Naval Station Pearl Harbor

Naval Station Pearl Harbor is a naval base and submarine station on Oahu in the United States, spread along the southern coast of the island. The site includes berthing docks for submarines and surface vessels along with repair workshops, administrative buildings, and supply depots that support Pacific Fleet operations.

The naval base was established in 1899 following the American annexation of Hawaii and quickly developed into the main Pacific outpost. The attack on December 7, 1941 destroyed much of the fleet and marked the entry of the United States into World War II.

The site takes its name from the pearl-like shape of the harbor inlet, which was a shallow coral reef before American military expansion. Today the grounds serve as an active base with memorial sites that remind visitors of the 1941 events and blend military presence with public remembrance.

Visitors need valid identification to enter the grounds, with security checks conducted at the main gate. Those requiring information or clearance can contact the quarterdeck by phone, as not all areas are open to the public.

The submarine facilities along the southern harbor edge include numbered piers that form one of the few permanent home ports for nuclear submarines in the Pacific. Beneath the wharves lie protected maintenance bays that open directly to the water and sit discreetly behind military barriers.