Captain R. P. Harbold, an officer in the 25th Infantry, served as an Inspector-Instructor for the Hawaiian National Guard. He was stationed on Maui and provided critical assessments of the strain military mobilization could place on the island’s economy. In detailed reports, Harbold warned that removing a large portion of Maui’s able-bodied men—many of whom were already enrolled in the Guard—could disrupt plantation operations and community services. His recommendations helped guide federal and territorial decisions around the reorganization of the Guard to better match Hawaii’s unique needs.
Captain R. P. Harbold, an officer in the 25th Infantry, served as an Inspector-Instructor for the Hawaiian National Guard. He was stationed on Maui and provided critical assessments of the strain military mobilization could place on the island’s economy. In detailed reports, Harbold warned that removing a large portion of Maui’s able-bodied men—many of whom were already enrolled in the Guard—could disrupt plantation operations and community services. His recommendations helped guide federal and territorial decisions around the reorganization of the Guard to better match Hawaii’s unique needs.
