In December 2024, a group of over two dozen volunteers took part in a remarkable effort to clean up 60-year-old missile debris from Kauai’s Niu Valley Ridge, an area deeply tied to the island’s history and culture. The debris in question came from a missile that crashed on a Kauai Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL) parcel during a military testing operation more than six decades ago. This operation, known as Operation Regulus, was a missile launch and guidance training program conducted by the Pacific Missile Range Facility Barking Sands (PMRF) between 1956 and 1964. During this operation, flight-test missiles were launched but remained unarmed.
The missile’s remnants were long-forgotten until 2022, when a DHHL lessee stumbled upon the debris while exploring the area. For years, the wreckage had been partially hidden beneath the hoofprints of a herd of feral goats that grazed in the region. Upon its discovery, the debris field was examined by the Kauai Police Department and Navy Security and Spill Prevention personnel. While the debris was not found to pose a threat to the environment, its long-term presence was still a concern, and action was needed to remove it.
In December 2024, a team of volunteers, supported by the U.S. Navy and local partners, set out to clear the debris. These volunteers made an arduous, nearly 24-mile trek atop the Niu Valley Ridge using all-terrain vehicles. They collected around 2,300 pounds of missile remnants, including metal fragments and other components, which were later airlifted out by Jack Harter Helicopters. The collected debris was transported to Resource Recovery Solutions in Lihue, where it was recycled.
For Thomas Nizo, this cleanup was more than just an obligation – it was personal. As the first Native Hawaiian to serve as the deputy public works and stewardship officer at the Pacific Missile Range Facility Barking Sands (PMRF), Nizo emphasized that his actions, as well as those of the volunteers, were guided by a commitment to “do what is pono” – the Hawaiian term for doing what is morally and culturally right. For him, removing the missile debris was an act of answering the land’s request to be honored, cared for, and restored.
As Kauai continues to grapple with the legacies of its past, this project serves as a reminder that even after decades, there is always an opportunity to right past mistakes and create a future where both the land and its people can thrive. For Thomas Nizo and his team, the cleanup of the missile debris wasn’t just a task – it was an ongoing journey to honor the spirit of the land, the culture, and the people of Kauai.
Credit: Department of Hawaiian Home Lands. Photos by MC1 Louis Lee/US Navy.
