Honolulu’s forgotten WWII hero: the FBI man who defied Washington

Agent Shivers’ Stand Against Hawaiian Japanese American Internment

In 1939, FBI Agent Robert Shivers set up shop there with a tough job: check if Hawaii’s 160,000 Japanese Americans would stay loyal in war.

After Pearl Harbor, when Washington pushed to lock up all Japanese Americans on the mainland, Shivers pushed back.

“I cannot send someone like Sue to concentration camps,” he told his wife. Through trust-building and sheer guts, he cut the list from thousands to just 980 people.

The Dillingham Transportation Building hides a story of quiet heroism where Shivers saved lives still stands in downtown Honolulu today.

The FBI Man Who Landed in Hawaii with a Dangerous Mission

Bob Shivers got to Honolulu on August 23, 1939, to start the FBI office in the Dillingham Transportation Building on Bishop Street.

His job was to check if Hawaii’s 160,000 Japanese Americans would stay loyal to America if war broke out with Japan.

The FBI started small with just a typist and two agents working near Iolani Palace. Shivers set up in the beautiful Mediterranean-style building, which became the hub of his work.

A College Student Changed His Whole Perspective

Taking in Sue Isonaga, a University of Hawaii freshman, as a boarder changed everything for Shivers and his wife Corinne.

Their nightly talks about movies, family life, and American culture helped Shivers see that Japanese Americans like Sue felt deeply American.

He learned many barely spoke Japanese and saw America as their only true home. Sue became so close that the Shivers thought of her as their adopted daughter.

University Leader Showed Him Hawaii’s Cultural Reality

Charles Hemenway, a University of Hawaii Regent folks called the “father of the University,” taught Shivers about Hawaii’s mix of cultures.

He showed Shivers that building real relationships across communities worked better than just spying on people. This advice helped Shivers create a different approach than what the FBI usually used on the mainland.

Local Groups Became His Secret Weapon Against Paranoia

Shivers built two key groups to help his work: the mixed-race Council for Interracial Unity and the Japanese American Oahu Citizens Committee for Home Defense.

He worked closely with Chinese American YMCA leader Hung Wai Ching and teacher Shigeo Yoshida to reach community members.

These groups met quietly with local leaders throughout 1940 and 1941, staying mostly under the radar.

War Clouds Gathered Over Paradise in 1941

By summer 1941, intelligence agencies made “ABC lists” of Japanese residents who might pose risks.

Shivers teamed up with Colonel Bicknell from Army G-2 intelligence and Police Captain John Burns to plan how to handle potential threats.

The Council for Interracial Unity organized a patriotic rally at McKinley High School with 2,000 people showing their American loyalty.

Pearl Harbor Turned His World Upside Down

On the morning of December 7, 1941, Shivers got word of the attack while Sue and Corinne made breakfast for a planned meeting.

He told his wife to keep Sue close and sent them to safety before rushing to his office. Shivers left home and stayed away for ten days straight, working around the clock.

Quick Action Targeted Only Genuine Threats

Within hours of the bombs falling, Shivers led arrests with Army Intelligence and Police Captain John Burns.

The first arrests focused on consular agents, language school teachers, priests, and businessmen with clear ties to Japan.

Martial law put Shivers in charge of deciding who would go to camps. He cut phone lines to the Japanese Consulate and had Hawaiian police lock up the staff.

Washington Wanted Mass Arrests But Shivers Pushed Back

President Roosevelt and Navy Secretary Frank Knox pushed Hawaii officials to round up all Japanese Americans like they did on the West Coast.

Shivers personally checked out rumors of sabotage and found nothing, telling Washington there was no fifth column activity in Hawaii.

He cut potential arrest lists from thousands to fewer than 400 people, standing firm against federal demands.

His Moral Stand Saved Thousands From Camps

Shivers told his wife he couldn’t send Sue and hundreds like her to camps because it would ruin their lives.

General Emmons, convinced by Shivers’ reports, announced on December 21 that there would be no mass lockups in Hawaii.

This brave choice kept over 99% of the Japanese community in their homes while encouraging them to serve in the military.

Hawaii Proved Loyalty While the Mainland Panicked

By the time the war ended, only 980 out of 160,000 Japanese Americans in Hawaii faced camps, compared to 120,000 on the mainland.

Shivers confirmed there was no sabotage in Hawaii before, during, or after Pearl Harbor.

This decision allowed thousands of Japanese Americans from Hawaii to volunteer for the famous 442nd Regimental Combat Team.

His Work Cost Him His Life But Saved Thousands

Eleanor Roosevelt was so impressed with Shivers that she recommended him for appointment as Collector of Customs to continue promoting racial harmony in Hawaii.

The intense stress of wartime operations damaged his health, forcing him to retire in 1943. He died in 1950 at just 56 years old.

Sue Isonaga maintained her connection with the Shivers family throughout her life and still tends his grave today.

In 2016, the Society of Former Special Agents honored Shivers for saving thousands of innocent Americans from the trauma of internment.

Visiting Dillingham Transportation Building, Hawaii

The historic 1929 building at 735 Bishop Street in downtown Honolulu’s Financial District offers public access to its stunning Art Deco lobby where the former FBI office space where Robert Shivers conducted wartime investigations.

The ground floor arcade houses Ferguson’s Irish Pub, Honolulu Cafe, and other dining options, while Pacific Guardian Center manages courtyard spaces with free WiFi.

Visitors can admire the Italian Renaissance Revival architecture from street level and public areas, though upper floors remain restricted to professional offices.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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