, which will bear messages announcing the opening of the field to Luke and Wheeler fields.  The carrier pigeons event is copied from the precedent set during the dedication of Muftin field in Philadelphia.  The program will close with more formation flying by the army and navy planes.

Flags and signs will designate the route from the Puuloa turnout at Moanalua Gardens to the airport.  There will be ample parking spaces beyond the speaker’s stand for all automobiles. Motorists are requested not to drive or park on the landing field area which has been marked by red flags and white flags.