Pearl Harbor Memorial: Geography, History & Remembrance

Pearl Harbor is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, approximately 10 kilometers west of Honolulu. The harbor is most known as the site of the Japanese military attack on December 7, 1941, which propelled the United States into World War II. The Pearl Harbor National Memorial, centered on the USS Arizona Memorial, is a solemn tribute to the 2,403 Americans who died in the attack.

Introduction

Located at coordinates 21.3649°N, 157.9507°W, Pearl Harbor is a natural deepwater harbor formed by the submergence of a river valley and the growth of coral reefs around its entrance. The harbor's name comes from the Hawaiian "Wai Momi" (pearl waters), referring to the pearl oysters that once thrived in its waters. Today, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam remains one of the largest US military installations in the Pacific.

Geography & Harbor

• Coordinates: 21.3649°N, 157.9507°W
• Harbor Area: ~12.7 km²
• Harbor Depth: 12–18 m in anchorages
• Island: Oahu, Hawaii

Pearl Harbor is a Y-shaped natural harbor with three lochs (West Loch, Middle Loch, and East Loch) extending inland from a narrow entrance channel. The harbor was formed by the erosion of the Waianae and Koolau mountain valleys, subsequently flooded by post-glacial sea level rise. Coral reef growth across the original river mouth created the shallow, protected lagoon ideal for naval operations.

The harbor entrance is approximately 400 meters wide and was dredged in 1908 to allow passage of large warships. Ford Island, a 182-hectare island in the center of the harbor, served as a naval air station and is the geographic center of the December 7 attack. The harbor is surrounded by the Waianae Range to the west and the Koolau Range to the east, with Pearl City and Aiea on its northern shores.

The December 7, 1941 Attack

• Date: December 7, 1941, beginning 7:48 AM
• Japanese Forces: 353 aircraft from 6 carriers
• US Casualties: 2,403 killed, 1,178 wounded
• Ships Sunk or Damaged: 21 US naval vessels

The attack on Pearl Harbor began at 7:48 AM on Sunday, December 7, 1941, when 353 Japanese aircraft launched from six aircraft carriers struck the US Pacific Fleet at anchor. The assault came in two waves, targeting battleships moored along "Battleship Row" on the southeast shore of Ford Island, airfields at Hickam, Wheeler, and Bellows, and other military installations across Oahu.

The battleship USS Arizona suffered the most devastating hit when a 1,760-pound armor-piercing bomb penetrated its forward magazine, causing a catastrophic explosion that killed 1,177 of its 1,512 crew members — nearly half of all American deaths that day. The ship sank in approximately nine minutes and today rests on the harbor floor in about 12 meters of water, exactly where it was moored on that morning.

USS Arizona Memorial

• Designed By: Alfred Preis
• Dedicated: May 30, 1962
• Structure: 56.4 m long, straddles the sunken ship
• Remains: 1,177 crew members entombed within the ship

The USS Arizona Memorial is a 56.4-meter-long white concrete structure that straddles the sunken battleship without touching it. Designed by Honolulu architect Alfred Preis, an Austrian-born immigrant who was himself interned as an enemy alien after the Pearl Harbor attack, the memorial's design dips in the center and rises at the ends, symbolizing the initial defeat and ultimate victory of the United States.

The memorial's Shrine Room contains a marble wall inscribed with the names of all 1,177 crew members who died aboard the Arizona. The ship continues to leak approximately 9 liters of oil per day from its fuel bunkers — estimated to contain approximately 1.9 million liters of fuel oil — creating a sheen on the water's surface that visitors call "black tears" or the "tears of the Arizona."

Visitor Information

• Annual Visitors: ~1.8 million
• Admission: Free (timed-entry ticket required)
• Tour Duration: ~75 minutes (film + boat shuttle + memorial)
• Other Sites: USS Missouri, USS Bowfin, Pacific Aviation Museum

Pearl Harbor National Memorial attracts approximately 1.8 million visitors annually. The visit includes a 23-minute documentary film, followed by a US Navy boat shuttle to the memorial structure over the sunken Arizona. Timed-entry tickets are free but must be reserved in advance and frequently sell out. The entire experience takes approximately 75 minutes.

The Pearl Harbor Historic Sites complex also includes the Battleship Missouri Memorial (where Japan's surrender was signed on September 2, 1945), the USS Bowfin Submarine Museum, and the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum on Ford Island. Together, these sites tell the story of the Pacific War from its opening attack to its conclusion, all within the geographic setting where it began.

Key Facts

• Pearl Harbor is a natural Y-shaped lagoon harbor covering approximately 12.7 km² on Oahu.
• The December 7, 1941 attack killed 2,403 Americans and damaged or sank 21 naval vessels.
• The USS Arizona lost 1,177 crew members and still rests on the harbor floor in 12 meters of water.
• The sunken ship still leaks approximately 9 liters of oil per day from an estimated 1.9 million liters remaining.
• Approximately 1.8 million people visit the memorial annually.

Fun Facts

• The USS Arizona's fuel oil will likely continue leaking for another 50–100 years before the bunkers are fully depleted.
• Pearl Harbor got its name from the pearl oysters that once lined the harbor floor, though overharvesting eliminated them by the early 1900s.
• The attack missed the Pacific Fleet's three aircraft carriers, which were at sea — a stroke of fortune that proved decisive in later battles.
• Over 30 Arizona survivors have had their cremated remains interred in the ship's gun turret to rejoin their shipmates.

Final Thoughts

Pearl Harbor is a place where geography, military strategy, and human sacrifice converge. The natural harbor that made it an ideal naval base also made it vulnerable to the attack that changed the course of world history. The USS Arizona Memorial ensures that the cost of that day is never forgotten.