Ralph J. Kauhane

Ralph John Kauhane was born in Lahaina, Maui. As a young man, he answered the call to serve his country during World War I by joining the United States Navy, where he held the position of Yeoman—a clerical and administrative role vital to naval operations.

Assigned to the U.S.S. Monterey, Kauhane served faithfully during a time when disease, as much as warfare, threatened the lives of servicemen. In early 1919, while still in service, he fell ill. After a week of sickness, he died on March 4, 1919, at the United States Naval Hospital at Pearl Harbor. The official cause of death was bronchopneumonia, with influenza listed as a contributing factor—a grim reflection of the global influenza pandemic that swept through military ranks even after the war had ended.

He was just 20 years, 10 months, and 26 days old.

Though his life ended shortly after the armistice was signed, Ralph Kauhane’s death was a direct consequence of his military service during the Great War. His sacrifice was recognized by his inclusion on the bronze Honor Roll outside the Waikīkī War Memorial Natatorium, where his name stands alongside those of others from Hawaiʻi who gave their lives in uniform.

In 1930, a gravestone was applied for under the name “R. J. Kauhane,” preserving his memory and marking his final resting place.