If you ever visited or lived in Aliamanu Military Reservation (AMR), you may be aware of the bunkers and tunnels situated all around the rim’s loop. Have you ever wondered what those tunnels were for, and what was in them?
In spring of 1994, I went “hiking” around the rim of AMR with my dad and brother to explore those tunnels. Doing so is completely forbidden and prohibited, but I think I remember the “No Entry Allowed” sign being missing or broken on the day we went hiking.
Anyway, I looked into what was in all those tunnels and bunkers. Here’s the scoop!
Do You Know the Area I’m Talking About?
In the Google Maps photo above, I drew a black line where I remember some of those bunkers being. I used to gaze out of the car window on our way back home to catch a glimpse of those mysterious bunkers.
My family lived on the far east side of the crater, somewhere near Okamura Street and Rim Loop (it used to be Acacia Place, but it’s all different now). When you enter the crater from the east side near Kaiser Permanente and take Aliamanu Drive, you can see an unmarked road that forks to the right, which leads to many of the bunkers. You can also see those bunkers if you glance up there while driving on Rim Loop.
Some Fun Facts About the AMR Bunkers
In the 1920s, decades before AMR became military housing, it was an ammunition storage depot. The entire open, flat floor of the crater served as the depot. Can you believe it? You could fly over the crater in an airplane or helicopter to check out the military’s ammunition collection.
In 1931, the military decided to drill several horizontal tunnels into the sides of the crater to provide safer and more secure storage for its ammunition and dynamite. The initial plans included nine tunnels—all of which were placed on the northeast part of the rim. Another report says eight tunnels were created in AMR in 1934, and 35 magazines were completed by 1937. There was also a bombproof guard house on site.
During the early 1950s, all the ammunition in AMR was moved to Lualualei Naval Magazine on the west side of Oahu. The majority of those tunnels were permanently sealed and welded shut in the 1990s. That’s true, because that’s how many of them were when I last saw them in 1994.
Some other fun facts I learned about the crater:
- There were 3 pre-WWII-era fire-control stations located on the rim of the crater.
- There are at least 2 underground command post bunkers: the Hawaiian Department Command Post and the Joint Army-Navy Command Post. There is no public access to these underground tunnels.
- The crater still houses more than 150 WWII-era ammunition and storage bunkers.
What We Saw On Our Hike
The hike was my dad’s idea, and he bought an Indiana Jones hat for the occasion. That morning, we left home and headed toward the roped-off access road in the northeast part of the crater.
Most of the tunnels on that access road were definitely sealed permanently. We could see where people had tried using crowbars and other tools to pry open the doors, without success.
A few of the bunkers were completely open, but of course those were empty. We walked inside with flashlights and the tunnels went so far back you couldn’t see anything but pure black and darkness. We didn’t want to venture too far inside.
In the end, it really wasn’t as exciting as we hoped it’d be. That access road eventually came to a dead end and we had to make our way through some sharp, dangerous-looking brush to get back down the hill by the rec center. We ended up with a few cuts and scrapes when all was said and done, but nothing too serious.
What’s in Those Tunnels Today?
Absolutely nothing, as far we know. Everything was moved out of those tunnels by 1975.
What’s in the Underground AMR Bunkers?
While doing my research for this post, I came across this amazing story shared by someone who ventured down into one of the AMR bunkers back in 1998. The map below shows the group’s trek from Aliamanu Drive to the location of the bunker off Olive Place.
One of the adventurers took some great photos of the inside of the bunker. You can see maps on the wall and the general’s quarters. There are also soundproof rooms down there and one long tunnel at least a quarter-mile long with nothing but bunk beds along the wall. It’s crazy to imagine we may have been living directly above some parts of these bunkers the whole time!
Military Artifacts Scattered Around the Rim
When I lived in the crater, which was from 1991 to 1994, one of my classmates explored the rim regularly with friends. She said she had found pieces of old military uniforms and glass Coca-Cola bottles from the 1920s and 30s.
Another kid in the neighborhood found a mysterious box around that time, which was rumored to be a bomb or warhead. Apparently, this kid and his friends tried busting it open with a hammer, not knowing what it was, until a neighbor or parent called the MPs to come and take it away. This particular story is a lot more credible now, especially knowing AMR was once an ammunition storage depot.
What rumors have you heard about the tunnels and bunkers in AMR? Did you ever find anything or go exploring? Please comment here or reach out to me. I’d love to hear about it.
Additional Sources
- https://www.publications.usace.army.mil/Portals/76/Publications/EngineerPamphlets/EP_870-1-51.pdf
- https://aec.army.mil/Portals/115/PFAS/AMR_PFAS_PASI.pdf
Last Updated on November 7, 2025 by Sarah
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