Robert K. U. Kihune

Robert Kalani Uichi Kihune (born 15 June 1937) is a retired United States Navy vice admiral. He served as commanding officer of the Naval Education and Training Command from 1992 to 1994. Kihune earlier served as commander, Naval Surface Force Pacific from 1988 to 1990.[1][2] He was the Navy's first native Hawaiian vice admiral.[3]

Robert K. U. Kihune
Born (1937-06-15) 15 June 1937
Lahaina, Hawaii, U.S.
Allegiance United States of America
Service/branch United States Navy
Years of service1959–1994
Rank Vice Admiral
Commands held
Battles/warsVietnam War
Awards
Alma mater
Spouse(s)
Hope P. Zablan
​
(m. 1961)​

Early life and education

Born in Lāhainā, Maui and raised in Kāneʻohe, Oʻahu, Kihune is a 1955 graduate of Kamehameha Schools Kapālama High School. Appointed to the United States Naval Academy, he graduated in June 1959 with a B.S. degree in marine engineering. Kihune later earned a second B.S. degree in communications engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School in May 1965. He attended the Naval War College in August 1977.[1][4][5][6][7][8]

Military career
Kihune with Jamshaid A. Marker, Pakistani Ambassador to the United States on 8 February 1989.

A career surface warfare officer, Kihune commanded the guided missile destroyer USS Cochrane. Deployed to Southeast Asia, he conducted nightly attacks on North Vietnam while successfully avoiding any damage from enemy fire.[1][3] Promoted to captain, he assumed command of Destroyer Squadron 35 in July 1980 and then became chief of staff to the commander, Naval Surface Force Pacific in August 1982.[1][8]

As a commodore, Kihune served as director of Command, Control and Communication Systems for the United States European Command in Stuttgart, West Germany. In this position, Kihune provided support during the capture of terrorists of the Achille Lauro hijacking.[9] Promoted to rear admiral, he was given command of Cruiser Destroyer Group 5 in September 1986.[1][8]

On August 27, 1988,[10] Kihune assumed command of the Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet. In January 1991, he became Assistant Chief of Naval Operations for Surface Warfare. In August 1992, Kihune became director of Naval Training and Doctrine and chief of Naval Education and Training.[1] In 1993, while serving in this capacity, Kihune was involved in a congressional dispute regarding the Navy's Undergraduate Helicopter Pilot Training (UHPT) program, where he was accused of leaking the Navy's position of retaining the program by lawmakers to delay its consolidation with the Army's equivalent, defying the wishes of Secretary of Defense Les Aspin.[11]

Post-retirement

In 1999, Kihune was appointed chair of the board of trustees of the Hawaiian private school system Kamehameha Schools, where he was praised for his participatory style of leadership.[12] He also serves as a member of several non-profit boards, including the USS Missouri Memorial Foundation since 1998.[13][14][15] Kihune was appointed as vice president and member of the board of directors of Hawaiian telecommunications firm Sandwich Isles Communications in the 2000s, and became CEO in 2012 after his predecessor, Albert Hee (brother of state senator Clayton Hee), was indicted for tax fraud.[16][17][18][19] As CEO, Kihune gave testimony in support of HB2325, a state bill intended to expand Hawaii's broadband infrastructure.[20]

Personal life

Kihune married Hope Puanani Zablan. They have three children.[1][8]

Awards and decorations
Gold star
Surface Warfare Officer Pin
Navy Distinguished Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal Legion of Merit with two award stars and Combat "V" Meritorious Service Medal
Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal Navy Combat Action Ribbon Navy Unit Commendation with award star
Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation National Defense Service Medal Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Vietnam Service Medal with three bronze service stars Navy Sea Service Deployment Ribbon Navy and Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon with bronze service star
RVN Navy Distinguished Service Order RVN Campaign Medal with 1960- device Navy Pistol Marksmanship Ribbon[21]

References
  1. "Vice Admiral Robert K. U. Kihune". Naval Postgraduate School Graduation Exercises (PDF). Monterey, California: Naval Postgraduate School. 16 December 1993. Retrieved 21 February 2022.
  2. "Midshipmen of the Fourth Class". Annual Register of the United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office. 1955. p. 115. Retrieved 21 February 2022.
  3. Desselle, John R. (2 May 2016). "Celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islanders in Naval History". CHIPS. Retrieved 21 February 2022.
  4. Lucky Bag. Annapolis, Maryland: U.S. Naval Academy. 1959. p. 328. Retrieved 21 February 2022.
  5. "Alumni veterans return to Kapālama". Kamehameha Schools. 9 November 2017. Retrieved 21 February 2022.
  6. Adamski, Mary (4 November 2000). "Trustees plan to expand programs, reach more kids, work with others". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. Retrieved 21 February 2022.
  7. "Bachelor of Science in Communications Engineering". Naval Postgraduate School Commencement Exercises (PDF). Monterey, California: Naval Postgraduate School. 28 May 1965. Retrieved 21 February 2022.
  8. "Vice Admiral Robert K. U. Kihune, U. S. Navy". Department of Defense Appropriations for 1992: Hearings before a Subcommittee of the Committee on Appropriations, House of Representatives, One Hundred Second Congress, First Session. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office. 1991. p. 335. ISBN 978-0160356698. Retrieved 21 February 2022.
  9. Naval Surface Forces [@SurfaceWarriors] (26 May 2020). "Today we honor VADM Robert Kihune this @AAPIHistory Month" (Tweet). Retrieved 20 February 2022 – via Twitter.
  10. "Ho'okele Magazine - dated May 20, 2019" (PDF). Commander, Navy Installations Command. 20 May 2019. p. 8-9. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
  11. Glashow, Jason (1993). "Army Rejects Navy Bid to Delay Consolidation of Helicopter Training". Inside the Army. Inside Washington Publishers. 5 (37): 1–8. JSTOR 43975467. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
  12. Higa, Sterling (23 September 2021). "How 4 Hawai'i CEOs Make Decisions". Retrieved 22 February 2022.
  13. "Robert Kihune". Walker's Research.
  14. Gillingham, Paula (29 March 1998). "Missouri vets invited to anniversary celebration". www.bizjournals.com. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
  15. "Our Original Supporters". Retrieved 22 February 2022.
  16. Cooke, Sophie (29 May 2013). "Feds Crack Down On Telecom Company Serving Native Hawaiians". Honolulu Civil Beat. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
  17. Daysog, Rick (20 September 2014). "EXCLUSIVE: Telecom exec faces tax charge". Hawaii News Now.
  18. Walden, Andrew (13 July 2015). "Sandwich Isles Communications: Political Connections Pay Off". Hawaii Free Press. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
  19. "Hawaii Businessman Sentenced to 46 Months in Prison for Tax Fraud". Department of Justice, Office of Public Affairs. 7 January 2016.
  20. "ROBERT KIHUNE, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, SANDWICH ISLES COMMUNICATIONS, INC. TO THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC REVITALIZATION & BUSINESS ON FEBRUARY 7, 2012 - 8:30 A.M." (PDF). Hawaii House of Representatives. 7 February 2012. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
  21. "330-CFD-DN-SN-84-10138: Commodore Robert K. U. Kihune, USN, 1984". U.S. Navy. 1 August 1984. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
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