1. In 1968, the state of Hawaii officially recognized May 27 as "Kamehameha Day" in honor of King Kamehameha I, who united the Hawaiian islands in 1810. The holiday is celebrated with parades, feasts, and cultural events throughout the state.
2. On May 27, 1937, the first commercial flight between the mainland United States and Hawaii took place. The Pan American Airways "Flying Clipper" took off from San Francisco and arrived in Honolulu 14 hours later, marking the beginning of a new era in travel and tourism for Hawaii.
3. In 1942, during World War II, American forces successfully defended the island of Attu in the Aleutian Islands off the coast of Alaska from a Japanese invasion. The brutal battle lasted for nearly three weeks and resulted in over 3,000 casualties on both sides.
4. On May 27, 1894, a group of Japanese sugar plantation workers on the island of Maui went on strike to demand better wages and working conditions. The strike quickly spread to other islands and ultimately led to the formation of the Hawaii Laborers' Association, which fought for workers' rights and played a key role in the eventual overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy.
5. In 2006, a magnitude-6.7 earthquake struck the island of Hawaii, causing significant damage to buildings and infrastructure in the town of Kona. Fortunately, there were no fatalities, but the quake served as a reminder of the island's vulnerability to natural disasters.
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