Naval Station Pearl Harbor facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Naval Station Pearl Harbor
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| Part of Navy Region Hawaii | |
| Located near: Honolulu, Hawaii | |
 Naval Station Pearl Harbor
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| Coordinates | 21°20′57″N 157°56′38″W / 21.349270°N 157.943970°W |
| Type | Military base |
| Site information | |
| Controlled by | United States Navy |
| Site history | |
| In use | 1899–present |
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Pearl Harbor, U.S. Naval Base
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Aerial view of Pearl Harbor, Ford Island in center. The Arizona memorial is the small white dot on the left side above Ford Island.
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| Nearest city | Pearl City, Hawaiʻi |
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| Area | 13,107 acres (5,304 ha) |
| Built | 1911 |
| NRHP reference No. | 66000940 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | 15 October 1966 |
| Designated NHLD | 29 January 1964 |
Pearl Harbor is a very important naval base in Hawaii, near Honolulu. It is a key location for the United States Navy. In 2010, it joined with Hickam Air Force Base to become Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam.
This base is the main home for the United States Pacific Fleet. Pearl Harbor is also famous because of the attack on Pearl Harbor by Japan on December 7, 1941. This event led the United States to join World War II.
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What Pearl Harbor Does
Naval Station Pearl Harbor helps Navy ships and submarines. It provides places for them to dock and get supplies. The base also offers maintenance and training for sailors.
Pearl Harbor can handle the biggest ships in the Navy. It even has dry docks for repairs. More than 160 different Navy groups are based here. The base also provides housing and support for Navy families.
It is the only place in the Middle Pacific that can fix submarines. Because of this, many submarines visit Pearl Harbor. The Naval Computer and Telecommunications Area Master Station Pacific is also located nearby. It is the largest communication station in the world.
Pearl Harbor's History
Early Years: 1899–1941
After Hawaii became part of the U.S., Pearl Harbor was made ready for more Navy ships. In 1899, the "Naval Station, Honolulu" was created. Its name changed to "Naval Station, Hawaii" in 1900.
The Navy started exploring nearby islands like Midway and Guam. They wanted to find good places for new cable routes. A lack of coal and an outbreak of the bubonic plague caused some delays.
From 1900 to 1908, the Navy improved the base. They built new sheds and housing. They also added a machine shop and a water system. The harbor was made deeper to fit larger ships. In 1903, the battleship Wisconsin was the first battleship to enter the harbor.
In 1908, the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard was built. Work began on a large dry dock in 1909. A dry dock is a special dock that can be drained of water. This allows workers to repair the bottom of ships.
The dry dock had a big problem in 1913 when it collapsed. It was finally opened in 1919. In 1917, Ford Island in the middle of Pearl Harbor was bought. It was used to develop military aviation.
As Japan's military grew, the U.S. Navy became concerned. In 1933, the U.S. Navy practiced a fake attack on Pearl Harbor. The practice attack showed that the base's defenses were not strong enough.
Attack on Pearl Harbor: December 7, 1941
On December 7, 1941, Japan launched a surprise attack. Japanese aircraft and small submarines attacked the U.S. naval base in Honolulu. The U.S. knew an attack was likely, but they did not know where. They thought the Philippines might be the target.
At 7:51 AM, the Japanese planes attacked U.S. ships and military buildings. A second wave of planes attacked at 8:30 AM. The battleship Arizona was hit by a bomb. It exploded and sank in seconds, killing 1,177 sailors.
In total, 2,403 Americans died in the attack. This included 2,335 military members and 68 civilians. Japan lost 64 military members. Five U.S. battleships were sunk. Three more were badly damaged. Nine ships were sunk in total, and 21 were severely damaged. Many U.S. aircraft were also destroyed.
The attack on Pearl Harbor was the largest attack by a foreign country on American soil. It brought the United States into World War II.
West Loch Explosion: 1944
On May 21, 1944, a big explosion happened at West Loch. This area was used to prepare ships for an invasion. The explosion caused a fire that spread quickly among the ships. Six ships sank, and 163 Navy members died. Another 396 were injured.
No one ever found the exact cause of the explosion. However, it was thought that a mortar round exploded on a ship. This incident led to big changes in how the U.S. Navy handled weapons.
Pearl Harbor After World War II
After World War II, Pearl Harbor remained a key base for the U.S. Pacific Fleet. In 2010, it merged with Hickam Air Force Base to form Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam.
From 1932 to 1983, a tall "Escape Training Tank" was a famous sight. Submariners learned how to escape from a sunken submarine there. Another similar tower on Ford Island became an airport control tower during World War II. It is still standing today.
Bloch Arena is a building on the base that is still used. It has hosted basketball games and other events.
A National Historic Landmark
The Navy base at Pearl Harbor was named a National Historic Landmark in 1964. This means it is a very important historical place. It also includes other landmarks related to the attack. These include the Arizona, Bowfin, and Utah.
Ships at Pearl Harbor
Surface Ships Homeported Here
Nine destroyers are based at Pearl Harbor:
- USS John Paul Jones (DDG-53)
- USS Hopper (DDG-70)
- USS Wayne E. Meyer (DDG-108)
- USS Preble (DDG-88)
- USS Chafee (DDG-90)
- USS Chung-Hoon (DDG-93)
- USS Halsey (DDG-97)
- USS William P. Lawrence (DDG-110)
- USS Michael Murphy (DDG-112)
One cruiser is based here:
- USS Port Royal (CG-73)
Submarines Homeported Here
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Twelve Los Angeles-class submarines are based at Pearl Harbor:
- USS Olympia (SSN-717)
- USS Chicago (SSN-721)
- USS Louisville (SSN-724)
- USS Jefferson City (SSN-759)
- USS Springfield (SSN-761)
- USS Columbus (SSN-762)
- USS Santa Fe (SSN-763)
- USS Charlotte (SSN-766)
- USS Tucson (SSN-770)
- USS Columbia (SSN-771)
- USS Greeneville (SSN-772)
- USS Cheyenne (SSN-773)
Six Virginia-class submarines are based here:
- USS Texas (SSN-775)
- USS Hawaii (SSN-776)
- USS North Carolina (SSN-777)
- USS Missouri (SSN-780)
- USS Mississippi (SSN-782)
- USS Illinois (SSN-786)
The Navy decided in 2006 to move more of its attack submarines to the Pacific Ocean. This was done by 2010.
USS Missouri
The USS Missouri (BB-63) is a famous United States Navy battleship. It is often called "Mighty Mo" or "Big Mo." It was the last battleship ever built by the United States. The surrender of Japan that ended World War II happened on its deck.
The Missouri was built in 1944. It fought in the Pacific War during World War II. It took part in battles like Iwo Jima and Okinawa. It also shelled Japanese islands. Later, it fought in the Korean War from 1950 to 1953.
The ship was put out of service in 1955. But it was brought back in 1984. It helped in Operation Desert Storm in 1991. The Missouri earned 11 battle stars for its service. It was finally taken out of service in 1992. In 1998, it became a museum ship at Pearl Harbor.
