Pearl Harbor, a landlocked body of water on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, northwest of Honolulu. It is the site of major U.S. military bases, including Pearl Harbor Naval Base and Hickam Air Force Base. Both bases are command centers for the Pacific. Cities on the harbor include Aiea, Pearl City, and Waipahu.
The Japanese aerial attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, brought the United States into World War II. About 2,300 servicemen and 60 civilians were killed and the United States fleet was severely crippled.
The United States acquired rights to use Pearl Harbor as a coaling station in 1887. It became a naval base in 1900.
