Pearl Harbor, Hawaii (HI), United States

Facts & Statistics
Place Name	Pearl Harbor
Place Status (Type)	inlet
Location	Hawaii, United States, North America
Latitude	unknown
Longitude	unknown

Pearl Harbor , inlet, on the S coast of Oahu isl., Hawaii (HI), 5 mi/8 km W of Honolulu; one of the largest and best natural harbors in the Pacific Ocean; access to Pacific Ocean through 3-mi/4.8-km channel from Mamala Bay to S. Harbor channel splits in 2, leading NW to West Loch, which receives Waikele Stream from N, and N to main harbor area, which has 2 N lobes, Middle Loch and East Loch, and has Ford Isl. at its center; U.S.S. Arizona Natl. Monument E of isl., U.S.S. Utah Memorial W of isl.; Aiea, Waimalu, and Waimanu Streams enter E harbor from N. In the Pearl Harbor vicinity are many U.S. military installations, including the Pearl Harbor U.S. Pacific naval base; Hickam Air Force Base; and Camp H.M. Smith, hq. of the U.S. Pacific Marines Corps' Command. The U.S. 1st gained rights here in 1887, when the Hawaiian monarchy granted permission for the maintenance of a coaling and repair station. After the U.S. annexed Hawaii in 1900, Pearl Harbor was made a naval base. Harbor improvements and fortifications were later added, especially after the signing of the Berlin Pact in 1940 by the Axis nations. On Sunday Dec. 7, 1941, while negotiations were going on with Jap. representatives in Washington, Jap. carrier-based planes swept in without warning over Oahu and attacked (7:55 A.M. local time) the bulk of the U.S. Pacific fleet, moored in Pearl Harbor. A total of 19 naval vessels, including 8 battleships, were sunk or severely damaged; 188 U.S. aircraft were destroyed. Military casualties were 2,280 killed and 1,109 wounded; 68 civilians were also killed. On Dec. 8, the U.S. declared war on Japan. There were many charges of negligence against those responsible for Pearl Harbor's defense. A special investigatory commission appointed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt accused the army and navy commanders at Hawaii of dereliction of duty in a report on Jan. 24, 1942. Later Army and Navy investigations concluded that no valid grounds existed for court-martial. A joint congressional committee, formed in Sept. 1945, absolved the Army and Navy commanders in a formal report to Congress on July 16, 1946, but censured the War Dept. and the Dept. of the Navy. Pearl Harbor is now a natl. historic landmark; a memorial has been built over the sunken hulk of the USS Arizona. Most of the harbor's activity is military in nature; some commercial shipping from Aiea, on NE shore, and Waipahu, on W Loch. Most of Honolulu's commercial shipping is from Honolulu Harbor to E (not part of Pearl Harbor).