Policy ends enhancement of Punchbowl inscriptions

Question: I have several close relatives buried at Punchbowl, including my brother. It’s now been more than a year since we placed his urn in a niche, and we are still waiting for his engraved name to be inked in so that we can find his burial site and see his name. I complained to the director of the cemetery in July, and he assured me that every niche that wasn’t marked would be marked but that they had run out of money. I said that every plaque there should be inked, otherwise it’s not fair to all the veterans buried there. When will this be done, not only for my brother, but for everyone else there?

Answer: There are no plans to add Lithochrome (ink/paint) on niche covers, based on a new national policy that took effect last year.

James Horton, director of the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Punchbowl, said he did not say the issue was a lack of funding, but was checking with national officials about an exception to the policy.

"Money or a lack thereof has never been the reason," he said. The issue is simply "the propensity for the Lithochrome to fade over time and, in the long run, detracting from the look of the markers and the cemetery."

In fact, it was about a year ago — bit.ly/1ukqLNr — that Punchbowl spokeswoman Nadine Siak told Kokua Line about the policy to stop using Lithochrome in new veterans’ cemeteries or new sections of established cemeteries. The inconsistent look of fading Lithochrome was said to visibly detract from the "shrinelike appearance" sought to honor the nation’s veterans.

"The policy is meant to result in a uniform appearance within all national cemeteries," Horton said. "Ultimately, the Lithochrome-free policy will further our mission of maintaining national cemeteries as national shrines, sacred to the honor and memory of those interred or memorialized there."

Older niche markers with Lithochrome will be allowed to fade away naturally, and over time the difference in appearance will become negligible, Horton said. "While I sympathize with the comments on readability being easier with Lithochrome than without, the decision has been made for long-term appearance of the cemetery to discontinue the use of Lithochrome."

Defective Markers

While visiting the niches at Punchbowl, we noticed several markers with notes stuck to them saying they would be replaced because of defects.

The problem, Horton said, was that the contractor responsible for engraving the markers "has not been meeting the depth of inscription requirements set out in the contract. If the letters are too shallow, it makes them hard to read and will wear much quicker."

He said this not only makes the issue of no Lithochrome "even more pronounced, but, more importantly, makes it more difficult for visitors to find a specific marker."

The contractor has sole responsibility to redo the markers as specified in the contract at no cost to the government, Horton said.

Marker engraving varies by contract but generally costs about $150, he said.

Mahalo

To my fellow residents in Kaneohe. We had a blackout back in June, and traffic was jammed, bumper to bumper. But people were really nice and let you cut in as necessary or change lanes. And everyone waved the shaka sign. I just wanted to say I’m really glad to live in Kaneohe and am so proud of the people here. — Helen K.

Write to “Kokua Line” at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu 96813; call 529-4773; fax 529-4750; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.